Conceptualizing E-Persona through self-branding strategies on Fiverr.

Technological advancement led to the emergence of an 'Online Labor Market' establishing non-conventional work relationships between individuals and clients. Despite the flexibility of work, Demirel and the team identified hierarchical positioning of gig workers into the Global North and South. Furth...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Innovation: The European Journal of Social Sciences Vol. 39; no. 3; pp. 811 - 842
Autores principales: Ahmad, Anmol, Kausar, Ghazala, Caidor, Pascale
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Taylor & Francis Ltd Sep2026
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Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:Technological advancement led to the emergence of an 'Online Labor Market' establishing non-conventional work relationships between individuals and clients. Despite the flexibility of work, Demirel and the team identified hierarchical positioning of gig workers into the Global North and South. Furthermore, the online labor market does not provide a meritocratic space for freelancers. Conversely, freelancers in different countries encounter symbolic violence. Likewise, Gussek and Wiesche also highlight the role of algorithmic management constituting power asymmetries such as geographical, racial and gender-based discrimination of freelancers. Munoz adds further that the algorithmic material agency also deconstructs the active representation of the freelancer's self in a digital context termed as e-persona. Consequently, a freelancer performs strategies such as self-branding to participate in the visibility games of the Online Labor Market. This study investigated the Self-branding strategies performed by Pakistani freelancers to counter the nested precarities of visibility and power asymmetries operating on Fiverr. The data was collected in the form of an asynchronous online survey. The questions were designed to attain freelancers' demographics, opinion and behavior. The responses were analyzed in the light of Dramaturgical theory to understand self-branding as a 'manner' or role taken by freelancers as actors. The findings revealed five major self-branding strategies considered pivotal for consistent performance and enhanced visibility in a freelance marketplace. Furthermore, the researchers were able to identify a career trajectory for freelancers in specific domains of service. The researchers encourage intensive research on digital labor platforms for an improved understanding of the online labor market.