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Charting platform capitalism: Definitions, concepts and ideologies

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Yin LiangORCiD, Dr Bernd Brandl

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND).


Abstract

The term ‘platform capitalism’ captures a dynamic set of new work modalities that are mediated by platforms and have been brought about through advances in Information and Communication Technologies, adjustments in consumption modes and preferences, and changes in how work is conceived. Beyond work-related changes, the ascent of platform capitalism reflects wider societal and political as well as economic changes. While research on platform capitalism and its manifold manifestations abounds, there is a lack of consensus in the literature regarding its key features and characteristics. Seeking to provide conceptual clarity and to contribute to efforts of theorization, we here analyse four main facets of platform capitalism, namely, crowdsourcing, sharing economy, gig economy and platform economy. We review key definitions of each term and provide an overview of their distinctive features. This allows us to identify both similarities and differences in the framing of these four terms. We also delve into the ideologies underlying these four terms, thus providing a critique of the neophilia characterizing the discourse framing platform capitalism.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Liang Y, Aroles J, Brandl B

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: New Technology, Work and Employment

Year: 2022

Volume: 37

Issue: 2

Pages: 308-327

Print publication date: 11/07/2022

Online publication date: 23/02/2022

Acceptance date: 07/02/2022

Date deposited: 12/02/2024

ISSN (print): 0268-1072

ISSN (electronic): 1468-005X

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/ntwe.12234

DOI: 10.1111/ntwe.12234


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
Durham Doctoral Studentship

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