Post on 25-Feb-2016
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Findings from the CrowdEmploy project
Dynamics of Virtual Work MeetingAthens, 8th October 2013
Anne GreenInstitute for Employment Research
University of Warwick, UKAnne.Green@warwick.ac.uk
Introduction to the CrowdEmploy projectCrowdEmploy: Study commissioned by IPTS, European CommissionProject aim: To explore internet-enabled exchanges with potential to
impact on employment and the employability of individualsResearch questions: How do internet-enabled models based on exchange or
donation of labour or capital operate from both the user and operator perspectives?
What are the opportunities and challenges that these services present for employment and employability?
Aspects of employment and employability
Enabling support factors Individual factors: demographic characteristics, economic
position, employability skills and attributes/characteristics, disposition to enhancing employability, labour market and job seeking knowledge
Individual circumstances: household composition, household work culture, access to resources
Employers’ practices: recruitment and selectionLocal contextual factors: features of local employmentMacro level factors: state of the macro economy
MethodologyMultiple sources of evidence – including desk
research and a mapping exercise, interviewsSix case studies undertaken Semi-structured interviews with users (‘buyers’
and ‘sellers’) and platform managers/ownersReflection on the experiences of users – with a
particular focus on issues relating to employability
Focus of the study
•PleaseFund.Us
•SociosInversores
CSF
•PeoplePerHour
•Slivers of TimeCSW
•Do.it
•Tauschen-ohne-geld
CSV
PleaseFund.Us (1)Reward-based UK-based
crowdfunding platform: works on an ‘all or nothing’ basis;a fee is charged to successful projects
Projects include books, games, business travel, community projects, etc.
Fundraisers developed skills:practical skills – e.g. using
Excel, making a video, etc.presentation and
organisational skills managing their public
relations and imageskills brought to CSF are
more important than skills gained
PleaseFund.Us (2)Fundraisers’ social networks
are the main community of supporters
Use of social media to ‘reactivate’ personal connections and latent support
“I don’t think we got any new people, they are people in peripheral communities who knew people, who knew people who knew us”
Geography:Nothing to stop projects from
gathering funds from around the world BUT the local aspect of campaigns came through
Some projects have greater scope for reaching out over an extended geography than others – some projects are by definition local
Language may be a limiting factor
SocioInversores (1) Equity-based crowdfunding
platform allowing entrepreneurs to access financial resources from other Internet users
Founded in 2011 in Spain - context of economic crisis
Acts as an intermediary between entrepreneurs and investors – charges a commission on money invested in the project or business idea; does not act as a bank
A team of analysts at SocioInversores looks into the feasibility of projects – importance of trust
Entrepreneurs showcase business ideas Investors search for investment opportunities
A small number of investors is best option
Employment opportunities
SocioInversores (2)
Geography: ICT enables relations to take place at a distanceExample of an investor with care responsibilities –
can invest and take an interest from homeProjects concentrated in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia“The Internet, Skype, etc, allow you to communicate at a
distance but there are nuances that cannot be communicated but in person” (Investor)
Expanded to Latin America
PeoplePerHour – introduction (1)A CSW matching platform – established 2007Categories of work include design, Web development,
writing, business support, video/ photo/ audio, admin, marketing and PR, translation, software development, social media
May 2013 – 450,000 users in over 200 countries: 64% users in UK; next largest shares India, US and Pakistan
Typical ‘buyers’ are micro-businesses with 1-10 employeesFeedback and ratings system – issues for sellers
PeoplePerHour – how it operates (2)Buyers SellersPost a job – outlining what is
needed, receive proposals, review and select, make a downpayment to start the job, which is released on completion
Search ‘Hourlies’ – see if offers meet requirements
Search sellers’ profiles and contact freelancers directly
NO CHARGES
Build a profile – outlining story and skills
Search for jobs and submit a proposal directly – search and get notifications of jobs
Post ‘Hourlies’ – outline what can do for a fixed price
PeoplePerHour ‘TOP SLICE’ PAYMENT
PeoplePerHour: motivation - buyersCost Non-cost“It costs nothing to
advertise a job - there is nothing to lose”
No overheadsMore cost-effective to pay
‘per task’ than ‘per hour’No worries about
employment legislation – so implications for sellers
Ease of useSpeed of responseOne-off services Generate ideasAccess to many more
sellers than by conventional means
PeoplePerHour: motivation - sellersEconomic Non-economicSupplementing income – for
employees and existing freelancers
Gaining an income – following redundancy
(Re)entry to the labour market – e.g. after sickness
Overcoming discrimination in the labour market
Life course – e.g. work during/ after pregnancy
Flexibility – especially for childcare:“It fits in so well with the family”
Desire to be self-employedSomething to do
PeoplePerHour: skills development Formal qualifications helpful for CSW in global marketplace –
perhaps not recognised as a local employee:“We contacted you because you had a Masters degree” (buyer to seller)
Onus on the seller to develop skills:“I’m not interested in people honing their skills” (buyer)
Costs for skills development borne by the individual:“I’d consider short courses, but I don’t want to be in debt for studying” (seller)
PeoplePerHour: geography“You can as easily work with
people in the Philippines as in Peckham” (buyer)
Can test ideas on cheaper sites first (buyer)
“A great portal onto the world” – “I can do this from anywhere” (seller)
Work and home – merge or otherwise (seller)
“Working for peanuts” to ‘break in’ – then “competing against people where living wages are a lot lower” (seller)
Need to learn “not to undersell yourself” and “not to chase work at all costs” (seller)
Slivers of Time (1)Provider of software and
expertise supporting an agency to administer and manage the system
Matching - online staff booking and time management platform
Operates in public, private and voluntary sectors
Offers community based paid and unpaid work - local
Opportunities managed by agencies who use Slivers of Time system
Agency vets sellersSophisticated system -
individuals can constantly manage their availability (flexibility and control on an hour by hour basis)
Slivers of Time (2)Way of working beyond retirement – to remain
engaged and included in the labour marketProvides extra incomeOpportunity to do work where have experience or
to do something different – although rather limited opportunities for skills development
‘Sellers’ are vetted - onus on ‘sellers’ to prove their reliability
Highly committed
Do-It (1)UK-based broker for organisations seeking to recruit volunteers and
volunteers seeking opportunitiesVoluntary organisations may use Do-It alongside their own websitesPotential volunteers can search on activities (online or otherwise),
availability and location – and selectOnline activities include reviewing publications, online research, e-
campaigning, online forum moderation, consultancy roles, peer support (involves training), etc.
Volunteers emphasised:– altruism– enhancing employability
Do-It (2)Geography:“You Do-It from home, You can
Do-It wherever you want. You are basically your own boss in that sense.”
“I thought if I don’t get any paid work, if I got some voluntary work this would be good for the CV. I was looking for anything basically. The virtual element was appealing as I could do it from home.”
Skills:Communicating onlineLearn use of language without
visual cues“The disadvantages are you
gain no interpersonal skills, there is no interpersonal contact; I just work on my computer and send stuff back.”
“Because it is virtual it is harder to put on the CV.”
Tauschen-ohne-geld (Exchange without money)
Initial idea of the website (www.tauschen-ohne-geld.de) was to connect regional German reciprocal exchange rings
Limits of geography: not successful; exchange rings are highly LOCAL – many services are local (lawn mowing, hairdressing, help with practical tasks, etc.); and other sites exist for provision of extra-local services e.g. holidays
LoWi e.V. – example of local ring
Use ICT for documenting services and goods offered and required and recording transactions
SOCIAL contact is central – “personal contact leads to trust”; “human communication is at the centre of attention”
Supportive environment in which to hone skills
Synthesis – from these cases (1)
DIVERSITYWithin and between platform
typesTypes of employers /
organisations using CS• Individuals can be: ‘sellers’ and ‘buyers’ reactive and proactive self-employed and employees ‘at work’ and ‘at home’
FLEXIBILITYUsers need to be flexible
to use platformsPlatforms facilitate flexible
working
GEOGRAPHYEnables global working –
increased reach of ‘buyers’ and ‘sellers’
Facilitates local working / exchange
Synthesis (2)
SUPPORTING ONLY platforms are
‘supporting tools’ only – individuals need to bring existing skills and networks to use them
BUT individuals can use platforms as a launch pad for broadening skills and networks, or changing career
BUYERS / EMPLOYERS canUse cheaper labour elsewhereReduce (and change) employment
opportunities locallyReduce inputs to, and responsibility for,
workers – as an ‘employer’ and a ‘training provider’
Change (and make more transparent) recruitment and selection of workers
Organise work differentlyCreate new employment and learning
opportunitiesOpen up employment opportunities for
people who might otherwise be unable to take them
Synthesis (3)
Prerequisites
Self starterSelf
efficacyManage
timeKnow
marketIT skills
Literacy
Developed
Business skills
Communication skills
Customer relations
Diversity of skills
Support
Awareness raising:
(non)employed
Training:- various
- bite-sizedPartnerships
– intermediari
es and platforms
For more informationAnne GreenInstitute for Employment ResearchUniversity of WarwickCoventry, UK
Email: Anne.Green@warwick.ac.ukTel: +44 (0) 24 765 24113
On behalf of the CrowdEmploy Project Team: Anne Green, Maria de Hoyos, Sally-Anne Barnes, Heike Behle, Beate Baldauf
www.warwick.ac.uk/ier