Silenced by design: The collapse of gig worker voice under algorithmic control in an authoritarian labour market
European Management Journal, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.emj.2026.08.006
- Dergi Adı: European Management Journal
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Periodicals Index Online, ABI/INFORM, Index Islamicus, Psycinfo, Public Affairs Index, DIALNET, Business Source Ultimate (EBSCO)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Algorithmic governance, Algorithmic management, Authoritarian labour markets, Critical thematic analysis, Platform work, Worker voice
- Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Digitalisation is reshaping the organisation of labour through algorithmic systems that govern work with minimal human involvement. While a growing literature examines these systems in Global North contexts, their operation within politically centralised and institutionally fragile environments remains insufficiently understood. This study investigates how algorithmic management intersects with authoritarian labour regimes to restructure worker voice. Drawing on a critical thematic analysis with 41 gig workers in Turkey, the analysis identifies a layered process in which voice is structurally foreclosed, psychologically internalised, and informally reassembled under constraint, extending theory on algorithmic governance and worker agency in authoritarian settings. The findings highlight the risks that opaque digital management systems pose for dignity, accountability and democratic oversight in contemporary HRM and labour policy.