Algorithmic management of gig workers: A bibliometric mapping study

Abstract

Purpose Algorithmic management has emerged as a central construct in gig and platform work, yet its social, thematic, and conceptual developments over time remain inadequately mapped. More critically, how it is positioned relative to control, autonomy, and worker agency lacks systematic examination. To address these gaps, this study adopts Labor Process Theory as an analytical lens, recognizing that managerial control and surveillance are fundamental to capitalist production. Methods A bibliometric analysis was conducted on 167 documents assembled through a PRISMA-adapted screening process from Web of Science and Scopus. Analyses were performed using Bibliometrix in RStudio, employing co-authorship networks, thematic mapping, keyword co-occurrence, and Multiple Correspondence Analysis. Findings The field has expanded rapidly since 2022 yet remains concentrated around a small set of journals, authors, and countries. Thematically, the literature reflects a platform-based, managerial perspective. Worker-oriented concepts enter the field in relation to algorithmic systems rather than anchoring independent conceptual groupings; autonomy serves as the sole substantive worker-side anchor, whereas worker experience and job quality remain at the periphery. Conclusions Findings reveal a conceptual asymmetry privileging managerial control over labor contestation, underscoring the necessity of recentering worker experience in future algorithmic governance research.