Sharing in the gig economy: from equitable work relations to exploitative HRM

Purpose - This paper aims to examine human resource management (HRM) in the gig economy through a moral economy lens and to uncover how sharing and firm ownership influences the (un)ethical use of HRM practices and worker treatment. Design/methodology/approach - Conceptual and empirical insights from contemporary HRM literature are synthesised through a systematic literature review to elucidate pressing challenges for research and practice. Findings - The analysis reveals that the different ownership structures used by gig firms shape the nature and degree of sharing. The gig economy built on investor ownership leads to greater sharing with investors and tends to be more exploitative of workers, whereas platforms built on collaborative ownership engage in greater peer-to-peer sharing which is more equitable and leads to higher quality work relations and HRM. Practical implications - The closer an organisation's alignment with the more equitable/relational end of the gig economy spectrum, the better the work relations and HRM. Originality/value - A new integrated conceptual spectrum of sharing in the gig economy is advanced, which aids in understanding evolving developments in HRM theory and practice.