Postdoc on Quantitative Analyses of Platform Worker Autonomy

at  Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

• Amsterdam
• Postdoc
• School of Business and Economics
• Researcher / Postdoc, PhD
• 0.8 / 1
• Amsterdam
• Closes on30-06-2024
  Are you an experienced quantitative researcher with a PhD in a social science discipline? Are you interested in the topic of platform work? In that case, consider applying for a postdoc position at the KIN Center for Digital Innovation.

YOUR FUNCTION

A growing number of people works through platforms such as Fiverr, Uber, or UpWork. They are part of the platform, or gig, economy. The viability of the platform economy for workers is heavily debated. Proponents are excited about the independence and flexibility that platforms afford. Detractors of the platform economy instead emphasize that platforms help create situations of precarity and overall platform dependence.
At the root of those discussions lies the question of how much autonomy platform workers have over the work they do. However, beyond anecdotal accounts of platform workers, there is hardly any research on how workers actually behave on platforms. Without such insight, policymakers are in the dark about the exact impact of platforms on the work landscape. This postdoc project aims to generate such insight by conducting studies of actual worker behavior using platform data.
We are looking for a candidate to fill this postdoc position for a duration of two years. The postdoc will work under the supervision of dr. Joey van Angeren and dr. Mark Boons. The starting date is flexible throughout 2024 and will be agreed upon with the suitable candidate.

ABOUT US

KIN Center for Digital Innovation
KIN is one of the departments of the School of Business and Economics at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. KIN researchers study the development, use, and business value of innovative organizational processes and technologies. Our research contributes to an international field that is relatively new and multi-disciplinary. We collaborate closely with faculty and researchers from other universities and cooperate with an extensive network of business partners. The KIN department is also responsible for several courses in the Business Administration curriculum at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and facilitates the Master’s program Digital Business and Innovation. Researchers at KIN regularly publish and hold editorial positions in leading journals such as Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, and Management Information Systems Quarterly.

YOUR FUNCTION

A growing number of people works through platforms such as Fiverr, Uber, or UpWork. They are part of the platform, or gig, economy. The viability of the platform economy for workers is heavily debated. Proponents are excited about the independence and flexibility that platforms afford. Detractors of the platform economy instead emphasize that platforms help create situations of precarity and overall platform dependence.
At the root of those discussions lies the question of how much autonomy platform workers have over the work they do. However, beyond anecdotal accounts of platform workers, there is hardly any research on how workers actually behave on platforms. Without such insight, policymakers are in the dark about the exact impact of platforms on the work landscape. This postdoc project aims to generate such insight by conducting studies of actual worker behavior using platform data.
We are looking for a candidate to fill this postdoc position for a duration of two years. The postdoc will work under the supervision of dr. Joey van Angeren and dr. Mark Boons. The starting date is flexible throughout 2024 and will be agreed upon with the suitable candidate.

ABOUT US

KIN Center for Digital Innovation
KIN is one of the departments of the School of Business and Economics at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. KIN researchers study the development, use, and business value of innovative organizational processes and technologies. Our research contributes to an international field that is relatively new and multi-disciplinary. We collaborate closely with faculty and researchers from other universities and cooperate with an extensive network of business partners. The KIN department is also responsible for several courses in the Business Administration curriculum at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and facilitates the Master’s program Digital Business and Innovation. Researchers at KIN regularly publish and hold editorial positions in leading journals such as Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, and Management Information Systems Quarterly.

DUTIES

• You will design and conduct quantitative and possibly mixed methods studies of platform worker behavior.
• You will be working with platform data, collecting additional archival data, interacting with platform workers and platform representatives, writing research papers for conferences and journals, and presenting research at conferences.
• You will make a moderate contribution to teaching.
• You will collaborate with industry partners and disseminate your research findings during workshops for practitioners.

DUTIES

• You will design and conduct quantitative and possibly mixed methods studies of platform worker behavior.
• You will be working with platform data, collecting additional archival data, interacting with platform workers and platform representatives, writing research papers for conferences and journals, and presenting research at conferences.
• You will make a moderate contribution to teaching.
• You will collaborate with industry partners and disseminate your research findings during workshops for practitioners.