Algorithmic work coordination and workers&apos; voice in the COVID-19 pandemic: The case of Foodora/Lieferando

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Work Organisation, Labour & Globalisation

Volume 15, Issue 1

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Algorithmic work coordination and workers' voice in the COVID-19 pandemic: The case of Foodora/Lieferando

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Author(s): Jasmin Schreyer

Publication date (Print): 1 January 2021

Journal: Work Organisation, Labour & Globalisation

Publisher: Pluto Journals

Keywords: Platform Economy, On-demand Workforce, Algorithmic Management, Algorithmic Work Coordination, Workers' voice, Co-determination, COVID-19 Pandemic

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Author and article information

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Journal ID (doi): 10.2307/j50010512

Journal ID (jcode): workorgalaboglob

Title: Work Organisation, Labour & Globalisation

Publisher: Pluto Journals

ISSN: 1745-641X

ISSN: 1745-6428

Publication date (Print): 1 January 2021

Volume: 15

Issue: 1 ( doiID: 10.13169/workorgalaboglob.15.issue-1 )

Pages: 69-84

Article

Publisher ID: workorgalaboglob.15.1.0069

DOI: 10.13169/workorgalaboglob.15.1.0069

SO-VID: b2dff225-21af-48dd-8a32-ce41de52db8e

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ScienceOpen disciplines: Sociology,Labor law,Political science,Labor & Demographic economics,Political economics

Keywords: Workers' voice,Co-determination,Algorithmic Management,On-demand Workforce,Platform Economy,Algorithmic Work Coordination,COVID-19 Pandemic

REFERENCES

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Arendt, H. (2018). Vita activa oder Vom tätigen Leben, München/Berlin/Zürich: Piper.
Chow, L.S. (2020). ‘Foodservice waging war against Covid-19 crisis and the opportunity’, Journal of Tourism, Hospitality & Environment Management, 5 (19):41-49.
Ciesilski, R., S. Khamis, J. Lenz & V. Schälter (2020) ‘Mitarbeiter fühlen sich vom Lieferdienst Lieferando überwacht’, tagesschau.de. Accessed 21 November 2020. https://wwwtagesschaude/wirtschaft/lieferando-arbeitsbedingungen-101html
De Stefano, V. (2016). The rise of the «just-in-time workforce», on-demandwork, crowdwork and labour protection in the «gig-economy» No. 71, Geneva: International Labour Office.
Degner, A. & E. Kocher (2018). ‘Arbeitskämpfe in Der “Gig-Economy”? Die Protestbewegungen Der Foodora Und Deliveroo “Riders” Und Rechtsfragen Ihrer Kollektiven Selbstorganisation’, Kritische Justiz, 51 (3):247-265.
Dijck, J., T. Poell & M. de Waal (2018). The platform society, New York: Oxford University Press.
van Doorn, N. (2017). 'Platform labor: On the gendered & racialized exploitation of low-income service work in the 'on-demand' economy', Information, Communication & Society, 20 (6):898-914.
van Doorn, N. (2020). ‘At what price? labour politics & calculative power struggles in on-demand & food delivery’, Work Organisation, Labour & Globalisation, 14(1):136-149.
DPA (2020). ‘Corona: Immer mehr Restaurants liefern über Lieferando aus’. Accessed 21 November 2020. https://wwwbusinessinsiderde/wirtschaft/handel/corona-immer-mehr-restaurants-liefern-ueber-lieferando-aus/
Duggan, J., U. Sherman, R. Carbery & A. McDonnell (2020). ‘Algorithmic management & app-work in the gig economy: A research agenda for employment relations and HRM’, Human Resource Management Journal, 30 (1):114-132.
FAU (2017). ‘Who's hub? Our hub! - Deliverunion’. Accessed 25 September 2020. https://deliverunionfauorg/2017/11/15/whos-hub-our-hub/.
Frenken, K. & J. Schor (2017). ‘Putting the sharing economy into perspective’, Environmental Innovation & Societal Transitions, 23:3-10.
Giddens, A. (1997). Die Konstitution der Gesellschaft: Grundzüge einer Theorie der Strukturierung, Frankfurt/Main: Campus-Verlag.
Glaser, B.G. & A.L. Strauss (1998). Grounded theory: Strategien qualitativer Forschung, Bern: Huber.
Goods, C., A. Veen & T. Barratt (2019). ‘“Is your gig any good?” Analysing job quality in the Australian platform-based food-delivery sector’, Journal of Industrial Relations, 61 (4):502-527.
Healy, J., D. Nicholson & A. Pekarek (2017) ‘Should we take the gig economy seriously?‘ Labour & Industry: A Journal of the Social &Economic Relations of Work, 27 (3):232-248.
Healy, J., A. Pekarek, & A. Vromen (2020). ‘Sceptics or supporters? Consumers’ views of work in the gig economy', New Technology, Work &Employment, 35 (1):1-19.
Huws, U. (2014). Labor in the global digital economy: The cybertariat comes of age, New York: Monthly Review Press.
Huws, Ursula. 2016. ‘Logged labour: A new paradigm of work organisation?‘ Work Organisation, Labour & Globalisation, 10 (1):7-26.
Huws, U., N. Spencer, D. Syrdal & K. Holts (2017). Work in the European gig economy research results from the UK, Sweden, Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, Switzerland and Italy, Brussels: Foundation for European Progressive Studies.
Joyce, S., D. Neumann, V. Trappmann, & C. Umney (2020) A global struggle: Worker protest in the platform economy. ETUI research paper. Policy brief, February.
Kellogg, K.C., M.A. Valentine & A. Christin (2020). ‘Algorithms at work: The new contested terrain of control’, Academy of Management Annals, 14 (1):366-410.
Kirchner, S. & E. Schüßler (2019). ‘The organization of digital marketplaces: Unmasking the role of internet platforms in the sharing economy’, in Ahrne G. & N. Brunsson (eds), Organization outside Organizations, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press:131-154.
Knieps, S. (2021). Lieferando-Deutschland-Chefin: ‘Wir sind nicht bloß ein Wimpernschlag in einer Coronaphase’. Accessed 9 May 2021. https://wwwwiwode/unternehmen/dienstleister/lieferando-deutschland-chefin-wir-sind-nicht-bloss-ein-wimpernschlag-in-einer-coronaphase/27036696html
Kuhn, K.M. & T. Galloway (2019). ‘Expanding perspectives on gig work & gig workers’, Journal of Managerial Psychology, 34 (2019):186-191.
Kyriasoglou, C. (2017) ‘So steht es um Foodora’, Gründerszene Magazin, Accessed 24 September 2020. https://wwwgruenderszenede/food/foodora-geschaeftszahlen-2016-delivery-hero-ipo
Lamnek, S. & C. Krell (2010). Qualitative Sozialforschung: Lehrbuch, Weinheim Basel: Beltz.
Lehdonvirta, V. (2018). 'Flexibility in the gig economy: Managing time on three online piecework platforms, New Technology, Work & Employment, 33 (1):13-29.
Leonardi, D., A. Murgia, M. Briziarelli & E. Armano (2019). ‘The ambivalence of logistical connectivity: A co-research with Foodora Riders’, Work Organisation, Labour & Globalisation, 13 (1):155-171.
Levermann, T. (2018). ‘Wie Algorithmen Eine Kultur Der Digitalität Konstituieren: Über Die Kulturelle Wirkmacht Automatisierter Handlungsanweisungen in Der Infosphäre’, Journal Für Korporative Kommunikation, 2:31-42.
Marrone, M. & V. Finotto (2019). ‘Challenging goliath informal unionism & digital platforms in the food delivery sector the case of riders union Bologna’, The Open Journal of Sociopolitical Studies, 12 (3):691-716.
Petter, J. (2020). Corona-Krise bei Lieferando: ‘Wir gehen in den Park, wenn wir aufs Klo müssen’, Spiegel. Accessed 21 November 2020, https://wwwspiegelde/panorama/coronavirus-bei-lieferando-wir-gehen-in-den-park-wenn-wir-aufs-klo-muessen-a-ff05f574-0ffa-4768-922e-3b0fdbf27a12
Rosenblat, A. & L. Stark (2016). 'Algorithmic labor and information asymmetries: A case study of Uber's drivers, International Journal of Communication, (10):3758-3784.
Schreyer, J. (2019). ‘Das Phänomen Sharing Economy am Beispiel des Foodsektors, HBS Working Paper Forschungsförderung 145‘, Düsseldorf: Hans-Böckler-Stiftung.
Schreyer, J. (2020). ‘Sharing ≠ Sharing economy. Ausprägungen Der Digitalen Sharing Economy Im Lebensmittelsektor’, Discussion Paper 2020-03, Stuttgart.
Schreyer, J. (2019). ‘Das Phänomen Sharing Economy am Beispiel des Foodsektors’, Working Paper 145, Düsseldorf: Hans-Böckler-Stiftung.
Schreyer, J. & J. Schrape (2018). ‘Algorithmische Arbeitskoordination in Der Plattformbasierten Gig Economy: Das Beispiel Foodora’, Arbeits Und Industriesoziologische Studien, 11 (2):262-278.
Schröder, M. (2016). ‘Der Markt Hat Nur Platz Für Einen Oder Zwei Anbieter’ | Delivery Hero. Accessed 24 September 2020. https://wwwdeliveryherocom/der-markt-hat-nur-platz-fureinen-oder-zwei-anbieter/
Shapiro, A. (2018). ‘Between autonomy & control: Strategies of arbitrage in the “on-Demand” economy’, New Media & Society, 20 (8):2954-2971.
Slee, T. (2016). Deins ist meins: die unbequemen Wahrheiten der Sharing Economy, München: Verlag Antje Kunstmann.
Spinnler, T. (2021). ‘Lokale Konkurrenz trotzt Lieferando’, tagesschau.de. Accessed 21 May 2021. https://www.tagesschau.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/lieferando-wolt-lokale-lieferdienste-konkurrenz-101.html
Srnicek, N. (2017). Platform capitalism, Cambridge: Polity.
Tassinari, A. &V. Maccarrone (2020). ‘Riders on the storm: Workplace Solidarity among gig economy couriers in Italy & the UK’, Work, Employment &Society, 34 (1):35-54.
Vallas, S. & J.B. Schor (2020). ‘What do platforms do? Understanding the gig economy’, Annual Review of Sociology, 46 (1):273-294.
Wachter, D. (2020). ‘Streit bei Lieferando: Schützt das Unternehmen seine Fahrer genug vor Coronaviren?‘ Stern.de. Accessed 21 November 2020. https://wwwsternde/genuss/essen/lieferando–betriebsrat-beschwert-sich—fahrer-sollen-keine-hygieneausruestung-erhalten-haben-9183772html
Wewer, G. (2016). ‘Privates Teilen Als Geschäftsmodell? Politische, Wirtschaftliche Und Soziale Probleme Der Sharing Economy’, Leviathan, 44 (1):155-179.
Wirminghaus, N. (2015). ‘Rocket reicht Foodora an Delivery Hero weiter’, Gründerszene Magazin. Accessed 24 September 2020. https://wwwgruenderszenede/allgemein/foodora-delivery-hero
Wolff, S. (2009). Dokumenten- Und Aktenanalyse Flick, U. E. Kardorff & I. Steinke (eds), Qualitative Forschung Ein Handbuch, Hamburg: Rowohlt Taschenbuch Verlag:502-514.
Wood, A.J., M. Graham, V. Lehdonvirta & I. Hjorth (2019). ‘Good gig, bad gig: Autonomy and algorithmic control in the global gig economy’, Work, Employment & Society, 33 (1):56-75.
Zuboff, S. (2018). Das Zeitalter des Überwachungskapitalismus, Frankfurt/New York: Campus Verlag.

Comments

Comment on this article

[1] Arendt, H. (2017). Macht und Gewalt, Deutsche Erstausgabe, 26 Auflage, München: Piper.

[2] Arendt, H. (2018). Vita activa oder Vom tätigen Leben, München/Berlin/Zürich: Piper.

[3] Chow, L.S. (2020). ‘Foodservice waging war against Covid-19 crisis and the opportunity’, Journal of Tourism, Hospitality & Environment Management, 5 (19):41-49.

[4] Ciesilski, R., S. Khamis, J. Lenz & V. Schälter (2020) ‘Mitarbeiter fühlen sich vom Lieferdienst Lieferando überwacht’, tagesschau.de. Accessed 21 November 2020. https://wwwtagesschaude/wirtschaft/lieferando-arbeitsbedingungen-101html

[5] De Stefano, V. (2016). The rise of the «just-in-time workforce», on-demandwork, crowdwork and labour protection in the «gig-economy» No. 71, Geneva: International Labour Office.

[6] Degner, A. & E. Kocher (2018). ‘Arbeitskämpfe in Der “Gig-Economy”? Die Protestbewegungen Der Foodora Und Deliveroo “Riders” Und Rechtsfragen Ihrer Kollektiven Selbstorganisation’, Kritische Justiz, 51 (3):247-265.

[7] Dijck, J., T. Poell & M. de Waal (2018). The platform society, New York: Oxford University Press.

[8] van Doorn, N. (2017). 'Platform labor: On the gendered & racialized exploitation of low-income service work in the 'on-demand' economy', Information, Communication & Society, 20 (6):898-914.

[9] van Doorn, N. (2020). ‘At what price? labour politics & calculative power struggles in on-demand & food delivery’, Work Organisation, Labour & Globalisation, 14(1):136-149.

[10] DPA (2020). ‘Corona: Immer mehr Restaurants liefern über Lieferando aus’. Accessed 21 November 2020. https://wwwbusinessinsiderde/wirtschaft/handel/corona-immer-mehr-restaurants-liefern-ueber-lieferando-aus/

[11] Duggan, J., U. Sherman, R. Carbery & A. McDonnell (2020). ‘Algorithmic management & app-work in the gig economy: A research agenda for employment relations and HRM’, Human Resource Management Journal, 30 (1):114-132.

[12] FAU (2017). ‘Who's hub? Our hub! - Deliverunion’. Accessed 25 September 2020. https://deliverunionfauorg/2017/11/15/whos-hub-our-hub/.

[13] Frenken, K. & J. Schor (2017). ‘Putting the sharing economy into perspective’, Environmental Innovation & Societal Transitions, 23:3-10.

[14] Giddens, A. (1997). Die Konstitution der Gesellschaft: Grundzüge einer Theorie der Strukturierung, Frankfurt/Main: Campus-Verlag.

[15] Glaser, B.G. & A.L. Strauss (1998). Grounded theory: Strategien qualitativer Forschung, Bern: Huber.

[16] Goods, C., A. Veen & T. Barratt (2019). ‘“Is your gig any good?” Analysing job quality in the Australian platform-based food-delivery sector’, Journal of Industrial Relations, 61 (4):502-527.

[17] Healy, J., D. Nicholson & A. Pekarek (2017) ‘Should we take the gig economy seriously?‘ Labour & Industry: A Journal of the Social &Economic Relations of Work, 27 (3):232-248.

[18] Healy, J., A. Pekarek, & A. Vromen (2020). ‘Sceptics or supporters? Consumers’ views of work in the gig economy', New Technology, Work &Employment, 35 (1):1-19.

[19] Huws, U. (2014). Labor in the global digital economy: The cybertariat comes of age, New York: Monthly Review Press.

[20] Huws, Ursula. 2016. ‘Logged labour: A new paradigm of work organisation?‘ Work Organisation, Labour & Globalisation, 10 (1):7-26.

[21] Huws, U., N. Spencer, D. Syrdal & K. Holts (2017). Work in the European gig economy research results from the UK, Sweden, Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, Switzerland and Italy, Brussels: Foundation for European Progressive Studies.

[22] Joyce, S., D. Neumann, V. Trappmann, & C. Umney (2020) A global struggle: Worker protest in the platform economy. ETUI research paper. Policy brief, February.

[23] Kellogg, K.C., M.A. Valentine & A. Christin (2020). ‘Algorithms at work: The new contested terrain of control’, Academy of Management Annals, 14 (1):366-410.

[24] Kirchner, S. & E. Schüßler (2019). ‘The organization of digital marketplaces: Unmasking the role of internet platforms in the sharing economy’, in Ahrne G. & N. Brunsson (eds), Organization outside Organizations, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press:131-154.

[25] Knieps, S. (2021). Lieferando-Deutschland-Chefin: ‘Wir sind nicht bloß ein Wimpernschlag in einer Coronaphase’. Accessed 9 May 2021. https://wwwwiwode/unternehmen/dienstleister/lieferando-deutschland-chefin-wir-sind-nicht-bloss-ein-wimpernschlag-in-einer-coronaphase/27036696html

[26] Kuhn, K.M. & T. Galloway (2019). ‘Expanding perspectives on gig work & gig workers’, Journal of Managerial Psychology, 34 (2019):186-191.

[27] Kyriasoglou, C. (2017) ‘So steht es um Foodora’, Gründerszene Magazin, Accessed 24 September 2020. https://wwwgruenderszenede/food/foodora-geschaeftszahlen-2016-delivery-hero-ipo

[28] Lamnek, S. & C. Krell (2010). Qualitative Sozialforschung: Lehrbuch, Weinheim Basel: Beltz.

[29] Lehdonvirta, V. (2018). 'Flexibility in the gig economy: Managing time on three online piecework platforms, New Technology, Work & Employment, 33 (1):13-29.

[30] Leonardi, D., A. Murgia, M. Briziarelli & E. Armano (2019). ‘The ambivalence of logistical connectivity: A co-research with Foodora Riders’, Work Organisation, Labour & Globalisation, 13 (1):155-171.

[31] Levermann, T. (2018). ‘Wie Algorithmen Eine Kultur Der Digitalität Konstituieren: Über Die Kulturelle Wirkmacht Automatisierter Handlungsanweisungen in Der Infosphäre’, Journal Für Korporative Kommunikation, 2:31-42.

[32] Marrone, M. & V. Finotto (2019). ‘Challenging goliath informal unionism & digital platforms in the food delivery sector the case of riders union Bologna’, The Open Journal of Sociopolitical Studies, 12 (3):691-716.

[33] Petter, J. (2020). Corona-Krise bei Lieferando: ‘Wir gehen in den Park, wenn wir aufs Klo müssen’, Spiegel. Accessed 21 November 2020, https://wwwspiegelde/panorama/coronavirus-bei-lieferando-wir-gehen-in-den-park-wenn-wir-aufs-klo-muessen-a-ff05f574-0ffa-4768-922e-3b0fdbf27a12

[34] Rosenblat, A. & L. Stark (2016). 'Algorithmic labor and information asymmetries: A case study of Uber's drivers, International Journal of Communication, (10):3758-3784.

[35] Schreyer, J. (2019). ‘Das Phänomen Sharing Economy am Beispiel des Foodsektors, HBS Working Paper Forschungsförderung 145‘, Düsseldorf: Hans-Böckler-Stiftung.

[36] Schreyer, J. (2020). ‘Sharing ≠ Sharing economy. Ausprägungen Der Digitalen Sharing Economy Im Lebensmittelsektor’, Discussion Paper 2020-03, Stuttgart.

[37] Schreyer, J. (2019). ‘Das Phänomen Sharing Economy am Beispiel des Foodsektors’, Working Paper 145, Düsseldorf: Hans-Böckler-Stiftung.

[38] Schreyer, J. & J. Schrape (2018). ‘Algorithmische Arbeitskoordination in Der Plattformbasierten Gig Economy: Das Beispiel Foodora’, Arbeits Und Industriesoziologische Studien, 11 (2):262-278.

[39] Schröder, M. (2016). ‘Der Markt Hat Nur Platz Für Einen Oder Zwei Anbieter’ | Delivery Hero. Accessed 24 September 2020. https://wwwdeliveryherocom/der-markt-hat-nur-platz-fureinen-oder-zwei-anbieter/

[40] Shapiro, A. (2018). ‘Between autonomy & control: Strategies of arbitrage in the “on-Demand” economy’, New Media & Society, 20 (8):2954-2971.

[41] Slee, T. (2016). Deins ist meins: die unbequemen Wahrheiten der Sharing Economy, München: Verlag Antje Kunstmann.

[42] Spinnler, T. (2021). ‘Lokale Konkurrenz trotzt Lieferando’, tagesschau.de. Accessed 21 May 2021. https://www.tagesschau.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/lieferando-wolt-lokale-lieferdienste-konkurrenz-101.html

[43] Srnicek, N. (2017). Platform capitalism, Cambridge: Polity.

[44] Tassinari, A. &V. Maccarrone (2020). ‘Riders on the storm: Workplace Solidarity among gig economy couriers in Italy & the UK’, Work, Employment &Society, 34 (1):35-54.

[45] Vallas, S. & J.B. Schor (2020). ‘What do platforms do? Understanding the gig economy’, Annual Review of Sociology, 46 (1):273-294.

[46] Wachter, D. (2020). ‘Streit bei Lieferando: Schützt das Unternehmen seine Fahrer genug vor Coronaviren?‘ Stern.de. Accessed 21 November 2020. https://wwwsternde/genuss/essen/lieferando–betriebsrat-beschwert-sich—fahrer-sollen-keine-hygieneausruestung-erhalten-haben-9183772html

[47] Wewer, G. (2016). ‘Privates Teilen Als Geschäftsmodell? Politische, Wirtschaftliche Und Soziale Probleme Der Sharing Economy’, Leviathan, 44 (1):155-179.

[48] Wirminghaus, N. (2015). ‘Rocket reicht Foodora an Delivery Hero weiter’, Gründerszene Magazin. Accessed 24 September 2020. https://wwwgruenderszenede/allgemein/foodora-delivery-hero

[49] Wolff, S. (2009). Dokumenten- Und Aktenanalyse Flick, U. E. Kardorff & I. Steinke (eds), Qualitative Forschung Ein Handbuch, Hamburg: Rowohlt Taschenbuch Verlag:502-514.

[50] Wood, A.J., M. Graham, V. Lehdonvirta & I. Hjorth (2019). ‘Good gig, bad gig: Autonomy and algorithmic control in the global gig economy’, Work, Employment & Society, 33 (1):56-75.

[51] Zuboff, S. (2018). Das Zeitalter des Überwachungskapitalismus, Frankfurt/New York: Campus Verlag.