This paper extends the gig economy and algorithm management, conflict and control literature by applying role theory and the stimulus-organism-response model. It investigates how role stressors arising from the unique characteristics of gig platforms affect drivers’ extra-role behaviors through the mediation role of work alienation.
A quantitative research methodology using a survey technique is employed. The population of this research consists of ride-hailing platform drivers in Egypt, specifically those working for Uber and Careem. Structural equation modeling via SmartPLS is used to analyze data.
The findings illustrate that these role stressors could play as a hindrance (negative) job demand in stirring up gig drivers’ extra-role behaviors. Moreover, the results support the mediation role of work alienation as a value destruction factor.
Ride-hailing companies should employ efforts to figure out strategies that may decrease the harmful effects of role conflict (RC) and ambiguity on drivers’ organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB). To illustrate, these organizations should provide clear explanations for the implemented decisions and give drivers the opportunity to defend themselves. As well as they should solve the conflict between the regulations of used algorithms to decrease drivers’ RC. Moreover, work alienation seems to be an important factor in shaping drivers’ outcomes and behaviors. Hence, companies should find a way to improve gig drivers' work engagement and reduce their sense of alienation via: first, giving drivers more autonomy to choose their rides; second, emphasizing on the importance of drivers’ role for the platforms; and third, taking their opinions and feedback into consideration. Finally, those platforms have to pay more attention to workers’ perception of organizational fairness, since it plays a great role in buffering the negative effect of role stressors on these workers' OCB.
This paper adds to RC theory, stimulus-organism-response theory and the job demands-resources model by applying them in a new context: “gig economy” ride-hailing platforms in Egypt. Furthermore, exploring how gig drivers are influenced and cope with RC and ambiguity is another theoretical contribution. As most researchers argue that RC and Role Ambiguity (RA) are hinder job demands, our findings contribute to the job demands-resources model by investigating the influence of role stressors as challenging and hinders job demands. Moreover, it provides more support for the framework of challenge stressor–hindrance stressor, as it highlights the dissimilar influences of RC and RA. To illustrate, each one of them as role stressors has its distinctive characteristics that may lead to different outcomes from the other.
