Gig Economy and National Economic Development: Insights from a Scoping Review of Global Evidence
Keywords:
Gig economy national economic development scoping review labor market digital economyAbstract
The gig economy has become a key feature of the digital economy, changing labor market dynamics and broadening alternative forms of work. Supported by digital platforms, gig work allows flexibility and new opportunities for incomes as well as issues related to income volatility, low levels of social protection, and increasing precarity that it brings. The current paper provides a scoping review summary guided by PRISMA-ScR on cross-country evidence and experiences on gig worker evidence on the contribution of the gig economy to national economic development. Literature published between 2015 and 2025, including peer-reviewed articles, policy papers, and institutional reports, was systematically identified and analyzed. Four key themes were identified. First, the gig economy broadens access to employment and supplemental income, particularly for workers outside formal labor structures. Second, platform-based work contributes to digital transformation and emerging economic value chains, although standardized measures to quantify its contribution to GDP remain limited. Third, notable disparities exist between developed and developing economies, shaped by differences in digital infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and workforce digital skills. Fourth, persistent challenges, such as precarious working conditions and inadequate social protection, limit the sector’s potential for inclusive and sustainable development. Overall, the findings indicate that the gig economy contributes meaningfully yet unevenly to national development. The study highlights clearer standards of measurement, stronger mechanisms of governance, and more comparative research as what is needed to better articulate the economic and social implications of gig work
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