The Impact of the Platform Economy on the Sectoral Structure of the Employed Population

Limitations on economic development, primarily related to limitations on labor resources, determine the relevance of studying the mechanisms for more efficient use of labor as an important factor in shaping economic dynamics. In this regard, we consider the platform economy as a driver of economic development, the effective organization of which provides for the formation of balanced economic relations within it, taking into account the interests of all participants in this market. The quality of labor market regulation in this area determines the level of income and labor productivity of workers employed in the platform economy, social guarantees and employment conditions, and the quality of human capital. The article examines the transformation of the sphere of labor and employment under the influence of the spread of the platform economy. The subject of the study is the level and dynamics of platform employment over the past several years, including by industry. The initial data are Rosstat statistics and analytical developments by other research teams. The aim of the study was to assess the possible potential for growth in the number of employed people in the sectors of the Russian economy under the influence of the expansion of industry activities related to effects of platform growth. Using methods of mathematical analysis and interindustry modeling, a toolkit was developed based on a static model of interindustry balance, providing for the calculation of estimates of changes in industry gross output under the influence of the effects of the spread of the platform economy in industries, as well as estimates of additional growth in the number of employed people in the corresponding industry structure. According to calculations, the impetus from the development of economic sectors using platform services leads to an additional aggregate increase in gross output of 1.5%, and the number of employed people of 3% of the total value. We estimate the total number of people employed both directly in the platform economy and taking into account the effects of its spread at 8% of the total. To understand the effectiveness of structural shifts, the calculation results are compared with changes in the level of industry labor productivity. We consider the assessment of the potential for structural shifts in gross output and the corresponding number of employed people under the influence of platform development as preliminary, with the use of which it is possible to develop practical systemic solutions in the field of economic policy, as well as policy in the area of regulating the platform economy.