Platforms, Politics, and Policy Change: Framing A Governance Approach to TNCs in the Gig Economy

Abstract

In social science, platform capitalism is becoming more analyzed as digital app-based platforms have revolutionized the global exchange of goods and services, prompting multifaceted challenges within society, economics, and politics. Platform governance emerges as this changing landscape unfolds, illuminating the intricate interplay between national and local regulatory frameworks and the burgeoning power dynamics among diverse stakeholders. This article provides a framework for examining the complex political and governance issues that have surfaced in the gig economy, mainly focused on the proliferation of ride-hailing platforms, such as Uber, also known as Transportation Network Companies (TNCs). This article examines the framework of platform governance contributing theoretically by putting into dialogue a literature primarily focused on studying social media with another branch of the platform society in which policy disruption has been evident, such as transportation and urban mobility. The analysis focuses on three fundamental dimensions of political economy: ideas, interests, and institutions. The paper also reviews how these three approaches have operated in recent scholarly literature. Finally, the article underscores the need for future research to address this complexity from a contingent approach to promote a comprehensive understanding of platform regulation.