Evaluating the Ethics of Platform Work in the Gig Economy Business Model

1. Analyse the basis of moral reasoning.

2. Demonstrate cognitive skills of critical thinking, analysis, synthesis, and decision making within conditions of ambiguity, uncertainty and inherent tension.

3. Evaluate the significance of a range of western and non western ethical perspectives for business practices and economic systems.

4. Analyse and evaluate the common and specific ethical issues for a range of business functions and practices.

5. Evaluate and apply ethical reasoning to local and global business dilemmas.

6. Engage with multiple perspectives to articulate and defend a morally justifiable personal position on pervasive contemporary organisational and business ethical dilemma.

Evaluate the ethics of an economic system, business model or business practice.

The gig economy business model and platform work

The gig economy has increased in size and scope in recent years. In the UK it now involves one in ten workers, and a range business sectors including taxi services, deliveries, office work, design, software development, cleaning and household repairs. Six in ten gig economy workers are between 16 and 34. Key to this model is that businesses advertise via on line platforms for workers, who are paid by task (gig) rather than role, and as independent contractors with short term arrangements common. Hence platform work. Businesses including Uber, Deliveroo, DPD and Argos have adopted this form of gig economy business model.

Use TWO of the following three ethical theories i. Utilitarianism ii. Sen’s Capability Theory iii. Kantian Ethics, to evaluate the ethics of the gig economy business model with a specific focus on platform work. To do so you should:

a. Outline platform work in the gig economy, and its stakeholders. You will need to draw on evidence from good quality academic sources that discuss platform
work specifically as well as specific gig economy companies.

b. Identify and discuss the ethical issues raised by platform work in the gig economy business model. Again you will need to draw on evidence from good quality academic sources that discuss the platform work in the gig economy business model, as well as specific gig economy companies.

Note: an issue is a matter of debate; ethics is the study of concepts of right and wrong; therefore: ethical issues matters that raise debates about right and wrong.

c. Introduce and explain the two ethical theories to be applied. You will need to draw on discussions from good quality academic sources that consider the ethical theories in depth.

Task A

d. Use the ethical theories to analyse and respond to the ethical issues raised.

e. Based on your discussion conclude how far platform work in the gig economy model can be said to be ethical.

f. Based on your discussion identify one key change that could be made to improve the ethics of platform work in the gig economy business model. You should ensure that the proposed change is consistent with your ethical evaluation and is evidenced by reference to good quality academic sources. The word limit for this essay is 2000 words and the essay is worth 60% of the module marks.

Remember that this is an essay about business ethics and not business strategy or legal liability. You are being asked to develop an ethical argument about what the right thing to do would be in the relation to platform work in the gig economy. Make sure you read the marking criteria below.

A scenario setting up an ethical dilemma The hotel manager’s dilemma. For the last two years you have been manager of a golfing hotel and spa, Whitehouse Hotel (WH), leading a team of 20 committed employees, located in a rural village in the North of Scotland. Twelve months ago WH was bought by a large multinational hotel chain, Budget Breaks (BB). BB now wants to develop the hotel and its grounds into a water park resort, and is applying for planning permission. The development will include an indoor water park, a new conferencecentre, an outdoor adventure playground and will increase the number of hotel beds from 100 to 400. It is anticipated that this expansion will benefit the local economy, significantly increasing visitor numbers (mainly from the UK but also international visitors), and creating much needed jobs in both the construction of the resort and in resort staffing once it is operating.

Many local residents are opposed to the development, arguing that it will change the character of the hotel and the local area. WH is the only large historical manor house in the area, its grounds have many ancient public footpaths running across them, which the proposed development will close. In addition, the last remaining traditional hay meadows in the area will have to be built on, with negative effects on local biodiversity. The planning proposal does not provide for much on-site parking, with the intention being that the resort will offer a shuttle bus service to and from Inverness Airport (approximately 100 miles to the south). Local residents are concerned that most UK visitors will be driving to the resort, and will not use the shuttle bus.

Before you became aware of the proposed new resort you were pleased that WH had been bought by BB. Being part of BB’s hotel chain creates exciting career prospects for you and many of your staff. You are clearly valued by BB, since it is not their usual practice to retain staff from businesses they have taken over. At the same time both you and many of your staff are from the local area, have relatives in the area, and are aware of people’s concerns. A development team from BB’s international HQ is arriving at WH in one month for an in-house strategy meeting on the planning process.