Fairness in Algorithmic Management: How Practices Promote Fairness and Redress Unfairness on Digital Labor Platforms

Laura Schulze, Manuel Trenz, Zhao Cai, Chee Wee Tan

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

    1 Citation (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Algorithmic management (AM) is employed on digital labor platforms (DLPs) to efficiently manage interactions between workers and clients. However, AM comes with ethical challenges, such as unfairness. Identifying best practices that counter these challenges promises to deliver actionable solutions. Therefore, we identify AM practices that workers deem particularly fair. We conduct seven online focus groups with a diverse set of platform workers and analyze the data through an organizational justice lens. Our findings reveal that AM practices can promote fairness by providing information, empowering workers, or autonomously executing tasks in their interest. Alternatively, in the case unfairness occurred, AM practices can redress unfairness. These practices include delegating dispute resolution to the involved actors, investigating evidence, and autonomously determining restorative consequences. Our findings have theoretical implications for fairness in algorithms, AM, and organizational justice literature. They might also be adopted in practice to improve workers' conditions on DLPs.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationProceedings of the 56th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 2023
    EditorsTung X. Bui
    PublisherIEEE Computer Society
    Pages196-205
    Number of pages10
    ISBN (Electronic)9780998133164
    Publication statusPublished - 2023
    Event56th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 2023 - Virtual, Online, United States
    Duration: 3 Jan 20236 Jan 2023

    Publication series

    NameProceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences
    Volume2023-January
    ISSN (Print)1530-1605

    Conference

    Conference56th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 2023
    Country/TerritoryUnited States
    CityVirtual, Online
    Period3/01/236/01/23

    Keywords

    • Algorithmic management
    • digital labor platforms
    • fairness
    • organizational justice

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • General Engineering

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