There’s so much happening in the new app-based, instant delivery, connected economy that we at Medium think it may just be “The Story of Now”. So we’ve decided to bring it into sharper focus, and each week we’re rounding up the best stories and conversations from all around the web.
See more or follow the discussion at medium.com/ondemand
Are We in an On-Demand Bubble?
(Sandra Upson, Medium)
Shervin Pishevar — an investor who backed Uber early— argues that the tide of on-demand companies has crested. Not everyone agrees.
The Secret to Successful On-Demand Startups
(Priti Rao, Medium)
Intriguing list of tips drawn from entrepreneurs.
A Tech Boom Aimed at the Few, Instead of the World
(Farhad Manjoo, New York Times)
There’s one question that seems to play on the mind of everyone in this business: Is building for the affluent a sound long-term strategy?
Is Employing On-Demand Workers the Right Thing?
(Lauren Smiley, Medium)
Four investors go head to head with different ideas about the way to do right by workers.
The Sharing Economy Will Go Medieval On You
(Izabella Kaminska, Financial Times)
A report from the Ouishare Fest in Paris, digging into some intriguing numbers about the sharing economy.
Uber and the Economics of Discrimination
(Will Rinehart, Medium)
“Enabled by the rating system and granular information on consumer demand, Uber has been able to move into underserved neighborhoods of all kinds. “
Podcast: The App Economy is Amazing and Terrible
(Glenn Fleishman, Macworld)
A group of writers discuss the pros and cons of on-demand, spinning off our story about the “Shut-In Economy”.
What Strippers Can Teach Uber
(Lauren Smiley, Medium)
The conflict between on-demand services and their workers may have already got its precedent — in the seedy dance clubs of Massachusetts.
eLance I Like You, But Please Don’t Beat Me
(Martin Etchegaray, Medium)
Spotting some difficulties in the way people use on-demand workers raises the question: Are trust-based work relationships impossible?
On-Demand Startups Aren’t Delivering on Promises to Workers
(Davey Alba, Wired)
Interesting survey that suggests workers “encountered lower pay than they expected and hours tied tightly to periods of peak demand.”
Remember: We’re collecting stories from all parts of the on-demand economy in one place, so please post, respond or comment on pieces on Medium and submit them to us by emailing ondemand@medium.com.
You can even use this nifty Medium bookmarklet to write a response to anything anywhere else on the web.
