You make me feel … autonomous or controlled: A mixed-method study on for- and non-profit platform organizations

Abstract

Digitalization supports the development of platform organizations, changing work relationships between individuals and organizations. This paper analyzes workers’ perceptions of autonomy and control in for- and non-profit platform organizations. Based on a mixed-methods study combining qualitative interviews and a quantitative questionnaire in digital food supply chains, this contribution empirically evaluates the interrelation of autonomy and control for two German sample groups of riders and volunteers. The analysis shows that the perceptions of autonomy and control are constitutive of work outcomes and thus essential for understanding work relationships in platform organizations. These perceptions differ in for- and non-profit contexts, providing insights to motivation and labor processes in platform work.