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Digital labour platforms as shock absorbers: Evidence from COVID-19

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  • Sam Jones
  • Ivan Manhique

Abstract

Digital labour platforms have grown five-fold over the last decade, enabling significant expansion in gig work worldwide. We interrogate the criticism that these platforms tend to amplify aggregate economic shocks for registered users (workers). Based on the universe of records from a matching platform for informal sector manual freelancers in Mozambique, we analyse how task supply and demand altered with the onset of COVID-19.

Suggested Citation

  • Sam Jones & Ivan Manhique, 2022. "Digital labour platforms as shock absorbers: Evidence from COVID-19," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2022-108, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2022-108
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    File URL: https://www.wider.unu.edu/sites/default/files/Publications/Working-paper/PDF/wp2022-108-digital-labour-platforms-shock-absorbers-evidence-COVID-19.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    5. Rostislav Kapelyushnikov & Andrei Kuznetsov & Olga Kuznetsova, 2012. "The role of the informal sector, flexible working time and pay in the Russian labour market model," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(2), pages 177-190, November.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    COVID-19; Digital platforms; Labour market; Shocks; Mozambique;
    All these keywords.

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