Dual value production as key to the gig economy puzzle

van, Doorn, N; Badger, A

doi:10.4337/9781839100284.00015

Dual value production as key to the gig economy puzzle

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Adam Badger

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Abstract

The puzzle we attempt to solve in this chapter is how gig economy companies can continue to grow their business despite regularly incurring huge losses. While the first step towards solving this puzzle is easily made, by bringing into focus the crucial role of venture capital and investment firms, this immediately requires us to confront a more puzzling reality: that these firms have continued to fund loss-making gig companies operating in industries with extremely thin margins. To make sense of investors’ high expectations, we believe it is necessary to start by asking a deceptively basic question: what type of work is platform-mediated gig work? Phrased differently: what types of value are created through platform labour?