In The New Yorker, Wingham Rowan was described as a “labor reformer” who “wants to reimagine labor markets for the digital age.” In episode 167 of Economics Explored, Wingham talks to host Gene Tunny about the potential of Public Official e-Markets. Wingham is a former British TV presenter who is now the managing director at Modern Markets for All (MM4A), a non-profit seeking to advise governments on the possibilities of new market technologies.
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Links relevant to the conversation
Wingham Rowan’s Modern Markets for All website:
http://modernmarketsforall.com/
TheMM4A non-profit:
New Yorker coverage of Wingham’s work:
https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/should-gig-work-be-government-run
CIGI article by Wingham in which he argues “Market platforms are a natural monopoly; governments should dare to think about how they might initiate an alternative version for citizens and businesses.”
Modern Markets Initiative: https://www.modernmarketsinitiative.org/
Articles on workforce scheduling tools:
http://modernmarketsforall.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/210120-Kronos-briefing.pdf
NB Kronos has subsequently rebranded as UKG: https://www.ukg.com
On the growth of irregular work hours:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/31/business/economy/volatile-income-economy-jobs.html
Quality Jobs Index from Cornell University:
https://qz.com/1752676/the-job-quality-index-is-the-economic-indicator-weve-been-missing
The UK government program (then called “Slivers-of-Time” working):
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/nov/14/welfare-reform-working-slivers-of-time
The fate of the Universal Credit program which the program was eventually folded into: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jun/15/universal-credit-colossal-catastrophe-national-audit-office
Website about MM4A’s gig work markets: www.BeyondJobs.com
The Californian platform in action: www.cedah.video
The local website about the program: www.WorkLB.org
Wikipedia article on the Tobin tax which Wingham mentions a few times:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobin_tax
Credits
Thanks to Wingham Rowan for the great conversation and the links provided. Also thanks to Josh Crotts for mixing the episode and to the show’s sponsor, Gene’s consultancy business www.adepteconomics.com.au.
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