Talking about Platforms

Algorithmic Management with Lindsey Cameron

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Platform Power and the Future of Work

Guest

Lindsey D. Cameron

Bio

Lindsey D. Cameron is an Assistant Professor of Management at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business and a faculty affiliate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University. Her research focuses on algorithmic management, artificial intelligence, and platform work. Lindsey became interested in platforms after observing her mother's experiences in the gig economy after a job loss, which sparked her interest in social mobility and labor platforms.

Summary

In this episode of Talking About Platforms, Lindsey D. Cameron discusses her research on labor platforms, platform power, and the evolving nature of platform economies. She emphasizes that platforms are not neutral entities but are embedded with values that can lead to exploitation. She explores how this exploitation is visible on labor platforms through declining wages and safety violations but is often subtler on digital platforms.

Lindsey also addresses the co-option of the sharing economy narrative by early labor platforms and the role of algorithmic management in controlling workers. She distinguishes between open and closed labor markets, highlighting the varying degrees of control exerted by platforms. The discussion further covers the need for platform accountability, the importance of transparent rules, and the potential for on-demand platform work in formalizing economies, especially in the Global South. We touch on the increasing entanglement of platform work within society, shaping decisions, and capital flows.

Publications & Projects Mentioned

  • Rahman, H. A., Karunakaran, A., & Cameron, L. D. (2024). Taming platform power: Taking accountability into account in the management of platforms. Academy of Management Annals, 18(1), 251-294
  • Cameron, L. D. (2024). The Making of the "Good Bad" Job: How Algorithmic Management Manufactures Consent Through Constant and Confined Choices. Administrative Science Quarterly, 69(2), 458-514.
  • Cameron, L. D. (2022). "Making out" while driving: Relational and efficiency games in the gig economy. Organization Science, 33(1), 231-252.

    • Links

    • Lindsey's Website: lindseydcameron.com
    • X (Twitter): @LindseyDCameron6
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      Talking about PlatformsBy Daniel Trabucchi, Tommaso Buganza and Philip Meier