Can Gig Work Create Opportunities for the Economic Participation of Disadvantaged Groups? A Qualitative Study of Persons with Disabilities in Türkiye and Zimbabwe

Abstract

Gigwork is conceptualised as a new form of employment that has emerged from the rapid advancement of information technologies and the acceleration of globalisation. Driven by the impact of digitalisation on labour markets, it has expanded considerably, particularly with the widespread diffusion of remote and project-based working practices—a trend further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. While this form of employment carries advantages such as additional income generation and a flexible working culture, it has also been associated with the concept of the precariat in some studies, due to income insecurity linked to the discontinuity of work and the inadequacy of social security provisions. This study, however, approaches gig work from a different perspective by seeking to answer whether it can serve as an opportunity for the economic participation of disadvantaged groups, particularly individuals with disabilities. Within this scope, the perceptions, motivations, and evaluations of a group of people with disabilities in Zimbabwe and Türkiye regarding gig work were analysed through discourse analysis, supported by existing debates and findings in the literature. The research concludes that gig work is appropriate business model for disadvantaged groups by providing supplementary income, mitigating workplace discrimination and stigmatisation, offering opportunities to showcase skills, and facilitating work-based rehabilitation. Nonetheless, gig work may adversely impact socio-economically disadvantaged groups due to job and income instability, absence of social security benefits, and the exacerbation of inequalities in access to information technologies.