This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
CLOSED: Fairwork is looking for a research partner in South Africa!
The Fairwork Project at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford is seeking a research partner to conduct the Fairwork assessment of digital labour platforms South Africa and continue our established research in this country. Partners need to be based in the country of study. Towards building a sustainable and fair future of work 2022-2023.
South Africa Collaborative Research Team
Background
- Research partners are expected to conduct research following Fairwork methodology into geographically-tethered platforms in South Africa.
- Close collaboration is expected between country teams and Fairwork central team, based at the Oxford Internet Institute and WZB: Berlin Social Science Center.
- Project duration will be 1 January 2023 –31 August 2023, with no possibility of further extensions for this scoring round.
- Maximum Budget: South Africatotal GBP £57,600
Deliverables and Performance Measures
We expect research partners to conduct the following as part of the Fairwork Activities in a scoring round:
1. Fieldwork Phase I
- Landscape analysis
- Stakeholder workshop
- Desk Research on the generalecosystem of platform economy
- Worker and platform interviews
- Identifying and reaching out to organisations identified for the Fairwork Pledge2.
Fieldwork Phase II
- Worker and platform interviews for all selected platforms
- Translation and transcription of interviews, as needed
- Data analysis and initial scoring round, including peer-review
- Following up with platforms as needed
- Engaging in the debates on platform work in the country, in media, academic, policy and other outlets
- Dissemination of results to local stakeholders with co-development of strategic action plans for platforms, workers and government to improve platform work standards
- Dissemination of results to Fairwork community through attendance at a special workshop, and to international research forums including attendance at an international conference
- Developmentof a peer-reviewed research publication
- Working with the central Fairwork team on multi-media outputs from the project
4. Reaching out to a minimum of 100 organisations for the Fairwork Pledge
5. Leadership on one finished academic paper
Please note that all activities are undertaken with members of the Fairwork project team. All regional teams have regular update meetings with the Fairwork Project lead.
Selection Criteria
Mandatory Criteria:
- A track record of work and/or research related to worker rights in the platform economy.
- A demonstrated track record scoring/assessing companies/organisations against objective criteria, and triangulating data from multiple sources (workers, unions, companies, etc.) in order to produce those scores.
- A demonstrated concern for and motivation to act on labour rights, working conditions, and/or social/economic justice.
- A capacity to undertake: (1)large-scale qualitative field research, (b)negotiation/advocacy with platforms,(c)negotiation/advocacy with government, and(d) negotiation/advocacy withother digital economy stakeholders within South Africa.
- Operational independence as a research unit, and no obvious conflicts of interest that would undermine any of the four points above.
Scoring Criteria:
- Proven research record in areas similar to: the digital economy,the platform economy, working conditions, ethical consumption and similar.
- Demonstrable research team to supportlarge scale local data collection, including across cities/states as needed.
- Proven record of completing similar large research project (as listed in specifications) on time and within budget.
- Regionally situated team to access local resources and overcome potential language barriers
- Evidence of working as part of a larger network of researchers.
- Proven record of leading in collaborative publications in high-ranking journals and edited volumes.
Application Pack
Please provide the following information in your application pack
- A Cover Letter showing how you meet the Selection Criteria and indicating your interest.
- A brief research proposal about how you are planning to conduct the research and identifying the platforms you would like to conduct research on.
- Please also include a brief plan about the specific roles of the research team.
- CVs of all members of the research team.
- A financial proposal in GBP not exceeding the amount listed in the Call, with clear Justification of Resources
- A clear time plan for the research project, showing how and when the project deliverables will be met.
- A statement confirming the following: “This proposal is based on the University’s standard terms and conditions of purchase, available here.