In recent years, there has been a significant growth of an interest in the gig economy built upon the premise of online platforms that connect customers with service suppliers. Platform work brings more opportunities to traditional businesses by closely connecting suppliers and customers and reducing transaction frictions.

Remote work is not new. For some jobs it was actually the mode of work that was preferred or even required. This has been true for writers, journalists, salesmen, and artists. Yet, for most of us the norm was a job performed in an employer’s facilities: an office, a factory, a lab, a lecture hall, a classroom, a workshop…