Short Note Series #5: The Role of Local Online Gig Platforms

This Short Note is part of a series building on the report Working without Borders: The Promise and Peril of Online Gig Work. While local/regional platforms may not have received as much attention as global platforms, they play an important role for the local labor market and the local private sector ecosystem in many developing countries. This note addresses the following questions: What are the distinguishing features of local/regional gig online platforms, compared to global ones? What role can local/regional online platforms play on both the supply side (in supporting inclusion in developing countries) as well on the demand side (in addressing needs of local firms)? What challenges do local/regional platforms face in building a sustainable business model, and how can these challenges be addressed?.