Platform work governance and regulatory frameworks: a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Digital platform-based work has fundamentally transformed global labor markets, creating flexible employment opportunities while challenging traditional regulatory frameworks (Graham, Hjorth, & Lehdonvirta, 2017; Katz & Krueger, 2019). This systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis synthesizes 1,952 publications from Scopus and Web of Science (1973-2026), identifying six interconnected thematic domains: platform economy dynamics and classification, algorithmic management and control, social protection and worker rights, regulatory frameworks and government intervention, labor movements and collective action, and sector-specific emerging issues. Publication trends reveal marked acceleration post-2015 (71.7% of total), with geographic concentration in developed economies (US 16.8%, UK 12.4%, India 3.9%) (De Stefano, 2016; Stewart & Stanford, 2017). Emerging research documents platform worker precarity, algorithmic opacity, social protection gaps, and diverse regulatory approaches ranging from permissive flexibility models to employment-based protections (Rani & Furrer, 2021; Prassl & Risak, 2016). Critical gaps persist in implementation research, longitudinal analysis, and Global South contexts (Anwar & Graham, 2020). The review supports evidence-based policy recommendations including explicit worker classification frameworks, algorithmic transparency mandates, comprehensive social protection coverage, and multi-stakeholder governance mechanisms. Future research priorities include longitudinal implementation studies, emerging economy comparative analysis, intersectional precarity analysis, and enhanced research-policy engagement.