Platform Labour and Global Logistics: A Research Companion

The global labor market has shifted from reliable employment to low-wage and unstable informal and precarious jobs due to the concentrated application of neoliberalism since the 1980s. Platform Labour and Global Logistics: A Research Companion examines the most important developments and features of global logistics and the emergence of the platform economy through historical comparative chapters and case studies. It explores the viability of the platform as a generator of economic and financial growth and innovation, labor restructuring from standardized to informal work, political and environmental challenges, global case studies on the informal economy, and how the platform has contributed to geographic mobility and labor migration.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 298 pages
Publication date: 26 December 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Over the past half-century, the global labor market has undergone a profound transformation, moving from stable and reliable employment to low-wage and unstable informal and precarious jobs. This undeniable shift is a direct result of the relentless implementation of neoliberalism since the 1980s, as capitalism transforms standardized labor markets in the developed Global North into contingent and informal labor.

Platform Labour and Global Logistics: A Research Companion delves into the most significant developments and characteristics of global logistics and the rise of the platform economy through a series of historical comparative chapters and case studies. Part I explores the logistics revolution and its profound impact on labor in key sectors of the global economy, examining the viability of the platform as a catalyst for economic and financial growth and innovation. The chapters in Part I provide a comprehensive analysis and critique of the economic and technical reconfiguration brought about by neoliberal capitalism and the widespread adoption of the platform and logistics as a potential model for the future.

Part II examines the transition from standardized to informal work through the platform and information technology, as well as the political and environmental challenges faced by labor. Part III presents global case studies on the informal economy, focusing on crucial economies where the platform has become dominant. Part IV explores how the platform has facilitated geographic mobility and labor migration, and the consequences these developments have on workers.

Platform Labour and Global Logistics: A Research Companion offers a unique contribution to the political economy literature by highlighting the significance of the impact of the platform and logistics on the working class and potential challenges from labor across the world. This book is a valuable resource for scholars, researchers, policymakers, and activists seeking to understand the evolving dynamics of the global labor market and the challenges facing workers in the 21st century.

Weight: 580g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032398716