Send message to Author

Paper short abstract:

Local contexts influence the functioning of digital platforms, which in turn adapt to these contexts. In India, we see this evolution and adaptation in two ways: 1)market creation through new products and offerings and 2) emergence of re-intermediation that adds informality to platform ecosystem.

Paper long abstract:

Digital platforms redefine labour relations by transforming how labour is hired, organized, and performed (Rani & Fuhrer, 2020). A defining feature of platforms is the ability of its algorithms to efficiently and instantly connect prospective customers with service providers, based on a set of pre-determined variables. However, in economies with a prominent informal sector such as India, there is a sizeable presence of heterogenous work organisation systems within the platform economy, leading to its divergence from the established on-demand model. These systems mediate various aspects of work allocation, spatio-temporal aspects, platform management, levels of reintermediation, and labour control (CIS,2021).

Drawing on empirical research on gig workers in Mumbai, this paper explores how platforms adapt to the complexities of informal economies. With focus on the ride-hailing and home-based service sectors, the paper analyses how context specific offerings have catalysed the creation of new markets, intermediation and diverse livelihood structures within the platform economy.

This evolution disrupts the traditional role of platform as the sole intermediary between the worker and the gig. Instead there is re-intermediation facilitated by platform infrastructure. Consequently, the relationship between the workers and platform becomes indirect, and their experiences are increasingly shaped by the roles and influence of these intermediaries, adding complexity and informality to the platform-mediated labour ecosystem.

Given this scenario, this paper is guided by the following research question: How did the informal nature of Indian markets influence the adaptation of digital platforms and what new layers of intermediation and livelihood structures emerge as a result?