The gig economy in the UK: a regional perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 197-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geraint Johnes
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Spatial Dimension ◽  
High Population Density ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Employment ◽  
Gig Economy ◽  
Regional Estimates ◽  
Service Sectors ◽  
The Uk

Purpose A quarterly series of gig economy activity in the regions of the UK is constructed. Patterns of regional linkages are identified and the implications of spatial patterns for policymakers, businesses, workers and institutions are highlighted. Design/methodology/approach The Labour Force Survey data on main job self-employment in key gig economy sectors are used to construct the series. These are then analysed using vector autoregression techniques to identify patterns in the data and provide provisional forecasts. Findings The incidence of gig economy activity is greatest in the London region, characterised by high population density and a concentration of service sectors in which gig economy work, particularly of a highly skilled nature, takes place. Growth of gig economy activity in other regions has been more modest. In London, the percentage of workers in the gig economy is expected to rise to around 6.5 per cent over the next few years, while in other regions, the percentage is expected to settle at between 3 and 4.5 per cent. Originality/value These are the first regional estimates to be provided of the extent of gig economy activity. This is important in the context of discussions about the future of work, not least because regional disparities imply the need for policies addressing insecurity to have a spatial dimension.

Determinants of immigrant self-employment in Spain

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 895-911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Begoña Cueto ◽  
Vanesa Rodríguez Álvarez
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Labour Force Survey ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Skilled Workers ◽  
Region Of Origin ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Employment ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine immigrant self-employment in Spain. The study aims to determine the likelihood of immigrants being self-employed, the differences between Spaniards and immigrants in terms of self-employment and differences among immigrants from different regions of origin. Design/methodology/approach – Data from the Labour Force Survey for 2005-2011 are used for a descriptive analysis of self-employment. Logit regressions allow us to study the determinants of immigrant self-employment. Findings – Unlike research conducted in other countries, the rate of immigrant self-employment in Spain is lower than that of nationals, although differences exist according to the region of origin. Men and older individuals are more likely to be self-employed. Those with higher levels of education are also more likely to be self-employed – this may be attributable to the decreased availability of skilled positions for immigrants. Research limitations/implications – The sample size does not allow for differential analyses regarding the region of origin or the existence and influence of enclaves. Practical implications – Self-employment may be an opportunity for immigrants to improve their position in the labour market, especially in the case of highly skilled workers. Originality/value – In Spain, analyses of immigrant self-employment are rare and generally focus on case studies. However, this study covers the whole population within a highly specific economic situation.

scholarly journals Defining the gig economy: platform capitalism and the reinvention of precarious work

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Montgomery ◽  
Simone Baglioni
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Trade Union ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Precarious Work ◽  
Gig Economy ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Novel Concept ◽  
The Uk ◽  
New Forms Of Work

PurposeThis article seeks to answer the question: how should we conceptualise the “gig economy”? In doing so the authors shall explore if gig economy work should be understood as a novel concept that stands alone, a concept that is a subtype, or whether it may in fact be conceptually redundant.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conduct a thematic analysis of interview data drawn from 27 interviews with policymakers, trade union officials, key figures within labour organisations and gig economy workers.FindingsThe authors reveal how, from the perspective of key stakeholders, the concept of the gig economy exhibits a lack of “differentiation” from the long-established concept of precarious work of which it is best understood as a subtype.Research limitations/implicationsThe empirical findings from the authors’ study should be regarded as limited in terms of being situated in the specific employment context of the UK. Nevertheless, the implications of the study have a broader reach. The authors seek to provoke debate and discussion among scholars across disciplines and contexts working in the areas of precarious work and the gig economy. The authors’ analysis will be of interest to scholars who are concerned with how they conceptualise “new” forms of work.Originality/valueThe analysis offers a novel intervention by revealing how key stakeholders perceive the gig economy through a prism of continuity rather than change and connect it with broader processes of precarity.

“That's not how I see it”: female and male perspectives on the academic role

2007 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 497-515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue Shaw ◽  
Catherine Cassell
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Business School ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Business Schools ◽  
School Context ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Original Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Academic Role ◽  
The Uk

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a piece of empirical work that examines gender differences in how academics make sense of performance within university business schools in the UK.Design/methodology/approachThe research reported draws on data collected using a life history and repertory grid methodology with male and female interviewees from two university business schools.FindingsThe findings are discussed in relation to how academics understand what is valued about their role and what they believe the organisation rewards and values when it comes to promotion. Gender differences are shown to exist in the ways women and men define the academic role and in what they think is important both to themselves and the institution.Originality/valueThe paper presents original data on gender differences within a business school context.

scholarly journals Student engagement with sustainability: understanding the value–action gap

2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 404-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gareth Chaplin ◽  
Paul Wyton
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Sustainable Living ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Significant Barrier ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the findings of research that aimed to determine what university students living in Unite accommodation in the UK understand about the concept of sustainable living. It considers what barriers they perceive to be standing in the way of following sustainable living practices. In particular, the research aimed to explore any value–action gap for the student population with a view to informing future actions to help close any gap. Design/methodology/approach – The study was completed through an online questionnaire survey of students living in halls of residence operated by provider The Unite Group Plc. The survey informed semi-structured interviews and focus groups that explored the issues raised in greater detail. Findings – It was found that students living in Unite properties believed sustainable living to be important, yet levels of understanding were very low and there appeared to be a wide value–action gap. Reasons for this are varied; however, an unexpected theme emerged around the association of effort and importance. There was a very strong association between sustainable living and recycling, which, therefore, saw the lack of adequate recycling facilities as a significant barrier to sustainable living. There were also issues around a lack of information, cost and respondents’ flatmates as further barriers. However, the most significant barrier was the displacement of responsibility for sustainable living to other people or organisations. Originality/value – Gaining an insight into the complexity of attitude and behaviour of students with the sustainability agenda will enable understanding that can be applied to activities that promote sustainability.

scholarly journals Implications of divergences in adult protection legislation

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 149-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorna Montgomery ◽  
Janet Anand ◽  
Kathryn Mackay ◽  
Brian Taylor ◽  
Katherine C. Pearson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Elder Abuse ◽  
Consensus Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Legal Responses ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Protection Legislation ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Adult Protection

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the similarities and differences of legal responses to older adults who may be at risk of harm or abuse in the UK, Ireland, Australia and the USA. Design/methodology/approach – The authors draw upon a review of elder abuse and adult protection undertaken on behalf of the commissioner for older people in Northern Ireland. This paper focusses on the desk top mapping of the different legal approaches and draws upon wider literature to frame the discussion of the relative strengths and weaknesses of the different legal responses. Findings – Arguments exist both for and against each legal approach. Differences in defining the scope and powers of adult protection legislation in the UK and internationally are highlighted. Research limitations/implications – This review was undertaken in late 2013; while the authors have updated the mapping to take account of subsequent changes, some statutory guidance is not yet available. While the expertise of a group of experienced professionals in the field of adult safeguarding was utilized, it was not feasible to employ a formal survey or consensus model. Practical implications – Some countries have already introduced APL and others are considering doing so. The potential advantages and challenges of introducing APL are highlighted. Social implications – The introduction of legislation may give professionals increased powers to prevent and reduce abuse of adults, but this would also change the dynamic of relationships within families and between families and professionals. Originality/value – This paper provides an accessible discussion of APL across the UK and internationally which to date has been lacking from the literature.

scholarly journals Signs and wonders

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 298-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Smith ◽  
Peter Stokes
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Frontline Employees ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Extant Literature ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – This paper aims to examine and assess the reputational impact of the logo and symbols of the UK Standard Investors in People (IiP). The extant literature highlights differing opinions in terms of the likely benefits that IiP generates following achievement of the Standard. This paper focuses specifically on the perceptions of reputational claims made regarding existing employees, potential employees and customers. Design/methodology/approach – The debate is explored through 38 interviews using the perceptions of managers and frontline employees within six IiP-accredited firms and one non-accredited firm. Findings – The study indicates that the logo and symbols of the Standard have minimal meaning and significance for the interviewees and their outlook on potential employees and customers. There were some indications, however, that the wider reputational implications of carrying the logo may have some potentially beneficial effects. Originality/value – The paper concludes that the overarching findings present a potentially serious issue for IiP, and that there is a need to understand further the impact and value of the logo and symbols.

Eastern European immigrants in the UK

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Rosso
Keyword(s):  
Wage Gap ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Wage Distribution ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
Defining Moment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Before And After ◽  
European Immigrants ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Eastern European Immigrants

PurposeThe paper aims at examining wage developments among Eastern European immigrants vs UK natives before and after the 2004 enlargement by measuring the extent to which inter-group wage differentials are explainable by these groups' changing attributes or by differences in returns to these characteristics. The enlargement has been a defining moment in British recent history and may have contributed to the unfolding of the events that have culminated in Brexit.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses a quantitative analysis of the immigrant–native wage gap across the entire distribution by applying the methodology known as the unconditional quantile regression. The analysis is performed before and after the 2004 European Union enlargement to Eastern countries. The data used is the British Labour Force Survey (UK LFS) from 1998 to 2008.FindingsAt all distribution points, a major role is played by occupational downgrading, which increases over time. The results further suggest that the decreased wage levels at the top of the distribution stem mainly from low transferability of skills acquired in the source country.Research limitations/implicationsThe UK LFS does not allow to follow individuals for a long period of time. For this reason, the main limitation of the study is the impossibility to measure for individual-level trajectories in their labour market integration and to account for return migration.Originality/valueThe analysis provides a detailed picture of the wage differences between Eastern European immigrants and natives along the whole wage distribution. The paper also identifies possible causes of the wage gap decrease for EU8 immigrant workers after 2008.

The socio-demographic determinants of workplace loneliness in India

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mantasha Firoz ◽  
Richa Chaudhary ◽  
Madhu Lata
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Marital Status ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Average Level ◽  
Hypotheses Testing ◽  
Business Organizations ◽  
Organizational Hierarchy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Sectors

PurposeThis study was conducted with two main objectives: (1) to examine the prevalence of workplace loneliness in the Indian manufacturing and service sectors (2) to examine the influence of socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender, marital status, nature of the organization, tenure, number of friends at the workplace, and position in the organizational hierarchy) on the feeling of loneliness in the workplace.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 934 employees working in manufacturing and service sectors across India. Regression analysis was used for hypotheses testing.FindingsFindings indicated below average level of loneliness in Indian workplace. Significant differences were found in workplace loneliness with respect to age, marital status and number of friends at the workplace. In contrast, gender, nature of organization, position and tenure had no effect on the feeling of workplace loneliness.Originality/valueThis study advances the limited literature on workplace loneliness by identifying its prevalence and socio-demographic determinants in Indian business organizations. It would help HR practitioners in comprehending and dealing with the emerging challenges associated with workplace loneliness.

They teach, but do they apply?

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 743-766
Author(s):  
Anete Petrusch ◽  
Guilherme Luís Roehe Vaccaro ◽  
Juliane Luchese
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Additional Data ◽  
Effective Sample Size ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Lean Thinking ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Administrative Services ◽  
The Usa ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Uk

Purpose Although discussed for more than 20 years, information about Lean adoption in higher education institutions (HEIs) is scarce, especially in developing countries. This research aims to investigate the degree of Lean thinking adoption on administrative services of Brazilian private HEIs. The results are compared to studies from USA and UK, highlighting the maturity on enablers, principles, tools and performance measures related to Lean. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative survey research was carried out. The instrument is adapted for HEIs from the proposal of Malmbrandt and Åhlström (2013) for Lean services. Cronbach’s alpha and factor analysis were used to validate the adapted instrument. Additional data analysis was based on non-parametric tests. Findings No evidence of broad implementation of Lean thinking in administrative processes of Brazilian private HEIs was found, with the adoption being incipient. The results are convergent to those presented by other studies in the USA and the UK. There is a gap between the existing knowledge about Lean in the academic sphere of the HEIs and its application on their academic processes. Research limitations/implications The effective sample size was of 47, despite contacts being sent to 2,090 institutions. This sample allows exploratory research, although further research is required. Results are adherent to those found in research from other countries. Originality/value The research presents descriptive and exploratory results regarding the adoption of Lean in Brazilian HEIs. No previous similar research was found in the literature.

Micro‐enterprise:

2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sian Lockwood
Keyword(s):  
Health Inequalities ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Local Case ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Health And Well Being

PurposeThis paper seeks to explore the potential of micro‐enterprises to assist local health and well‐being boards in delivering their strategies, especially in relation to tackling health inequalities, prevention and community support.Design/methodology/approachThis paper draws on experience gained by Community Catalysts from its work supporting social care and health micro‐enterprise across the UK. There has been little formal research into social care and health micro‐enterprise and so the paper relies heavily on data gathered by Community Catalysts in the course of its work and uses local case studies to illustrate points.FindingsThe paper explains the importance of social care and health micro‐enterprise to the work of health and well being boards, emphasising its potential to help tackle health inequalities and contribute to effective health and well‐being strategies.Originality/valueThere are no examples as yet of imaginative health and well‐being boards engaging effectively with micro‐providers, but boards can draw on learning from local authorities actively stimulating and supporting local micro‐enterprise.

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