CrowdEmploy: Crowdsourcing Case StudiesAn empirical investigation into the impact of crowdsourcing on employability

Abstract

In the current economic context where a key policy emphasis is on employment, this project aims to inform policy of new forms of work and ways to enhance employability mediated by ICT. New applications of ICTs are continually changing the practices and possibilities of work, the way that tasks are executed, how they are organised; labour markets - how human capital is contracted, exploited and developed; and the ways and places that people are able and choose to work and develop their working life. This report explores four areas of ICT-mediated work, crowd-sourced labour, crowdfunding, online volunteering and internet-mediated work exchange (timebanks), that have until now been little explored. However, over the last 10 years, they have established themselves and are growing in importance and impact. Very little research has previously been available that gives insight into how and why these services have been set up, how they are used, and their impact on people's lives. This report presents six in-depth case studies in the fields of crowdfunding, crowdsourcing for work and online work exchange systems for the exchange or recruitment of unpaid work. These cases are based on qualitative research, including long interviews with users and managers of the services, exploring motivations, to use, use practice, skills required and acquired, problems and challenges.