Implications of algorithmic management on careers and employment relationships in the gig economy – a developing country perspective

Purpose – This article explores the implications of algorithmic management on careers and employment relationships in the Nigerian gig economy. Specifically, drawing on labour process theory, we provide an understanding of the production relations beyond the ‘traditional standard’ to ‘nonstandard’ forms of employment in a gig economy mediated by digital platforms or digital forms of work, especially on ride-hailing platforms (Uber and Bolt). Design – We adopted the interpretive qualitative approach and a semi-structured interview of 49 participants, including 46 platform drivers and 3 platform managers from Uber and Bolt. Findings – This study addresses the theoretical underpinnings of the labour process theory as it relates to algorithmic management and control in the digital platform economy. The study revealed that, despite the ultra-precarious working conditions and persistent uncertainty in employment relations under algorithmic management, the underlying key factors that motivate workers to engage in digital platform work include higher job flexibility and autonomy, as well as having a source of income. We captured the human-digital interface and labour processes related to digital platform work in Nigeria. Our findings also revealed that algorithmic management enables a transactional exchange between platform providers and drivers, while relational exchanges occur between drivers and customers/passengers. Finally, we highlighted the perceived impact of algorithmic management on the attitude and performance of workers. Originality – The research presents an interesting case study to investigate the influence of algorithmic management and labour processes on employment relationships in the largest emerging economy in Africa.