Voimaannuttavaa vapautta vai haavoittuvien hyväksikäyttöä? : Alustatalouspohjaisten kuljetuspalvelujen vastuullisuus työvoimaa kohtaan

This dissertation examines the social responsibility of platform economy-based transportation services in relation to the workforce. The dissertation consists of three scientific articles that examine responsibility from different perspectives. The study utilizes four research materials: interviews with platform economy-based, traditional, and online shopping-specialized transport service companies (2021), surveys conducted with Wolt drivers (2021 and 2023), a survey of Biila drivers (2022), and interviews with Biila managers (2023). The key scientific contribution of the study is a four-field model that structures the suitability of platform work for different groups of drivers and explains why social responsibility is perceived very differently in platform work. The results show that platform-based transportation services embody social responsibility, especially for part-time drivers who value flexibility and autonomy in their work. For them, platform work offers an opportunity to earn additional income alongside other aspects of their lives and to adapt their work to their own life situation. For full-time drivers who value freedom, platform work can also be socially responsible when there are enough transport tasks available and the compensation for them is fair. On the other hand, for full-time drivers who value stability and security, entrepreneurial platform work is generally considered unsuitable and does not constitute a socially responsible form of work. The study highlights that drivers' perception of fairness is based on genuine freedom, fair compensation, and respectful treatment. Genuine freedom means the ability to decide on working hours, workload, means of transport, and acceptance of assignments without penalties, as well as the actual conditions for exercising this freedom. Fair compensation is linked to the way work is organized, with a minimum hourly wage being more appropriate for employment than for entrepreneurial work. Respectful treatment requires a shift from controlling algorithmic management to algorithmic mentoring that supports drivers, as well as strengthening the support provided by people. The study normatively suggests that the most socially responsible solution is to allow drivers to choose between entrepreneurial and employment-based work. Shifting all drivers into employment would not be socially responsible, as it would overlook many drivers’ preferences and weaken the position of those for whom entrepreneurial work is a viable option. The findings challenge the problem-focused discourse on platform work by showing that work expectations have diversified and that the meaningfulness of work is increasingly shaped by individual choice.