Within our broad focus on the digital economy, we embrace a diversity of cutting-edge research topics. Our efforts are concentrated in six areas of inquiry, each interrelated and at the intersection of Internet and society research. Our cross-disciplinary research helps in forming a cohesive picture of the wider fair labor debates, enabling a clearer understanding of the complex and developing phenomena which pertain to the Internet and its impact on the labor landscape.
Research Project
Fair Labor in the Digitized Economy
A four-year research project funded by the Research Council of Norway
Research Topic
PATHWAYS TO PARTICIPATION
The creation and sharing of user-generated content is the key lifeline of the digital economy. In our ongoing research efforts, we investigate user behavior and participation divides, with a particular focus on the social and psychological drivers.
Research Topic
FAIR WORK IN THE ON-DEMAND ECONOMY
The on-demand economy is enabling new forms of flexible employment. In some aspects this can be empowering, but workers face unknown risks and disadvantages. We conduct rigorous research into sharing and internet-mediated micro-entrepreneurship.
Research Topic
NEW FORMS OF DIGITAL LEADERSHIP
As virtual teamwork becomes more frequent, team exclusion, reduced feelings of ‘belonging’, and knowledge sharing are all challenges which need to be faced. Our research focuses on giving leaders hands-on advice on how to lead a fair virtual team.
Research Topic
THE FUTURE OF WORK: ROBOTICS AND AI
New technologies increasingly allow for the automation of cognitive tasks previously reserved for human workers. We investigate how this may improve workers’ performance and well-being, reconfigure education systems, and alter social interactions.
Research Topic
THRESHOLDS
Young people are exploring what it means to be producers, consumers, and products in the digital economy. We research the blurred boundaries between work, play, and hobbies, focusing on the exploitative potential of social activity online.
Research Topic
QUANTIFIED IDENTITIES
Globally, millions of people are tracking their daily behaviors in a process called ‘self-quantification’. We are studying the stages which make up this complex process and its implications for self-perception, privacy, and the work environment.