Balancing flexibility and stability: The role of outsourced service stations in managing food-delivery platform work in China

Abstract

Current mainstream research on on-demand labor platforms primarily focuses on the discussion of algorithmic technologies while overlooking the issue of how platforms achieve stable operations in a de-employment context. Addressing this research gap, this study investigates the approaches employed by Chinese food-delivery platforms to ensure stable labor supply. Utilizing qualitative data, the research reveals that Chinese food-delivery platforms have established stability in labor supply by implementing the outsourced model, partnering with third-party staffing agencies to establish service stations, and managing couriers offline. This approach helps to balance platform and courier needs, addressing the tension between work flexibility and income stability. This research provides a case study illuminating the interplay between technology and the labor market in labor relations. Additionally, it highlights the structural forces that workers form within the internal labor market, deepening our understanding of platform management and the complexities of labor relations.