Disconnecting labour: the impact of intraplatform algorithmic changes on the labour process and workers' capacity to organise collectively

Mendonca, P ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7035-6246 and Kougiannou, NK ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6422-3831, 2022. Disconnecting labour: the impact of intraplatform algorithmic changes on the labour process and workers' capacity to organise collectively. New Technology, Work and Employment. ISSN 0268-1072

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract

This article examines how gig economy platform companies, via algorithmic management, shape working conditions and collective organisation of food delivery couriers. Using qualitative data from one case study operating in a city in the United Kingdom, the study captures real-time intraplatform unilateral changes in algorithmic management to provide increased flexibility for couriers. Findings show algorithmic changes generating a reconfigured, fragmented and compliant workforce. As a result, couriers demonstrate different interests and motivations to work for the company, where disparities in the demands for improved working conditions hindered efforts for collective organising. This article argues that intraplatform algorithmic changes create affordances that companies can exploit to concentrate power over labour even when conceding some control over the labour process.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	New Technology, Work and Employment
Creators:	Mendonca, P. and Kougiannou, N.K.
Publisher:	Wiley
Date:	4 July 2022
ISSN:	0268-1072
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1111/ntwe.12251 DOI 1563205 Other
Rights:	This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.© 2022 The Authors. New Technology, Work and Employment published by Brian Towers (BRITOW) and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Divisions:	Schools > Nottingham Business School
Record created by:	Linda Sullivan
Date Added:	08 Sep 2022 10:00
Last Modified:	08 Sep 2022 10:00
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/46982

Actions (login required)

Edit View

Statistics

Views

Downloads