THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES OF PLATFORM EMPLOYMENT

Abstract

Platform employment, understood as work performed through digital online platforms, is increasingly recognized as a new and modern form of labor that facilitates interaction between service providers and clients. This article is devoted to the theoretical and methodological examination of the phenomenon of platform employment. It explores the development of platform employment as a component of the gig economy and discusses various theoretical approaches to its conceptualization and interpretation. Particular attention is paid to the place of platform employment within existing typologies of work and to the challenges it poses to traditional understandings of employment.

The article also summarizes the findings of contemporary scholarly debates on platform employment. It analyzes the main research discourses related to different forms of work on digital platforms, including the legal status of workers, self-employment versus wage employment, labor rights, and the social protection of platform workers, as well as the specific features of platform work regulation across different countries. The conclusions are based on a narrative literature review and the analysis of research reports. The final section presents general conclusions regarding the current state of platform employment research and identifies existing gaps and promising directions for future studies.