Zero-Sum or Positive-Sum? Assessing the Relationship Between Platforms and Workers in the Gig Economy
Keywords:
Gig economy, Platform labor, Zero-sum and positive-sum, Value distribution, Algorithmic managementAbstract
This study analyzes the nature of the relationship between digital platforms and workers in the gig economy through the zero-sum and positive-sum theoretical framework to assess patterns of value creation and distribution. Using a qualitative normative–conceptual approach, the study integrates conceptual, philosophical, and critical-analytical analyses of scholarly literature, policy reports, and digital labor regulations. The findings indicate that platform–worker relations are hybrid in nature with a tendency toward a quasi zero-sum pattern, in which value creation through efficiency and market expansion is not matched by proportional surplus distribution and risk sharing. Workers bear most income uncertainty and operational costs, while platforms gain structural advantages through control over data, algorithms, and network effects. These results highlight that the character of economic relations in the gig economy is shaped by institutional design and regulatory frameworks rather than by technology alone. The study recommends strengthening algorithmic transparency, social protection, and worker representation mechanisms as prerequisites for transforming the gig economy into a fair and sustainable positive-sum model
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