Food Delivery Platforms Research Articles

Learning to Strike in the Gig Economy: Mobilization Efforts by Food Delivery Workers in Hyderabad, India

This article discusses protest efforts undertaken by platform-based food delivery workers during the first wave of the pandemic. Following the lockdown, food delivery platforms were categorized as ‘essential’ to ensure that their operations continued. Several changes were made during this time to hiring practices, platforms diversified into providing grocery services and incorporating safety protocols to enhance customer ‘confidence’ in their services. The article starts by showing how the pandemic helped to strengthen the platform’s position in the market on the backs of delivery partners’ who were reliant on platform work as a means of livelihood. Though publicly glorified as ‘superheroes’, their remunerations were slashed during the pandemic, triggering a series of strikes. Since June 2020, workers across several cities have resorted to protest the worsening conditions of work. It gives an ethnographic description of two strikes that took place in June and Sept 2020 in Hyderabad. It then compares these two strikes to discuss workers’ motivation or the lack of it to strike, the strike tactics used by them, as well as the responses of platform companies to the strike. I then focus on the structural and contingent factors which rendered worker’s bargaining power weaker, despite them being providers of ‘essential services’.

Antecedents for online food delivery platform leading to continuance usage intention via e-word-of-mouth review adoption.

The focus of hospitality initially was on ambience and novelty to attract customers. With the rise of the digital revolution, the hospitality industry has also undergone significant change. Long-distance travel at the workplace, odd working hours, and a variety of food options have driven people staying in Indian metropolises towards online food delivery (OFD) services. The popularity of OFD services has risen because of their practicality, simplicity, and a rise in consumer confidence in digital payments. Specifically, for the food industry, digitalization has opened new horizons to capture customers. The competition is not among the big brands, but big brands are competing with homemakers who run tiffin services, and street food hawkers who claim to provide traditional Dhaba-style food and fast food. The customers are loaded with unlimited options to choose the food in terms of price, cuisine, quality, etc. The present research examines the associations between service quality of OFD services, perceived ease of use, and word-of-mouth review adoption, leading to expectation confirmation modeling. The path analysis was carried out using data from 500 Indian respondents residing in Tier-I cities who have been using OFD services regularly. The research outcome shows that servqual has a positive influence on perceived ease of use and confirmation. Additionally, it encourages continued usage intentions because of its favorable impact on the adoption of e-word-of-mouth reviews.

Factors Affecting the Implementation of Online Food Delivery and Its Impact on Restaurant Performance during the COVID-19 Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many restaurants implemented online food delivery (OFD) platforms to serve customers. However, it remains unclear how restaurant managers decide to implement OFD and whether or not the implementation can improve performance. We view OFD implementation as a form of service innovation. This study investigates and explains the reasons why restaurants implemented an OFD platform during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact of that implementation on restaurant performance, based on service innovation theory. An internet survey was conducted to collect data from restaurant owners or managers to test the proposed research model. The results show that the perceived benefit of increasing the firm’s reach is the key driver of OFD implementation, and the implementation has a positive impact on both financial and non-financial performance. A follow-up interview was also conducted to obtain the opinions of industry experts, who explained the phenomena. The research findings can advance our understanding of how restaurant managers decide to innovate by implementing OFD services and help them better understand whether and how the implementation of this service can actually improve performance.

Algorithmic Control Configurations in Food Delivery Platforms: A Cross-National Comparative Study

Algorithmic Control Configurations in Food Delivery Platforms: A Cross-National Comparative Study

Analysis of an on-demand food delivery platform: Participatory equilibrium and two-sided pricing strategy

The on-demand food delivery platform assigns orders from customers to independent couriers, known as agents. An agent’s decision to provide services depends on the wage and the order assignment. The platform can adjust the actual supply and demand through two-sided pricing, such that an equilibrium between customers and agents that maximizes the platform’s profit can be formed. We develop a stylized model to investigate the optimal price and wage of a platform facing delay-sensitive customers and income-sensitive agents. We find three possibilities for participatory equilibrium in the platform as the pair of wage and price changes. Meanwhile, all participatory equilibrium regions have two asymptotically stable equilibria, one of which is a nonparticipatory equilibrium. The platform can form a participatory equilibrium only when it attracts enough customers and agents in the initial phase. Our analysis shows that the optimal pricing strategy and the maximum revenue for a platform depend on the valuation and delay sensitivity of the target customers. Furthermore, contradicting the intuition, our results show that the optimal wage is non-increasing in the total demand rate and that the optimal price is non-decreasing in the service capacity of the platform.

Union Strategies for the Representation of Platform Delivery Workers in Spain

Abstract Food-delivery digital labour platforms started to operate in Spain in 2016. As in other national contexts, these platforms have misclassified workers as independent contractors rather than employees, shifting responsibilities and risks onto workers who have been forced to operate under marketized relationships lacking protection. This paper analyses trade unions practices and strategies targeted towards food-delivery platform workers (riders) in Spain. The findings are based on desk research and fieldwork consisting of semi-structured interviews with representatives from different trade unions and self-organized workers’ associations. The article shows how trade unions’ strategies resting on litigation and social dialogue ended up with the first legislation in Europe which introduced a rebuttable presumption of employment in the field of delivery platforms. At the same time, it shows the limitation of those strategies resting on institutional power resources due to the fragmentation of workers’ interests and the newly platforms’ strategies to circumvent labour law.

A Study on Consumers' Perception of Food Delivery Platforms

With the rapid advancement of the digital era, people's lifestyles and consumption patterns have undergone significant changes. Instead of making phone calls for food delivery, consumers now have the convenience of using mobile devices like smartphones or tablets to access online food delivery platforms. Through these platforms, customers can effortlessly select their preferred dishes and restaurants, facilitating quick and seamless food delivery transactions. Examining consumers' perceptions and viewpoints concerning the user interface and functionalities of food delivery platforms on mobile devices holds significant importance for e-commerce operators in the present scenario. The questionnaires in this study were devised to gain insights into consumers' perspectives on the user experience and functionalities while using food delivery platforms. The research findings revealed that the respondents considered "providing diverse payment methods" and "offering promotions" as the two most essential features of a food delivery platform. Moreover, consumers highly value the platform's ability to provide a flexible refund mechanism.

More reliance, more injuries: Income dependence, workload and work injury of online food-delivery platform riders

Food-delivery platform riders constitute a vulnerable population that is particularly susceptible to safety incidents and injuries. At present, only a few studies have specifically addressed the causes of work injuries of riders in the gig economy. Accordingly, this study examined the linkages between income dependence and riders’ injury. A mixed method approach was utilised to analyse survey data from 5,703 riders of an online food-delivery platform in China, along with semi-structured interviews with 43 riders. The results provide empirical evidence that: (a) a rider’s degree of income dependence is positively related to work injury, (b) workload mediates the relationship between income dependence and work injury, and (c) difficulty in obtaining subsidies moderates the relationship between income dependence and workload. These results can help platform companies take steps to reduce hazards to worker safety and suggest recommendations for policies on platform working conditions and rider safety protection.

Strategi Pengembangan UMKM Dengan Tren Digitalisasi di Desa Kutopohaci Kabupaten Karawang

This study aims to gain a deeper understanding of the digital marketing strategies employed by K-Beat-A Dimsum. A qualitative approach is utilized, with a focus on the individual as the unit of analysis, specifically the owner of K-Beat-A Dimsum. The research method employed is descriptive, involving in-depth interviews with the owner of K-Beat-A Dimsum, as well as observations and literature review. The findings of this study are expected to provide insights into the efforts that K-Beat-A Dimsum can undertake to leverage their strengths, strengthen their position in the market, and overcome existing challenges. By enhancing their digital marketing strategies, optimizing collaborations with online food delivery platforms, and actively engaging with customers, K-Beat-A Dimsum can improve sales, enhance brand awareness, and expand their market share.

Unpacking the legal status of platform workers in China: an empirical analysis of judicial attitudes and challenges in the food delivery sector

ABSTRACT The platform economy has generated new business models and employment types, posing new challenges to China’s labour law and social security law. This article collects 324 cases between 2017 and 2020 in which Chinese courts need to determine the employment status of food delivery riders as platform workers. This paper focuses on whether ‘special delivery riders’ under the agent model and ‘crowdsourced riders’ under the crowdsourcing model are identified as employees in these cases and analyse relevant factors considered by judges when they make decisions. More than half of the Chinese judges hold that special delivery riders are employees of agents, while crowdsourced riders are barely found as employees; most judges are reluctant to deem platforms as the liable employers. In general, the algorithm-based management, business organization, and relevant agreements etc. deployed by food delivery platforms may make them free from employer obligations and liabilities, and policymakers often have a tolerant and positive attitude towards the platform employment. Relevant latest policies show the government’s willingness to give platform workers more protection, and the SPC Stable Employment Opinions has specified the criteria for identifying employment relationship in the platform employment. Nevertheless, it takes time to see how they will be implemented.

PENGARUH PLATFORM ONLINE FOOD DELIVERY (OFD) TERHADAP PERILAKU KONSUMTIF MAHASISWA

Online Food Delivery is a food delivery service carried out by an application that serves online ordering, the use of online food delivery is very popular among Indonesian people such as students or university students. This research is a study conducted to find out "the influence of a consumptive lifestyle and Online Food Delivery. The method used in this study is a quantitative method using Google form. We conducted research on Digital Technology University students with a research sample of 39 respondents from semester III - V semester students of the Digital Technology University management study program aged between 20-23 years. The technique in collecting data uses a questionnaire technique which contains questions about the Online Food Delivery platform then the results of the information are analyzed using a descriptive qualitative method. The results of the research show that there is a significant correlation and influence between Online Food Delivery on consumptive behavior actually 46.2% meaning that Online Food Delivery has an effect positive and significant impact on consumptive behavior among students in using the Online Food Delivery platform, besides that consumptive behavior of students is shown to female students which cannot be avoided without awareness to be wise in using the Online Food Delivery platform. Furthermore, the average student does Online Food Delivery because it is practical, there are lots of promos and invitations from friends to buy food that is currently viral. 
 
 Keywords: Consumptive Behavior, Food, Platform, Students ,Technology

Utilizing Design Thinking for Effective Multidisciplinary Diabetes Management.

(1) Background: Design thinking, as a human-centered design method, represents a unique framework to support the planning, testing, and evaluation of new clinical spaces for diabetic care throughout all phases of construction. This approach prioritizes the needs and experiences of diabetic patients to create innovative and effective healthcare environments. By applying design-thinking principles, healthcare facilities can optimize the design and functionality of their clinical spaces, ensuring a patient-centered approach to diabetic care. This holistic and personalized approach can ultimately enhance the overall quality of diabetic care provided to patients. (2) Methods: The study used the action research method and progressively explored diabetes patients' needs and preferences for care, subsequently developing creative solutions to achieve the goals. There were six doctors, seven nursing staffs, four case managers and three family members who participated in the design-thinking workshop. (3) Results: The participating trainees in this study developed unique and innovative solutions during the iterative process of "divergent thinking" and "focused thinking", including diabetes dietary guidelines for food ordering and delivery platforms, and the design of accompanying health-education picture books to enable patients to learn the care process and precautions before, during, and after discharge. (4) Conclusions: This continuing education model promoted sharing among participants, improved collaboration and mutual learning, and increased motivation through goal setting.

An Economic and Legal Analysis of Gig Economy in India and Future Growth Potentials - A Case Study of Food Delivery Platforms

An Economic and Legal Analysis of Gig Economy in India and Future Growth Potentials - A Case Study of Food Delivery Platforms

Why does unpaid labour vary among digital labour platforms? Exploring socio-technical platform regimes of worker autonomy

Digital platforms provide many workers with vital income and offer the promise of flexible work, and yet also contribute to experiences of precariousness and exploitation, particularly with regard to pressures to undertake unpaid work. This article explores why unpaid labour is necessary and what drives its extent and form among diverse types of digital platforms. We theorize two ideal types of ‘open’ and ‘closed’ socio-technical platform regimes of worker autonomy, building on sociological insights about socio-technical systems, management control over worker autonomy and labour market segmentation by skill. In principle, ‘open’ (‘closed’) platform regimes grant relatively high (low) worker autonomy in terms of access to the platform, paid work and control over work tasks. Analysing five case studies, illustrative of ‘open’ and ‘closed’ regimes, we investigate unpaid labour in low-skill locational (i.e. food delivery) platforms and medium/high-skill online (i.e. freelancing) platforms. In brief, digital freelancers exhibit a lower extent of unpaid labour within relatively ‘open’ regimes, owing to greater autonomy over access to, and control over, platform work in a sector requiring medium/high skills. Conversely, ‘closed’ regimes mitigate unpaid labour for food-delivery platforms by providing market shelter for workers, who are easily replaced in an overcrowded sector requiring few skills.

Availability of calorie information on online food delivery service platforms among major chain restaurants in Canadian provinces with different calorie labellingpolicies.

This study aimed to characterize the availability of calorie labelling on major online food delivery (OFD) platforms for the largest restaurant brands in Canada to examine differences in provinces with and thosewithout mandatory calorie labelling regulations. Data were collected for the 13 largest restaurant brands with locations in Ontario (with mandatory menu labelling) and Alberta and Quebec (with no mandatory menu labelling) from the web applications of the three largest OFD platforms in Canada. Data were sampled from three selected restaurant locations within each province (n = 117 locations across all provinces) on each platform. Univariate logistic regression models were used to test differences in the presence and amount of calorie labelling and other nutritional information across provinces and platforms. The analytical sample included 48,857 food and beverage items (n = 16,011 in Alberta, n = 16,683 in Ontario, and n = 16,163 in Quebec). Items were more likely to have menu labelling in Ontario (68.7%) than in Alberta (44.4%, OR = 2.75, 95% CI 2.63-2.88) or Quebec (39.1%, OR = 3.42, 95% CI 3.27-3.58). In Ontario, 53.8% of restaurant brands had calorie labelling for > 90% of items, compared to 23.0% in Quebec and 15.4% in Alberta. The presence of calorie labelling also differed across platforms. Nutrition information from OFD services differed across provinces with and thosewithout mandatory calorie labelling. Chain restaurants on OFD service platforms were more likely to provide calorie information in Ontario, where calorie labelling is mandatory, compared to elsewhere where no such policy exists. In all provinces, calorie labelling was inconsistently implemented across OFD service platforms.

Autonomous regulation of work in the gig economy: The first collective bargaining agreement for riders in Sweden

The gigification of work has—in line with global trends—reached the highly-regulated Swedish labour market, with its high degree of both union density and coverage of collective bargaining agreements—and high labour costs. More and more gig workers are becoming union members, and in late January 2021 the first Swedish collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for food delivery platform workers (riders) was concluded between the Transport Workers’ Union and Foodora. The article illustrates to what extent, and how, the inherited formulas for trade union activity and collective bargaining are made relevant for platform-mediated work. The role of old actors and regulatory means are put to use in the ‘new’ labour market. This article provides an analysis of the first CBA in the Swedish gig economy and illustrates how pre-existing labour law norms are both a restraining and an enabling factor for trade unions and collective bargaining in the gig economy. What can be learned about the nature of work in the gig economy or platform-mediated work from the way it has been integrated into the Swedish model for labour relations with its particular traits? Or, what can be learned from the first CBA in the gig economy in the promised land of collective bargaining?

A Framework to Effectively use Social Media as A Marketing Strategy for Swiggy

Social media has become an integral part of marketing strategies for businesses across various industries. Swiggy, a food delivery platform, can benefit greatly from social media marketing to increase its reach and customer base. To effectively use social media as a marketing strategy. A focus on social listening, which involves monitoring conversations about Swiggy on social media platforms and addressing customer queries and complaints in a timely and personalized manner

Management Control and Covert Exploitation Issues in Food Delivery Platforms

The platform economy is an important part of the Chinese economy. Female food delivery riders play a crucial role in the platform economy, creating significant labor contributions and value for society, injecting diversity and vitality into the platform economy. However, female food delivery riders face issues such as insufficient legal rights and welfare protection, management control, and implicit exploitation. From the perspective of Marxist political economy, this paper analyzes female food delivery riders in the areas of capital accumulation, capital circulation, and social reproduction, and calls for the establishment of more fair and transparent platform rules and systems, so that female food delivery riders can obtain their deserved rights and respect in the platform economy.

Using a BBWM-PROMETHEE model for evaluating mobile commerce service quality: A case study of food delivery platform

In the age of COVID-19, many governments imposed social distancing, work-from-home, and crowd control measures, which continue to affect economic development and forces service providers to be increasingly reliant on e-commerce and m-commerce platform technology. Moreover, due to the availability of 5G network speeds, cell phone applications and the Internet services have become indispensable for future smart lifestyles, prompting brick-and-mortar businesses to shift their sales models to mobile network operators (MNOs). To popularize the use of m-commerce, it is critical to ensure that service platforms operate well and give the customer what they want. It is thus essential to create a comprehensive and complete performance framework for the evaluation of m-commerce services. In this paper, a hybrid model is developed to explore this issue and the effectiveness and robustness of the model is illustrated by an application to two major food delivery platforms in Taiwan. The Bayesian Best Worst Method (BBWM) is applied to identify the criteria weights and ranks. The judgments of 14 experts are integrated to obtain the optimal group criteria weights. The performance data were obtained from a survey of 210 experienced users of these delivery platforms. The difference between the actual performance of each delivery platform and the aspiration level (AL) was calculated using the modified Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluations (modified PROMETHEE) to determine an overall score for each delivery platform. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted and comparison made with other Multiple Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods. The results show that information security and privacy, integrity, and mobile transaction service are the most important criteria, with Food Panda performing better than the other mobile food delivery service provider. The proposed evaluation framework is useful for performance evaluation of mobile commerce service quality, and providing effective suggestions to assist decision-makers in creating development strategies.

Labor Unrest and the Future of Work: Global Struggles Against Food Delivery Platforms

Labor Unrest and the Future of Work: Global Struggles Against Food Delivery Platforms