Directing innovation through confrontation and democratisation: the case of platform cooperativism

Technological innovation can serve a multitude of conflicting and diverse interests, often reflecting prevailing worldviews and ideologies. This article focuses on the shaping of innovation directionality in the context of digital platform capitalism, which has emerged as a powerful innovation parad...

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Main Authors: Alejandro Fortuny-Sicart, Mario Pansera, Javier Lloveras
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024-12-01
Series:Journal of Responsible Innovation
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23299460.2024.2414512
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author Alejandro Fortuny-Sicart
Mario Pansera
Javier Lloveras
author_facet Alejandro Fortuny-Sicart
Mario Pansera
Javier Lloveras
author_sort Alejandro Fortuny-Sicart
collection DOAJ
description Technological innovation can serve a multitude of conflicting and diverse interests, often reflecting prevailing worldviews and ideologies. This article focuses on the shaping of innovation directionality in the context of digital platform capitalism, which has emerged as a powerful innovation paradigm. Simultaneously, digital platforms have sparked significant concerns regarding labour rights, economic inequalities, and injustices. We investigate the strategies of resistance, appropriation, and re-direction of digital platform technology in the case of CoopCycle, a food delivery riders’ platform cooperative. The case consists of a digital platform co-owned and governed by a federation of 70 rider cooperatives worldwide. The case study reveals that, under certain conditions, existing and well-established innovation pathways might be steered in different and more responsible directions through contestation and experimentation driven by social demands for equality, democracy and participation.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Taylor & Francis Group
record_format Article
series Journal of Responsible Innovation
spelling doaj-art-9bd306677e3c4ab981f2ed543040747b2025-01-07T13:48:20ZengTaylor & Francis GroupJournal of Responsible Innovation2329-94602329-90372024-12-0111110.1080/23299460.2024.2414512Directing innovation through confrontation and democratisation: the case of platform cooperativismAlejandro Fortuny-Sicart0Mario Pansera1Javier Lloveras2Post-Growth Innovation Lab, Universidade de Vigo, Pontevedra, SpainPost-Growth Innovation Lab, Universidade de Vigo, Pontevedra, SpainPost-Growth Innovation Lab, Universidade de Vigo, Pontevedra, SpainTechnological innovation can serve a multitude of conflicting and diverse interests, often reflecting prevailing worldviews and ideologies. This article focuses on the shaping of innovation directionality in the context of digital platform capitalism, which has emerged as a powerful innovation paradigm. Simultaneously, digital platforms have sparked significant concerns regarding labour rights, economic inequalities, and injustices. We investigate the strategies of resistance, appropriation, and re-direction of digital platform technology in the case of CoopCycle, a food delivery riders’ platform cooperative. The case consists of a digital platform co-owned and governed by a federation of 70 rider cooperatives worldwide. The case study reveals that, under certain conditions, existing and well-established innovation pathways might be steered in different and more responsible directions through contestation and experimentation driven by social demands for equality, democracy and participation.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23299460.2024.2414512Platform capitalismplatform cooperativismGig Economyresponsible innovationalternative organizationdigital platforms
spellingShingle Alejandro Fortuny-Sicart
Mario Pansera
Javier Lloveras
Directing innovation through confrontation and democratisation: the case of platform cooperativism
Journal of Responsible Innovation
Platform capitalism
platform cooperativism
Gig Economy
responsible innovation
alternative organization
digital platforms
title Directing innovation through confrontation and democratisation: the case of platform cooperativism
title_full Directing innovation through confrontation and democratisation: the case of platform cooperativism
title_fullStr Directing innovation through confrontation and democratisation: the case of platform cooperativism
title_full_unstemmed Directing innovation through confrontation and democratisation: the case of platform cooperativism
title_short Directing innovation through confrontation and democratisation: the case of platform cooperativism
title_sort directing innovation through confrontation and democratisation the case of platform cooperativism
topic Platform capitalism
platform cooperativism
Gig Economy
responsible innovation
alternative organization
digital platforms
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23299460.2024.2414512
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AT javierlloveras directinginnovationthroughconfrontationanddemocratisationthecaseofplatformcooperativism