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Humans as a Service: The Promise and Perils of Work in the Gig Economy
WHAT IF YOUR BOSS WAS AN ALGORITHM?
The gig economy promises to revolutionise work as we know it, offering flexibility and independence instead of 9-to-5 drudgery. The potential benefits are consumers enjoy the convenience and affordability of on-demand work while micro-entrepreneurs turn to online platforms in search of their next gig, task, or ride.
IS THIS THE FUTURE OF WORK?
This book offers an engaging account of work in the gig economy across the world. Competing narratives on-demand gigs offer entrepreneurial flexibility - or precarious work, strictly controlled by user ratings and algorithmic surveillance. Platforms' sophisticated technology is the product of disruptive innovation - whilst the underlying business model has existed for centuries.
HOW CAN WE PROTECT CONSUMERS & WORKERS WITHOUT STIFLING INNOVATION?
As courts and governments around the world begin to grapple with the gig economy, Humans as a Service explores the challenges of on-demand work, and explains how we can ensure decent working conditions, protect consumers, and foster innovation. Employment law plays a central role in levelling the playing gigs, tasks, and rides are work - and should be regulated as such.
The gig economy promises to revolutionise work as we know it, offering flexibility and independence instead of 9-to-5 drudgery. The potential benefits are consumers enjoy the convenience and affordability of on-demand work while micro-entrepreneurs turn to online platforms in search of their next gig, task, or ride.
IS THIS THE FUTURE OF WORK?
This book offers an engaging account of work in the gig economy across the world. Competing narratives on-demand gigs offer entrepreneurial flexibility - or precarious work, strictly controlled by user ratings and algorithmic surveillance. Platforms' sophisticated technology is the product of disruptive innovation - whilst the underlying business model has existed for centuries.
HOW CAN WE PROTECT CONSUMERS & WORKERS WITHOUT STIFLING INNOVATION?
As courts and governments around the world begin to grapple with the gig economy, Humans as a Service explores the challenges of on-demand work, and explains how we can ensure decent working conditions, protect consumers, and foster innovation. Employment law plays a central role in levelling the playing gigs, tasks, and rides are work - and should be regulated as such.
208 pages, Hardcover
Published May 8, 2018
9 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 25, 2020
It did contain all information I was expecting, but it reads like a textbook, and I was zooming out quite a few times. Lots of legal excerpts, history and dry policy- would have loved more storytelling and a more diverse perspective in terms of geography. Most findings are only relevant for the US and UK.
July 29, 2018
a good towel-over-your-head view at the gig economy from a legal point of view. prassl dismantles the argument that platform services need to be outside employment law and shows that they can still be innovative and even more beneficial for investors, workers and all of us if they are more regulated.
December 15, 2021
While this is probably the best book I've read on the gig economy, it's also a very flawed and shallow book. Something that is probably to be expected, as the book is only 140 pages long excluding notes and citations.
It's a shame that I didn't find Humans as a Service: The Promise and Perils of Work in the Gig Economy to be a more compelling read, as I found myself agreeing with most of Prassl's grievances with the gig economy. But Prassl's analysis just falls short and is honestly one the most milquetoast, liberal critiques of a systemic problem that I've read in a long time.
Now, taking a strong center position is not always a bad thing, but in this case it just opens up Prassl to some very sound points from both extremes of the same argument.
For example, a libertarian could very well argue that service providers don't need additional legislation, as that would dampen or stop their business growth, and it's only through a fertile playing field that these service are in a position to compete for contractors, offering the contractors benefits akin to those afforded to employees.
It's a shame that I didn't find Humans as a Service: The Promise and Perils of Work in the Gig Economy to be a more compelling read, as I found myself agreeing with most of Prassl's grievances with the gig economy. But Prassl's analysis just falls short and is honestly one the most milquetoast, liberal critiques of a systemic problem that I've read in a long time.
Now, taking a strong center position is not always a bad thing, but in this case it just opens up Prassl to some very sound points from both extremes of the same argument.
For example, a libertarian could very well argue that service providers don't need additional legislation, as that would dampen or stop their business growth, and it's only through a fertile playing field that these service are in a position to compete for contractors, offering the contractors benefits akin to those afforded to employees.
July 27, 2020
Prassl is an adult with the mind of a 6 year old in the candy store. And Prassl, as so many other times in the candy store, wants to show mommy he is a generous and mature boy: everybody should get candy. Hence, it is unacceptable as some people are employed in the gig economy! There should be a right that all people would do nothing 8 hours a day at a desk, just like Prassl and governments would regularly and uniformly pay them a more than generous wage at the end of the month. There also have to be lots of Commissions for every human being and paid expenses and a generous pension when you reach a certain age, simply because you have reached that age, exactly like Prassl.
Now, don't mind that Prassl's mom was extracting blind obedience by feeding him sugar, that is the subject of a book Prassl will never find time to write.
Now, don't mind that Prassl's mom was extracting blind obedience by feeding him sugar, that is the subject of a book Prassl will never find time to write.
May 17, 2020
More concerned with the legal side of the changing nature of work than I expected but makes a lot of great points about the seemingly radically novel nature of the gig economy isn't that different than what we have faced in the past as a way to organize work. Overall was well-written and fairly concise.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews