Ride-hailing platforms have been able to rapidly expand their operations in nearly all countries of Latin America within less than a decade. As in other parts of the world, the new concept of ride...Show moreRide-hailing platforms have been able to rapidly expand their operations in nearly all countries of Latin America within less than a decade. As in other parts of the world, the new concept of ride-hailing has been received with a certain grade of suspicion by lawmakers and other stakeholders in the traditional transport sector. Especially in Colombia, policies have been implemented that aim to desist workers from supplying rides for the various platforms that are active in the country, while at the same time these workers have reportedly been attacked by their traditional peers active for the taxi industry. While in research many attention has been paid to the construction of labor relations between the platforms and the workers, the way the platforms have impacted passengers’ decision-making process regarding modes of transport and the characteristics of ride-hailing platforms vis-à-vis the taxi industry, little research has been done on the decision-making process of ride-hailing drivers. Noting an increase in police enforcement and violence from taxi drivers towards ride-hailing drivers on the one side and a high amount of drivers that, in spite of the circumstances, remain active on the other side, this thesis aims to gather an insight into the dynamics of the labor circumstances in which these drivers find themselves. By using the framework of the economic theory of crime, restrictive deterrence and occupational hazards, this thesis maps the perceived occupational risks faced by drivers, the way drivers attempt to mitigate these perceived risks and, consequently, how drivers construct their decision to either continue or desist from their occupation. By interviewing 9 drivers in Bogotá, in combination with a discourse analysis, it was found that drivers have a high perception of the risks attributed to their occupation. Depending on their socio-economic status, however, the drivers accept these risks while applying avoidance techniques in order to be able to continue their activities. Whereas not all respondents fit into the profile of lower skilled workers, most of them face exclusion mechanisms from the formal labor market, which leaves them with ride-hailing platforms as the sole alternative of generating a desired basic income. The findings indicate that drivers will be able to continue to manage their perception of risk through avoidance techniques as long as the profit from their activities remains higher than the formal alternative. This will likely remain the case as long as the labor market in Colombia is not able to bring forward decent jobs and the public prefers ride-hailing over other modes of transport. Considering the great availability of both the ride-hailing platforms and its drivers to adapt to changed regulations and policing tactics, this thesis suggest it for policy makers to be more productive to address impediments within the labor market and public transportation rather than aiming at desisting ride-hailing drivers.Show less
This thesis investigates the effects of neoliberalism on labour and the social reproduction of labour. The thesis provides a literature review of the extensive literature on neoliberalism in...Show moreThis thesis investigates the effects of neoliberalism on labour and the social reproduction of labour. The thesis provides a literature review of the extensive literature on neoliberalism in general and in Egypt before providing a historical account of neoliberal reforms and their effect on the corporatist bargain between labour and the state. It then proceeds to discuss the effects of neoliberalism on informality, welfare and repression. The thesis argues that on all these fronts workers have been increasingly marginalised and forced to live in substandard conditions. Neoliberalism has caused a spike in informal employment and informal settlements. This informality results in decreased working conditions, wages and housing conditions. Another effect of the neoliberal reforms was the reduction of state provision of welfare. This vacuum was filled by private actors, often those families and individuals who benefitted from the neoliberal reforms in the first place. Labour is now dependent on private actors to provide services, which used to be a right based on citizenship. Harvey characterises neoliberal reforms as accumulation through dispossession. Lastly, the thesis claims that resistance to this dispossession has been effectively repressed through legal obstacles, Sisi-linked media narratives securitising resistance and an increased security apparatus. Overall, workers have suffered the brunt of neoliberal reform to the benefit of a select group of elites, who now attempt to form a coalition with the security forces to maintain stability, prevent another 2011 and maintain their accumulated wealth.Show less
This thesis focuses on the development of entrepreneurship and SME sector in the post-Soviet Russia. More specifically, it investigates the root-cause of stagnant development of entrepreneurship....Show moreThis thesis focuses on the development of entrepreneurship and SME sector in the post-Soviet Russia. More specifically, it investigates the root-cause of stagnant development of entrepreneurship. Convinced that the answer lies in the legacy of the 1990s crisis period, the thesis poses the following question: To what extent is the legacy of formal and informal constraints to businesses in the 1990s impacting the development of entrepreneurship and SME sector in contemporary Russia? As such, the goal of the thesis is to set a clear diagnosis that will provide a framework with strong foundations for future researchers, thereby aiding them in tackling the problem from the root. For that reason, a new hybrid framework is developed, which looks at structural (top-down) and ideational (bottom-up) factors. Based on the findings, Russia currently does not have a political, economic and socio-cultural structure in which entrepreneurship is in high demand. Statist-patrimonial capitalism, thriving corruption, unfavorable credit conditions, bureaucratic and administrative barriers still pose major problems for small and medium businesses. The overarching culture of informality as an accelerator for achieving goals, low entrepreneurial intentions and deteriorated entrepreneurs’ trust in the state are other survivors of the 1990s transition. Many practices have thus, survived the turbulent transition or have evolved from it. However, the essence has remained the same, which keeps the 1990s legacy alive and the vicious circle turning, thereby leaving entrepreneurship and SME stuck in development. Unless the problem of stalemate in development is tackled from the core on the political, economic and the socio-cultural fronts, it is not likely that major advancements will be made in building a strong entrepreneurial Russia with a large and dynamic SME sector.Show less
