Technology-Mediated Control Legitimacy in the Gig Economy: Conceptualization and Nomological Network

The rise of the gig economy has become a global phenomenon that encompasses various industries. Instead of hiring full-time employees, gig economy companies ‘outsource’ work via online platforms to freelance workers who are paid for completing a given task (‘gig’). While gig workers are often portrayed as independent contractors, gig firms leverage advanced digital technologies and smart algorithms to exercise control over their freelance workforce, referred to as technology-mediated control (TMC). This independence-control paradox raises interesting questions in terms of how gig workers perceive the legitimacy of such controls. Against this backdrop, this chapter builds on extant research to propose a three-dimensional conceptualization of TMC legitimacy attuned to the unique features of the gig economy: autonomy, fairness, and privacy. On this conceptual basis, the chapter sets forth to start exploring the nomological network of gig workers’ perceptions of TMC legitimacy and outlines a set of key antecedents, consequences, and contextual boundary conditions, thereby offering directions for future research in the area.