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‘Neither work nor leisure’: motivations of microworkers in the United Kingdom on three digital platforms

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  • Muldoon, James
  • Apostolidis, Paul

Abstract

This article examines the experience of microworkers living in the United Kingdom. Based on a survey of 1189 microworkers and 17 in-depth interviews, the article explores the experiences of UK-based microworkers on three digital platforms: Prolific, Clickworker and Amazon Mechanical Turk. The article draws on the theoretical framework of self-determination theory to analyse workers’ motivations for performing microwork. It reveals that workers’ relatively high satisfaction with otherwise low-paying and low-status work was possible because workers conceptualised their activity as occupying an ambiguous space and time in their lives, blurring traditional distinctions between work and leisure. These findings contribute to our understanding of how microworkers experience their relationship to work in the United Kingdom.

Suggested Citation

  • Muldoon, James & Apostolidis, Paul, 2023. "‘Neither work nor leisure’: motivations of microworkers in the United Kingdom on three digital platforms," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 119941, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:119941
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/119941/
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lehdonvirta, Vili, 2018. "Flexibility in the Gig Economy: Managing Time on Three Online Piecework Platforms," SocArXiv k3hy4, Center for Open Science.
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    Cited by:

    1. Apostolidis, Paul, 2023. "Night labour, social reproduction and political struggle in the ‘Working Day’ chapter of Marx’s Capital," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 120843, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    digital labour; employment relationship; gig economy; microworkers; motivations; platform labour; United Kingdom;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R14 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Land Use Patterns
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General

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