Discussion and Analysis of the Gig Economy

This discussion explores the gig economy, its advantages and limitations, and its impact on the labor market. It examines the flexibility, freedom, and convenience offered by gig work, as well as the challenges of income instability and job insecurity. The analysis is supported by literature on the subject.

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Discussion and Analysis
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Discussion and Analysis
Gig economy is a labour market of today in which individuals prefer to work as
freelancers. A freelancer, according to this research, is someone who works independently
and can have a freedom of choosing what to do at any given time. Today, many people are
not interested in long time engagements. The respondents in the research recounted that
formal long-time contracts are losing popularity because many people no longer consider
them viable. Gig economy is what many people prefer today because of the changing
dynamics in the labour market. Although there are some people who re reluctant to embrace
it, generally, the responses acknowledged that gig economy is a trend that should be watched
keenly because it transforms and will continue transforming the labour market. That is why
almost all of the respondents recounted that they know something about it.
According to the respondents, gig economy gives people an opportunity to engage in
contractual work. A contract, as explained by the respondents, is an arrangement in which
individuals work for a shorter duration before he agreement comes to an end. In a gig
economy, people do not have to be bound to one particular organization or stick with the
employer for a long time. Instead, what happens is that they are free to negotiate for a deal r
an arrangement that does not unnecessarily have to last for a long time. The ideas expressed
by these respondents resonate with what is in research. Published literature reviewed had
illustrated that the gig economy gives individuals a chance to negotiate for short-term deals
that might involve just one simple task or a few more tasks that are supposed to be completed
within the shortest time possible (Manyika, Lund, Bughin, Robinson, Mischke & Mahajan
2016). That is right because it is exactly what happens in a gig economy in which individuals
choose whom to work whenever they feel it necessary to do so. For example, a freelance
journalist might choose to do gigs for an organization or a media house. Such gigs can end at
any time as long as there is an agreement between the company and the individual journalist.

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The research revealed that gig economy has been appealing to many people because it
offers a high-degree of flexibility to the workers. The respondents recounted that they prefer
the gig economy to formal employment because it is the most flexible labour arrangement in
the market. In their understanding, the respondents believe that gig economy gives people an
opportunity to enjoy flexibility because it gives them powers t chose what to do at any given
time. In a formal employment arrangement, there is no flexibility at all. Once one gets a
formal employment, one has to stick by a strict schedule that dictates the kinds of activities to
be done at any time. This view is shared with the literature that had been reviewed by the
researcher. The literature supports the flexibility of the gig economy. It explains how, under
gig economy, individuals are able to operate flexibly and even juggle between different jobs
(De Stefano 2015). The respondents agree that it is only in a gig economy where people are
able to be as flexible as they can. That argument holds water because it shows exactly what
happens in the economy. The truth is that short-time contracts do not bind people and compel
to tem to work for only one organization at a time. Instead, it is true that, under such an
arrangement, one is able to work in a flexible environment which does not restrict their
movements and aggression.
Information from the respondents established that many people are getting attracted to
the gig economy because it gives workers an opportunity to be some freedom. As clearly
outlined by the respondents, workers who engage in a gig economy have a freedom to operate
the way they want. This happens because they are not subject to control by the employer. A
freelance journalist, for instance, has a high-degree of freedom because he or she operates in
a free environment in which there is no one to control him or her. This differs from the
formal job arrangement in which one has to be under a strict control and supervision of the
bosses. That is a right observation because it shows exactly what happens in the economy.

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The literature agrees with such an assertion because it recognizes gig economy as a platform
in which the labourers get to enjoy utmost freedom (Abraham, Haltiwanger, Sandusky &
Spletzer 2016). Indeed, this is a justified claim because, under such an economy, people are
free to enjoy some kind of freedom that they want. Once an employee has no binding long-
time contract with the employer, he or she can be free to choose whatever activity to do at
any given time. What one does at one’s free time is up to him because no one has a say over
that.
The other important point expressed by the respondents is that gig economy is an
appealing arrangement because of its convenience. The respondents believe that gig economy
is more convenient that formal job because it does not entail a lot. In a formal employment
set up, the works are required to be physically present in their offices. Meaning, one has to
leave the comfort of the home and travel to the workplace in which one is required to work
for at least 8 hours per day. These might be inconveniencing because it involves loss of
activities, challenges, and issues that one is forced to address whenever they arise. However,
the god thing with gig economy is that such inconveniences do not arise. Instead of traveling
to the office, a person working on a gig may even telecommute to the office and be able to do
everything through the internet or mobile phone (Davies & Horan 2016). At the same time,
one can get an opportunity t operate from anywhere including a hotel, public park or any
place of their choice. All these options are not available in a formal job because one has no
choice, but to strictly serve the clients from the office. These arguments are supported by the
literature which of course supports the inconvenience of formal employment as well as the
convenience of the gig economy. All these are right because gig economy such as freelance
gives individual an opportunity to work in a convenient environment.
The respondents also recounted tat gig economy remains a preferred arrangement
because it empowers people and gives them an opportunity to accomplish individual career

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goals. Some respondents argue in favour of gig economy because it gives the workers a
platform to work and empower themselves as much as they can. Getting a chance to operate
freely and look for multiple opportunities can enable one to get as many jobs as possible.
Such opportunities can enable one to fulfil the dreams and achieve whatever goals they have
in life. This observation resonates with what the research has found (Kalleberg & Dunn
2016). According to literary findings, a gig economy attracts many people because it gives
them a chance to be as flexible and diverse as they can. Meaning, it does not restrict one t a
single opportunity, but allows them to look for multiple jobs as much as possible. This is,
indeed, advantageous such opportunities can help the individual workers to achieve their
goals and manage to get unlimited chances for empowering themselves and climbing from
one level to the other.
Although many respondents supported the gig economy, there is a section of the
interviewees who have a feeling that gig economy should be treated cautiously because of its
limitations. One of its outstanding limitations is that gig economy does not guarantee a stable
flow of income to those who practice it.th respondents recounted that gig economy provides
opportunities in an intermittent mane. Meaning, one cannot be assured of the gigs throughout
the year. Even if there may be gigs to be done at certain times, there are other times when
such gigs might not be available. This is a clear proof that gig economy does not guarantee a
stable flow of income throughout the year. One may only get money whenever there are gigs
to be done (Greenwood, Burtch & Carnahan 2017). However, once a contract ends, one
might stay for long time before earning anything until another opportunity is found.
Economic instability is something that should not be condoned because it does not mean well
for anyone. If there is a job that offers unstable income, then it should not be taken seriously
because it might hamper individual growth. This is unfortunate of the gig economy and

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makes it lesser equal to the formal employment system I which people are assured of a stable
flow of income until the termination of the contract.
There is a section of the respondents who fault the gig economy for contributing to
job insecurity. Job insecurity arises because gigs are short-term contracts that can never be
guaranteed at any given time. Although one might enjoy the gig when it is still available, it
becomes unfortunate when the short contracts come to an end. The situation might be worse
when one fails to get another contract. This argument resonates well with the findings of the
literature that argues in favour of formal employment and supports it for longevity and job
security (Wright 2018). In a gig economy, there is no pension or retirement plans unless one
is clever enough to make personal savings. That is why the respondents concur that a gig
economy should be treated with the caution it deserves.

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References
Abraham, K., Haltiwanger, J. C., Sandusky, K., & Spletzer, J. R. 2016. Measuring the Gig
sEconomy. Available at: www. sole-jole. org/16375. pdf.
Davies, J., & Horan, M. 2016. Flexible work: how the gig economy benefits some more than
others. The Conversation.
De Stefano, V. 2015. The rise of the just-in-time workforce: On-demand work, crowdwork,
and labor protection in the gig-economy. Comp. Lab. L. & Pol'y J., 37, 471.
Greenwood, B., Burtch, G., & Carnahan, S. (2017). Unknowns of the gig-economy.
Commun. ACM, 60(7), 27-29.
Kalleberg, A. L., & Dunn, M. 2016. Good jobs, bad jobs in the gig economy. LERA for
Libraries, 20(1-2).
Manyika, J., Lund, S., Bughin, J., Robinson, K., Mischke, J., & Mahajan, D. 2016.
Independent work: Choice, necessity, and the gig economy. McKinsey Global Institute, 2016,
1-16.
Wright, P. 2018. News from the net: Gig economy workers. Advocate: Journal of the
National Tertiary Education Union, 25(1), 44.