Independent work: choice, necessity, and the gig economy

DIGITAL PLATFORMS COULD TRANSFORM AND ENABLE A LARGER SHARE 
OF INDEPENDENT WORK 
Independent work may not be a new phenomenon, but digital platforms have added an 
important twist by creating large-scale, efficient marketplaces that lower transaction costs 
and enable independent earners to find customers, contracts, and assignments. Despite 
their relatively small reach today, these platforms have been proliferating and expanding 
rapidly. Digital technologies have made it possible for new players to enter ecosystems of 
independent work and provide better matching mechanisms, in some cases creating new 
demand and making new types of independent earning activities possible.