Abstract
The main objective of this chapter is to analyse how the digital revolution intertwines with the processes that are transforming professionalism. In particular, we focus on the relationship between professional work and the transition to a new socio-technical system that has been defined as the platform paradigm or platform economy. We focus on the “within” dimension of the transformation of professionalism. From the data collected, despite the platform work debate often being centred on low-skilled manual workers, such as food delivery workers or couriers, it is clear that the professional services market represents a significant share of platform work. Our findings confirm the hypothesis that platform work, rather than being itself the driver of the processes that are transforming professions, is a mechanism that reinforces dynamics that are already in place in the expert labour segment, and that this leads to the emergence of what may be termed “platform professionalism” as a variant of organisational professionalism.
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Acknowledgements
Davide Arcidiacono’s contribution to the study is part of the Starting Grant project “INNOVIT – DIGITAL INNOVATION BETWEEN REGULATION AND ORGANIZATIONAL RESISTANCE” within the Pia.ce.ri. Research Plan 2020/2022 of the University of Catania. For the interviews with platform clients, we would like to thank the student, Federica Lepore, who supported the research team.
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Arcidiacono, D., Pais, I., Piccitto, G. (2023). Are Platforms Changing Professionalism?. In: Maestripieri, L., Bellini, A. (eds) Professionalism and Social Change. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-31278-6_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-31278-6_5
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