Cited by 157Digital Economy and Work TransformationEmployment and Welfare StudiesLegal and Labor Studies

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 86 of the 90 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Über-Alienated: Powerless and Alone in the Gig Economy

Open access

Glavin, Paul, Bierman, Alex, Schieman, Scott·2021·Work and Occupations

Open this paper in CoChat — free account Open PDF

Abstract

While the gig economy has expanded rapidly in the last decade, few have studied the psychological ramifications of working for an online labor platform. Guided by classical and modern theories of work and alienation, we investigate whether engagement in platform work is associated with an increased sense of powerlessness and isolation. We analyze data from two national surveys of workers from the Canadian Quality of Work and Economic Life Study in September 2019 ( N = 2,460) and March 2020 ( N = 2,469). Analyses reveal greater levels of powerlessness and loneliness among platform workers—a pattern that is not fully explained by their higher levels of financial strain. Additional analyses of platform activity reveal that rideshare driving is more strongly associated with powerlessness and isolation than engagement in online crowdwork. We interpret our findings in light of platform firms’ use of algorithmic control and distancing strategies that may undermine worker autonomy and social connection.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1177/07308884211024711

Cites

86 of 86 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

We couldn’t retrieve this paper’s full text, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Harvard business review
(1993) · Journal of the American Dietetic Association · doi:10.1016/0002-8223(93)91697-o · Cited by 18,452
The Duality of Technology: Rethinking the Concept of Technology in Organizations
Orlikowski, W. J. (1992) · Organization Science · doi:10.1287/orsc.3.3.398 · Cited by 4,957
A Short Scale for Measuring Loneliness in Large Surveys: Results From Two Population-Based Studies
Hughes, M. E., Waite, L. J., Hawkley, L. C., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2004) · Research on Aging · doi:10.1177/0164027504268574 · Cited by 4,781
Good Gig, Bad Gig: Autonomy and Algorithmic Control in the Global Gig Economy
Wood, A. J., Graham, M., Lehdonvirta, V., & Hjorth, I. (2019) · Work, Employment and Society · doi:10.1177/0950017018785616 · Cited by 2,209
On The Meaning of Alienation
Seeman, M. S. (1959) · American Sociological Review · doi:10.2307/2088565 · Cited by 2,150
Contested Terrain: The Transformation of the Workplace in the Twentieth Century
Nielsen, R. P., & Edwards, R. (1980) · Academy of Management Review · doi:10.2307/257476 · Cited by 1,853
What Do Platforms Do? Understanding the Gig Economy
Vallas, S., & Schor, J. B. (2020) · Annual Review of Sociology · doi:10.1146/annurev-soc-121919-054857 · Cited by 1,354 · cited 5×
“This distancing ensures the primacy of the platform’s position as intermediary (Vallas & Schor, 2020), much in the same way that temporary staffing 406 Work and Occupations 48(4) agencies seek to prevent clients from directly hiring temporary workers (Elcioglu, 2010).”
BackgroundInfluential
Employment and unemployment: a social-psychological analysis
Furnham, A. F. (1983) · Journal of Economic Psychology · doi:10.1016/0167-4870(83)90032-6 · Cited by 1,248
The Rise of the 'Just-in-Time Workforce': On-Demand Work, Crowd Work and Labour Protection in the 'Gig-Economy'Preprint
STEFANO, V. D. (2015) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.2682602 · Cited by 1,200
Employment and Unemployment: A Social-Psychological Analysis
Jahoda, M. (1982) · Cited by 1,101

Show all 90 references

Research works printed but not linked: 10

Berg J., 2016, Comp. Labor Law Policy Journal, 37, 543
Calo R., 2017, Colum. L. Rev, 117, 1623
Corporaal G. F., 2017, Platform sourcing: How fortune 500 firms are adopting online freelancing platforms
De Stefano V., 2016, Comparative Labor Law & Policy Journal, 37, 471
Farrell D., Greig F. (2016). Paychecks, paydays, and the online platform economy. In Proceedings annual conference on taxation and minutes of the annual meeting of the national tax association (Vol. 109, pp. 1–40). National Tax Association.
Kessler S., 2018, Gigged: The end of the job and the future of work
Marx K., 2009, The economic and philosophic manuscripts of 1844 and the communist manifesto
Mayo E. (1949). Hawthorne and the Western electric company. In Public administration: Concepts and case s (pp. 149–158). Houghton Mifflin.
Rosenblat A., 2016, International Journal of Communication, 10, 3758
Swain D., 2012, Alienation: An introduction to Marx’s theory

Sorted by citations

A multilevel review of artificial intelligence in organizations: Implications for organizational behavior research and practice
Bankins, S., Ocampo, A. C., Marrone, M., Restubog, S. L. D., & Woo, S. E. (2024) · Journal of Organizational Behavior · doi:10.1002/job.2735 · Cited by 799
Algorithmic management in the gig economy: A systematic review and research integration
Kadolkar, I., Kepes, S., & Subramony, M. (2024) · Journal of Organizational Behavior · doi:10.1002/job.2831 · Cited by 204
Gig work and gig workers: An integrative review and agenda for future research
Wu, D., & Huang, J. L. (2024) · Journal of Organizational Behavior · doi:10.1002/job.2775 · Cited by 168
Managing with Artificial Intelligence: An Integrative Framework
Hillebrand, L., Raisch, S., & Schad, J. (2025) · Academy of Management Annals · doi:10.5465/annals.2022.0072 · Cited by 209
The mental health implications of artificial intelligence adoption: the crucial role of self-efficacy
Kim, B., & Lee, J. (2024) · Humanities and Social Sciences Communications · doi:10.1057/s41599-024-04018-w · Cited by 170
The effect of algorithmic management and workers’ coping behavior: An exploratory qualitative research of Chinese food-delivery platform
Wu, X., Liu, Q., Qu, H., & Wang, J. (2022) · Tourism Management · doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104716 · Cited by 101
New ways of working (NWW): Workplace transformation in the digital age
Aroles, J., Ćećez-Kecmanović, D., Dale, K., Kingma, S. F., & Mitev, N. (2021) · Information and Organization · doi:10.1016/j.infoandorg.2021.100378 · Cited by 90
Prime Suspect: Mechanisms of Labor Control at Amazon's Warehouses
Vallas, S. P., Johnston, H., & Mommadova, Y. (2022) · Work and Occupations · doi:10.1177/07308884221106922 · Cited by 76
National survey of mental health and life satisfaction of gig workers: the role of loneliness and financial precarity
Wang, S., Li, L., & Coutts, A. (2022) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2022-066389 · Cited by 60
Algorithmic management of crowdworkers: Implications for workers’ identity, belonging, and meaningfulness of work
van Zoonen, W., Sivunen, A. E., & Treem, J. W. (2023) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2023.108089 · Cited by 60
Work engagement of online car-hailing drivers: the effects of platforms' algorithmic management
Li, W., Lu, Y., Hu, P., & Gupta, S. (2023) · Information Technology and People · doi:10.1108/itp-02-2022-0122 · Cited by 60
Adapting to a jolt: A mixed methods study identifying challenges and personal resources impacting professional gig workers' well-being during COVID-19
Granger, S., Barker Caza, B., Ashford, S. J., & Reid, E. M. (2022) · Journal of Vocational Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2022.103784 · Cited by 42
Implications of algorithmic management on careers and employment relationships in the gig economy – a developing country perspective
Adekoya, O. D., Mordi, C., Ajonbadi, H. A., & Chen, W. (2023) · Information Technology and People · doi:10.1108/itp-01-2023-0064 · Cited by 49
“The Food Delivered is More Valuable Than My Life”: Understanding the Platform Precarity of Online Food-Delivery Work in China
Huang, H. (2023) · Journal of Contemporary Asia · doi:10.1080/00472336.2022.2155866 · Cited by 37
Digital Battlegrounds: The Power Dynamics and Governance of Contemporary Platforms
Hunt, R. A., Townsend, D. M., Simpson, J., Nugent, R., Stallkamp, M., & Bozdag, E. (2024) · Academy of Management Annals · doi:10.5465/annals.2022.0188 · Cited by 42
What will mobile and virtual work look like in the future?—Results of a Delphi-based study
Kauffeld, S., Tartler, D., Gräfe, H., Windmann, A.-K., & Sauer, N. C. (2022) · Gruppe Interaktion Organisation Zeitschrift für Angewandte Organisationspsychologie (GIO) · doi:10.1007/s11612-022-00627-8 · Cited by 42
Necrocapitalism in the Gig Economy: The Case of Platform Food Couriers in Australia
Orr, W., Henne, K., Lee, A., Harb, J. I., & Alphonso, F. C. (2022) · Antipode · doi:10.1111/anti.12877 · Cited by 39
Precarious Employment and Well-Being: Insights from the COVID-19 Pandemic
Mai, Q. D., Song, L., & Donnelly, R. (2022) · Work and Occupations · doi:10.1177/07308884221143063 · Cited by 38
Gig worker’s perceived algorithmic management, stress appraisal, and destructive deviant behavior
Zhang, L., Yang, J., Zhang, Y., & Xu, G. (2023) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0294074 · Cited by 47
Algorithmic human resource management: toward a functional affordance perspective
Gong, Q., Fan, D., & Bartram, T. (2024) · Personnel Review · doi:10.1108/pr-01-2024-0099 · Cited by 36
Co-Designing Alternatives for the Future of Gig Worker Well-Being
Hsieh, J., Karger, M., Zagal, L., & Zhu, H. (2023) · Designing Interactive Systems Conference · doi:10.1145/3563657.3595982 · Cited by 36
Regulating datafication and platformization: Policy silos and tradeoffs in international platform inquiries
Popiel, P. (2022) · Policy & Internet · doi:10.1002/poi3.283 · Cited by 32
Dark sides of algorithmic control in app-based gig work: An objectification perspective
Yang, Y., Chi, M., Bi, X., & Xu, Y. (2025) · Journal of Business Research · doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115407 · Cited by 30
Work in the platform economy: a systematic literature review
Masta, R., & Kaushiva, P. (2024) · Employee Relations · doi:10.1108/er-12-2023-0638 · Cited by 31
Algorithmic control and work frustration in crowdwork: A case of autonomy suppression and connectivity compulsion
van Zoonen, W., Treem, J. W., & Sivunen, A. E. (2025) · European Management Journal · doi:10.1016/j.emj.2025.05.001 · Cited by 28
Time-Based Stress and Procedural Justice: Can Transparency Mitigate the Effects of Algorithmic Compensation in Gig Work?
Semujanga, B., & Parent‐Rocheleau, X. (2024) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph21010086 · Cited by 30
Meaningful Work in the Digital Age- A Comprehensive Review and Framework
Arora, N., & Garg, N. (2024) · Human Resource Development International · doi:10.1080/13678868.2024.2336866 · Cited by 24
Beyond the ‘Gig Economy’: Towards Variable Experiences of Job Quality in Platform Work
Wood, A. J., Martindale, N., & Burchell, B. J. (2025) · Work Employment and Society · doi:10.1177/09500170251336947 · Cited by 24
Gig work and mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic: A gendered examination of comparisons with regular employment and unemployment
Lu, Z., Wang, S., Ling, W., & Guo, Y. (2023) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116281 · Cited by 24
Integrating algorithmic management in hotels: Emerging challenges and opportunities for frontline managers
Jianu, B., Ashton, M., & Lugosi, P. (2025) · International Journal of Hospitality Management · doi:10.1016/j.ijhm.2025.104168 · Cited by 24
Democratizing the Economy or Introducing Economic Risk? Gig Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Auguste, D., Roll, S., & Despard, M. (2023) · Work and Occupations · doi:10.1177/07308884231202032 · Cited by 17
Digital Labor, Platforms, and AI
Munn, L. (2024) · Introduction to Digital Humanism · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-45304-5_35 · Cited by 17
Organised loneliness and its discontents
Sagan, O. (2023) · Diversity & Inclusion Research · doi:10.1002/dvr2.12008 · Cited by 19
“It’s Not Like Chasing Chanel:” Spending Time, Investing in the Self, and Pandemic Epiphanies
Ravenelle, A. J., & Kowalski, K. C. (2022) · Work and Occupations · doi:10.1177/07308884221125246 · Cited by 16
Unconventional Work, Conventional Problems: Gig Microtask Work, Inequality, and the Flexibility Mystique
Kincaid, R., & Reynolds, J. (2023) · Sociological Quarterly · doi:10.1080/00380253.2023.2268679 · Cited by 21
Understanding the Nexus Between Techno-Stress, Psychological Well-Being, and the Moderating Role of Job Resources in the Gig Economy
Ali, K. T. M., & Sivasubramanian, R. C. (2024) · Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal · doi:10.1007/s10672-024-09505-5 · Cited by 18
Beyond personal safe spaces: Creating and maintaining collective environments for meaning and identity on digital platforms
Hondros, K., Schiemer, B., & Vogelgsang, L. (2023) · Organization · doi:10.1177/13505084231168094 · Cited by 17
Gig2Gether: Datasharing to Empower, Unify and Demystify Gig Work
Hsieh, J., Zhang, A., Surati, S., Xie, S., Ayala, Y., Sathiya, N., Kuo, T.-S., Lee, M. K., & Zhu, H. (2025) · CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems · doi:10.1145/3706598.3714398 · Cited by 12
Theorizing Labor in the Platform Economy: Labor Restructuring in Historical Perspective
Faraoun, A. (2024) · Sociology Compass · doi:10.1111/soc4.70018 · Cited by 21
Coercion and Consent under Techno-Economic Despotism: Workers’ Alienation and ‘Liberation’ in the Amazon Warehouse
Miszczyński, M., & Zanoni, P. (2025) · Work Employment and Society · doi:10.1177/09500170251336954 · Cited by 12
Living a calling despite the challenges of the gig economy? The role of meaning-making and work alienation
Affolter, L., Spurk, D., & Straub, C. (2025) · Journal of Vocational Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2025.104175 · Cited by 17
Taming the algorithm: The platform realism of GrabBike delivery workers
Nguyen-Thu, G., & Munn, L. (2024) · New Media & Society · doi:10.1177/14614448241262417 · Cited by 11
Trust and power in Airbnb's digital rating and reputation system
Christiaens, T. (2025) · Ethics and Information Technology · doi:10.1007/s10676-025-09825-6 · Cited by 11
“In Marxist literature, this problem appears under the rubric of ‘alienation’ (O’Regan & Choe, 2017; Glavin et al., 2021; Christiaens 2022b; Pasquinelli, 2023).”
Is it all the same? Types of innovation and their relationship with direct control, technical control and algorithmic management
Fana, M., & Villani, D. (2023) · European Journal of Industrial Relations · doi:10.1177/09596801231180399 · Cited by 12
Diversity and emotional labor in the gig economy
Ajaiyeoba, I. O. (2024) · Equality Diversity and Inclusion An International Journal · doi:10.1108/edi-11-2023-0394 · Cited by 13
Living one’s calling independently: the role of online labor platforms for different dynamics of calling enactment
Affolter, L., Straub, C., & Spurk, D. (2024) · Career Development International · doi:10.1108/cdi-09-2023-0305 · Cited by 10
Mitigating work alienation: what can we learn from employee ownership?
Vafeas, M., Little, E., & Vafeas, A. (2024) · International journal of human resources management · doi:10.1080/09585192.2024.2439258 · Cited by 9
What is known about the health of location-based and online web-based digital labour platform workers? A scoping review of the literature
Matilla-Santander, N., Lundh, F., Kvart, S., Baron, S., Bodin, T., Gevaert, J., Håkansta, C., Hernando, J. C., Muntaner, C., & Kreshpaj, B. (2025) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-025-23916-5 · Cited by 10
Assessing bias in online surveys using alternative survey modes
Spencer, N. H., Syrdal, D. S., Coates, M., & Huws, U. E. (2022) · Work Organisation Labour & Globalisation · doi:10.13169/workorgalaboglob.16.1.0034 · Cited by 10
“Where is your fixed point?” Dealing with ambiguous freelance musician careers
Lundin, A. N. (2022) · Cultural Trends · doi:10.1080/09548963.2022.2075715 · Cited by 10
Converting donation to transaction: how platform capitalism exploits relational labor in non-profit fundraising
Zheng, W. (2023) · Socio-Economic Review · doi:10.1093/ser/mwad008 · Cited by 7
Sociological Types of Precarity Among Gig Workers: Lived Experiences of Food Delivery Workers in Riga
Ķešāne, I., & Spuriņa, M. (2024) · Social Inclusion · doi:10.17645/si.7696 · Cited by 13
Precarious Employment in the Gig Economy: Understanding the Roles of Employed Poor
Pathiranage, H. S. K. (2024) · Open Journal of Business and Management · doi:10.4236/ojbm.2024.124117 · Cited by 9
A multi-layered perspective on algorithmic control systems: managerial design choices and worker legitimacy judgments
Alizadeh, A., Wiener, M. J., & Benlian, A. (2025) · European Journal of Information Systems · doi:10.1080/0960085x.2025.2576230 · Cited by 13
A life without a plan? Freelance musicians in pandemic limbo
Lundin, A. N. (2022) · Emotion, space and society · doi:10.1016/j.emospa.2022.100924 · Cited by 9
When and why algorithmic control leads to app-based gig workers’ deviant work behaviour in China: A mixed-methods study in the food delivery sector
Chi, M., Xu, Y., & Yang, Y. (2025) · Telematics and Informatics · doi:10.1016/j.tele.2025.102267 · Cited by 11
It depends: Platform dependence, schedule control, and satisfaction among gig workers on Amazon's Mechanical Turk platform
Reynolds, J., & Kincaid, R. (2024) · Sociological Forum · doi:10.1111/socf.13029 · Cited by 9
Race, Marginalization, and Perceptions of Stress Among Workers Worldwide Post‐2020
Dalessandro, C., & Lovell, A. (2022) · Sociological Inquiry · doi:10.1111/soin.12505 · Cited by 9
Technology takes away my power! The mediating role of powerlessness in the relationship between technostressors and proactivity at work
Wang, G., Wu, Z., & Lu, C. (2025) · International Journal of Information Management · doi:10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2025.102930 · Cited by 11
The Dual Effects of Team Contest Design on On-Demand Service Work Schedules
Dong, T., Sun, X., Luo, Q., Wang, J., & Yin, Y. (2023) · Service Science · doi:10.1287/serv.2023.0320 · Cited by 7
Organizational perspectives on digital labor market intermediaries
McDonald, S., Damarin, A. K., & Membrez-Weiler, N. J. (2022) · Sociology Compass · doi:10.1111/soc4.13061 · Cited by 11
Algorithmic management and intimate partner surveillance in gig work
Laeeque, S. H. (2025) · Journal of Enterprise Information Management · doi:10.1108/jeim-04-2025-0238 · Cited by 7
Selling the self: Neo-normative control and the platform paradox
Cameron, L. D., Conzon, V. M., & Lam, L. (2025) · Research in Organizational Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.riob.2025.100230 · Cited by 11
Understanding the viability conundrum in online crowdwork: The costs of unprecedented autonomy
van Zoonen, W., & Sivunen, A. E. (2024) · Journal of Business Research · doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.114912 · Cited by 7
Resistance to economic exploitation or religious oppression? A sociomaterial analysis of the agency of Muslim food-delivery workers facing algorithmic management
Gaillard, H., & Galière, S. (2024) · Organization · doi:10.1177/13505084241296821 · Cited by 6
Exploring social responsibility towards gig workers: a comprehensive review and future research directions
Ray, B., Verma, M., Gautam, N., & Kumar, M. (2025) · Social Responsibility Journal · doi:10.1108/srj-08-2023-0479 · Cited by 7
Assessing Turnover Intentions of Algorithmically Managed Hospitality Workers
Pérez, M. S., Jianu, B., & Tussyadiah, I. P. (2023) · Springer proceedings in business and economics · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-25752-0_39 · Cited by 8
On-call work and depressive mood: A cross-sectional survey among rural migrant workers in China
Xu, Q., Wang, L., Zhang, Y., & Jiang, X. (2023) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1068663 · Cited by 6
Workers and Their Foes: Customer Scapegoats in the Service Triad
Laemmli, T. (2023) · Socius Sociological Research for a Dynamic World · doi:10.1177/23780231231204845 · Cited by 6
Archontic Machines: A Gnostic Optics of Power in the Media Culture of the Digital Age
Pozharov, A. I. (2026) · Философия и культура · doi:10.7256/2454-0757.2026.5.79538 · Cited by 8
Masculine borders as alienation of racialized, undocumented south Asian migrant workers in Greece
Kukreja, R. (2023) · NORMA · doi:10.1080/18902138.2023.2260291 · Cited by 4
Understanding experiences of adverse digital incorporation of ridesharing drivers in Bangladesh
Hazra, U. T., Priyo, A. K. K., & Sheikh, J. J. (2024) · Information Technology and People · doi:10.1108/itp-01-2024-0027 · Cited by 4
"Being a nanny isn't just caregiving": An Analysis of How Nannies Seek Support in Online Communities like /r/Nanny
Gupta, M., Bhattacharya, A., & Kientz, J. A. (2025) · Annual Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction for Work (CHIWORK) · doi:10.1145/3729176.3729181 · Cited by 5
How the communication style of AI collaborators influences gig workers’ acceptance: from the mind-role fit perspective
Wu, R.-P., & Lu, X. (2025) · Kybernetes · doi:10.1108/k-11-2024-3098 · Cited by 1
Do algorithmically managed employees feel objectified and isolated? A serial mediation approach affecting work disengagement
Arora, M., Mittal, A., & Dhankar, N. (2025) · International journal of organizational analysis · doi:10.1108/ijoa-03-2025-5287 · Cited by 6
Psychosocial risks and ethical implications of technology: considerations for decent work
Schulte, P. A., & Streit, J. M. K. (2025) · Annals of Work Exposures and Health · doi:10.1093/annweh/wxaf003 · Cited by 5
Work Experience and Mental Health from Adolescence to Mid-Life
Staff, J., & Mortimer, J. T. (2024) · Social Forces · doi:10.1093/sf/soae067 · Cited by 4
Safer Algorithmically-Mediated Offline Introductions: Harms and Protective Behaviors
Rivera, V. A., Wilkinson, D., Augusta, A., Li, S., Redmiles, E. M., & Strohmayer, A. (2024) · Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction · doi:10.1145/3686948 · Cited by 4
Connecting the disconnected: Professional isolation and inclusion of independent workers
Maj, J., Hamza‐Orlinska, A., & Santistevan, D. (2025) · European Management Review · doi:10.1111/emre.70004 · Cited by 3
Exploring factors influencing entry into the gig economy: A study of Chinese workers
Li, M., Hu, X., Jin, K., & Han, J. (2025) · Acta Psychologica · doi:10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105301 · Cited by 7
Food warriors: app-based delivery on electric micromobilities
Travers, T., Park, K., Hall, P., Scott, N. A., & Kwan, G. C. E. (2025) · Mobilities · doi:10.1080/17450101.2025.2532399 · Cited by 3
Lost in Automation? Algorithmic Management and the Evolving Role of Middle Managers - Insights From the Spanish Dark Stores Sector
VIEIRA, T. A., & Junte, S. (2025) · Work and Occupations · doi:10.1177/07308884251398078 · Cited by 3
Spatial Control, Precarity, and Union Resistance in Digital Remote Work: An Analysis of ‘Work From Home’ in US and Canadian Call Centres
Doellgast, V., O’Brady, S., & Kim, J. (2026) · Work Employment and Society · doi:10.1177/09500170251401491 · Cited by 3
Short-term fit, long-term trap: The career development lock of low-skilled gig workers
zheng, X., Du, J., Xiang, Y., Long, L., & Xie, H. (2026) · Human Relations · doi:10.1177/00187267261415779 · Cited by 3
Understanding the Technology-Mediated Home Phlebotomy Ecosystem in India
Gupta, M., Karnatak, N., & Jain, M. (2024) · Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction · doi:10.1145/3637421 · Cited by 3
Different systems, similar experiences: felt accountability in labor platforms and traditional organizations
McCartney, J. A., & Le, J. A. (2024) · The International Journal of Human Resource Management · doi:10.1080/09585192.2024.2361710 · Cited by 4
Redefining Work: The Gig Economy’s Impact on Work and Life
Wheatley, M. C. (2024) · Premier journal of business and management. · doi:10.70389/pjbm.100005 · Cited by 3
Theorizing autonomy in the platform economy: A study of food delivery gig workers in Latvia
Ķešāne, I., & Spuriņa, M. (2025) · The Sociological Review · doi:10.1177/00380261251330475 · Cited by 4
Navigating the Gig Economy: What Drives Malaysian Youth?
Hed, N. M., & Rosli, N. A. (2025) · Journal of Applied Youth Studies · doi:10.1007/s43151-025-00192-z · Cited by 5
Prosumo, alienación y explotación. Reflexiones en torno al trabajo digital.
del Horno, M. B. (2021) · Lan Harremanak Revista de Relaciones Laborales · doi:10.1387/lan-harremanak.22812 · Cited by 3
The loneliness pandemic?
Sagan, O., & Jones, D. W. (2024) · Journal of Psychosocial Studies · doi:10.1332/14786737y2024d000000014 · Cited by 3
Examining the Contemporary Worker and the Workplace From a Leadership-as-Practice Perspective: A HRD Opportunity
Raelin, J. A. (2024) · Human Resource Development Review · doi:10.1177/15344843241249772 · Cited by 3
The Right Amount of Sex: Digital Labor in the Grey Zone of Platform Governance
Mears, A., Birced, E., & Nguyen, T. (2025) · Work and Occupations · doi:10.1177/07308884251374687 · Cited by 4
Jobs and Careers in the New Normal: A Systematic Review of GIG Work Research Since the Covid-Pandemic
Ray, B., Verma, M., Kumar, M., & Gautam, N. (2024) · South Asian Journal of Management · doi:10.62206/sajm.31.1.2024.29-59 · Cited by 4
Precarity and Solidarity in Gig Work: The Dynamics of Platform-Mediated Cleaning in Norway
Valestrand, E. T. (2024) · Nordisk välfärdsforskning | Nordic Welfare Research · doi:10.18261/nwr.9.4.1 · Cited by 2
Alienation in the Algorithmic Labour of Search Engine Optimisation Specialists
Ivanova, M., Nachtwey, O., Thaa, H., & Hardering, F. (2025) · New Technology Work and Employment · doi:10.1111/ntwe.12341 · Cited by 6
Voices Beyond the Road: Comparison of Online Employee Voice in Traditional Transport and the Ride-Sharing Industry
Bethge, E. (2025) · Work Employment and Society · doi:10.1177/09500170251343275 · Cited by 2
Unfulfilled: Collaborative Robots and the Persistence of Tough Jobs in e-Commerce Warehousing
Kowalski, A. M. (2025) · Work and Occupations · doi:10.1177/07308884251400283 · Cited by 4
No One Is an Island: How Online Community Support Moderates the Dual Motivational Pathways From Perceived Algorithmic Management Practices to Service Performance
Zhang, Z., Zhang, S., Liu, C., Zhang, H., & Liu, J. (2026) · Human Resource Management · doi:10.1002/hrm.70062 · Cited by 2
“Like shagging a dead fish”: misogyny and consent in online sex buyers’ reviews
Tranchese, A. (2024) · Feminist Media Studies · doi:10.1080/14680777.2024.2431599 · Cited by 2

Authors: Glavin, P., Bierman, A., & Schieman, S.
Affiliations: McMaster University (CA)
University of Calgary (CA)
University of Toronto (CA)
Corresponding author: Glavin, Paul
ORCID: Glavin, Paul
Bierman, Alex
Schieman, Scott
Venue: Work and Occupations
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Published: 2021-06-22
Volume: 48
Issue: 4
Pages: 399-431
ISSN: 0093-9285 (ISSN-L)
0730-8884
1552-8464
DOI: 10.1177/07308884211024711
OpenAlex: W3173882469
Cited by: 157
References: 90
Citations by year: 2026: 35 · 2025: 44 · 2024: 36 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 3
FWCI: 27.02
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: hybrid
doi.org
Licence: cc-by
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (unspecified)
Locations: Work and Occupations (publishedVersion, cc-by)
Topics: Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Digital Economy and Work Transformation
Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Employment and Welfare Studies
Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Industrial relations › Legal and Labor Studies
Keywords: gig economy, platform work, alienation, powerlessness, loneliness, social isolation, algorithmic control, employee autonomy, financial stress, psychological well-being

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review

Über-Alienated: Powerless and Alone in the Gig Economy

Abstract

Overview

Integrity signals

Verification

Claims the paper makes

Claims other papers make about this one

Citations

Cites

Cited by

Related

Metadata

Record

About these checks