Modern markets for all w/ Wingham Rowan - EP167

Economics Explored

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:

https://www.mm4a.social

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.”

https://www.cigionline.org/articles/its-time-to-build-public-utilities-for-essential-digital-services/

Modern Markets Initiative: https://www.modernmarketsinitiative.org/

Articles on workforce scheduling tools:

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151116006112/en/Kronos-Workforce-Central-8-Fastest-Adopted-Product-Release

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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