Algorithmic Management and Algorithmic Competencies: Understanding and Appropriating Algorithms in Gig Work

Jarrahi, Mohammad Hossein; Sutherland, Will

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-15742-5_55

Cited by 113 publications

(98 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…The term algorithmic management was initially coined by Lee et al [4] in reference to software algorithms and surrounding institutional devices (e.g., platforms) that assume managerial functions. Considered one of the core innovations enabling the platform-based business models of the gig-economy, algorithmic management has allowed gig-organizations to manage myriads of distributed laborers in an efficient (low-cost and real-time) manner [4,5,6,16,17]. In the gig-economy, algorithms are typically responsible for matching workers with customers, assigning work, monitoring and evaluating work performance, as well as implementing a range of HR decisions [4,6,18].…”

Section: Algorithmic Management and Gig-workmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Using this distinction, digital labor platforms can be classified along a continuum ranging from highly centralized models (which automate and take control of exchanges) to decentralized platforms (which rely on the discretion, and thus autonomy, of participants to conduct exchanges). Since algorithmic management was initially developed to optimize the convenience, speed, and seamlessness of undifferentiated, low-skill on-demand service exchanges (e.g., Uber) [4,6,15], we restrict our theory-building to workers participating on such highly centralized digital labor platforms. Notably, while freelancers marketing higher-skill services on "digital platforms with substantial autonomy may not expect a [platform-provider] to care about their wellbeing", low-skill workers who are more actively managed by a platform firm tend to perceive themselves as employees [8, p. 193].…”

Section: Algorithmic Management and Gig-workmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, job conditions critical to the formation of POS such as job security and organizational size are hindered in the context of algorithmically-managed platform work. Specifically, platform work is characterized by low jobsecurity [13], a lack of benefits [8], threats to autonomy [3,5,6], as well as a large and boundless organizational size [4,5], all of which can harm POS.…”

Section: Pos and The Gig-economymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While gig-organizations derive many operational benefits such as agility and reduced costs from their business model, given the size and distributed nature of their workforces, they cannot rely on the traditional means of supervision to coordinate and control work [3]. Instead they rely on algorithmic management, a managerial practice whereby human managers are replaced by software algorithms that oversee, control, and optimize the performance of myriads of virtual workers at a large scale [4,5,6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, the goal of our paper is to understand how do the impersonal, technology-mediated practices inherent of algorithmic management impact workers' perceptions of organizational support, and to explore whether the lack of a human supervisor can be compensated for by other POS antecedents. As the use of algorithmic management reaches beyond the gigeconomy [3,6,8,14,15], closing this research gap stands to offer theoretical and practical contributions to the social and managerial study of algorithmstwo growing and critical areas of research [5,6,16].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Perceived Organizational Support in the Face of Algorithmic Management: A Conceptual Model

Jabagi¹,

Croteau²,

Audebrand³

2020

Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences

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Organizational support theory proposes that employees develop global beliefs concerning the degree to which an organization values their contributions and cares about their well-being. These beliefs, known as perceived organizational support (POS), are related to a number of positive employee outcomes, including: job satisfaction, work effort, performance, etc. Three categories of POS antecedents have been recognized in the literature: perceived supervisor support; fairness of organizational procedures; and organizational rewards and job conditions. In this paper, we explore these antecedent categories in the gig-work context where organizations replace human managers with algorithmic management practices and data-driven procedures. In doing so, we develop a new conceptual model that centers on the role that a gig-organization's algorithm plays in engendering POS by promoting perceptions of algorithmic fairness (PAF) and perceptions of autonomy support (PAAS). Contributions and future research avenues are discussed.

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Section: Algorithmic Management and Gig-workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Algorithmic Management and Gig-workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Pos and The Gig-economymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Perceived Organizational Support in the Face of Algorithmic Management: A Conceptual Model

Jabagi¹,

Croteau²,

Audebrand³

2020

Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Socio‐technical issues in the platform‐mediated gig economy: A systematic literature review: An Annual Review of Information Science and Technology (ARIST) paper

Dedema,

Rosenbaum

2024

Asso for Info Science & Tech

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The gig economy and gig work have grown quickly in recent years and have drawn much attention from researchers in different fields. Because the platform mediated gig economy is a relatively new phenomenon, studies have produced a range of interesting findings; of interest here are the socio‐technical issues that this work has surfaced. This systematic literature review (SLR) provides a snapshot of a range of socio‐technical issues raised in the last 12 years of literature focused on the platform mediated gig economy. Based on a sample of 515 papers gathered from nine databases in multiple disciplines, 132 were coded that specifically studied the gig economy, gig work, and gig workers. Three main socio‐technical themes were identified: (1) the digital workplace, which includes information infrastructure and digital labor that are related to the nature of gig work and the user agency; (2) algorithmic management, which includes platform governance, performance management, information asymmetry, power asymmetry, and system manipulation, relying on a diverse set of technological tools including algorithms and big data analytics; (3) ethical design, as a relevant value set that gig workers expect from the platform, which includes trust, fairness, equality, privacy, and transparency. A social informatics perspective is used to rethink the relationship between gig workers and platforms, extract the socio‐technical issues noted in prior research, and discuss the underexplored aspects of the platform mediated gig economy. The results draw attention to understudied yet critically important socio‐technical issues in the gig economy that suggest short‐ and long‐term opportunities for future research directions.

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Dynamism and realignment in the HR architecture: Online labor platform ecosystems and the key role of contractors

Keegan

Meijerink

2022

Human Resource Management

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Given the widespread contribution of independent contractors to organizational innovation and competitive advantage, it is timely to reassess assumptions about the HRM practices appropriate to their management and the rationale for organizations to work with them. In the original and highly influential HR architecture model of Lepak and Snell (1999), contractor status is viewed as an outcome of the low value and/or low uniqueness of human capital resulting in the proposition to externalize and manage them using either none or minimal compliance-based HRM practices.Developments in digital technologies and algorithmic management epitomized by online labor platforms prompt us to reconsider these assumptions and to challenge the proposed links between value/uniqueness of human capital, employment mode and HRM practices that are assumed by the HR architecture model. Using insights from online labor platforms, we argue that the significant benefits to firms of working with contractors, coupled with the possibilities offered by algorithmic management to efficiently monitor and regulate their behavior, provide a compelling reason for organizations to choose external employment modes even when workers are key to value creation. We challenge the alignment and stability of the relationships proposed by the HR architecture model, and offer propositions to extend the model by reconsidering the rationale for, and nature of, HRM practices associated with contractors. This reassessment is both timely and relevant given the growing prominence of business models where externalizing workers is central alongside the development of new forms of algorithmic human resource management to control them.

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Algorithmic Management and Algorithmic Competencies: Understanding and Appropriating Algorithms in Gig Work

Cited by 113 publications

References 24 publications

Perceived Organizational Support in the Face of Algorithmic Management: A Conceptual Model

Perceived Organizational Support in the Face of Algorithmic Management: A Conceptual Model

Socio‐technical issues in the platform‐mediated gig economy: A systematic literature review: An Annual Review of Information Science and Technology (ARIST) paper

Dynamism and realignment in the HR architecture: Online labor platform ecosystems and the key role of contractors

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