Platform Gig-Economy as Alternative Model with Non-Standard Labour Relations

Abstract

The advanced on-line communicative technologies have transformed today’s labour market by provoking the emergence of gig-economy and platform employment. The goal of the research is to attract attention to problems dealing with employment flowing to spheres of virtual labour activity, which can seriously transform the current institutions of employment and labour offer. The tool and methodological set of the research is based on contentanalysis, system approach, methods of comparison, description and generalization of factual material. The article identifies the level of theoretical comprehension of the phenomenon of platform gig-economy as an element of digital economy. The article provides terminological approaches to understanding of ‘platform employment’ and its interpretation in view of alternative explanations demonstrating time remoteness nature of employment. Reasons for fast development of on-line services by request and their being in demand were analyzed. The authors systematized factors affecting the origin and transformation of gig-economy models with non-standard labour relations. They showed the essential characteristics, specificity and specialization of leading Russian and overseas digital platforms as intermediaries on gig-employment market, which could provide wider opportunities of creating alternative jobs for traditional workers. The definition of ‘platform economy with non-standard labour relations’ was specified in order to make this category more concrete.