Chapter 25: With or without algorithms: managing the self-employed in the Danish platform economy

Digital labour platforms, including their management practices and extensive reliance on the self-employed, have attracted much attention, though usually from a worker rather than an employer perspective. This chapter contributes to the platform literature by exploring how platforms utilise algorithmic and traditional management practices, and for which purposes. We draw on illustrative in-depth case studies of three different labour platforms operating in Denmark. Analytically, we seek inspiration from the literature on algorithmic management and labour law. We find that labour platforms rely on algorithmic management practices for some management purposes such as economic enticements or control. The platforms also rely on traditional management practices to supplement the algorithms as well as for specific purposes, including recruitment and dismissal of workers. However, they often struggle to control work processes and retain their self-employed workers on account of the loose ties between the digital platform and the self-employed workers as well as certain management responsibilities being delegated to individual workers or customers.