How will evolving technologies and new ways of organizing and performing work affect the Washington regional economy?
This series from The Stephen S. Fuller Institute and Ellen Harpel, President, Business Development Advisors, is considering the implications for the Washington Region of recent national economic research on the future of work and jobs. Specifically the series will examine how the gig and sharing economy, other contingent and independent work arrangements, and technology trends may affect employment and competitiveness in our region.
Report 1: Working Without a Job: Trends in Non-Employer Establishments
Non-employer establishment statistics are one supplemental source that gives us some more insight into this phenomenon in the Washington region. These data suggest that the gig economy, self-employed and freelance workers, and independent contractors play a sizable role in the Washington regional economy.
Working Without a Job: Trends in Non-Employer Establishments
November 2017
Three blogs are available covering this report:
- Non-Employer Establishments: What’s Happening in the Washington Region
- Non-Employer Establishments: How Does the Washington Region Compare?
- Non-Employer Establishments: What Work Do They Do?
Report 2: Earnings Without a Salary: Trends in Proprietors’ Income in the Washington Region
This report considers proprietors’ income to learn more about the dollar value of work in the Washington region that does not involve wage and salary employment. The report shows that nonfarm proprietors’ income makes a substantial and growing contribution to the regional economy.
Earnings Without a Salary: Trends in Proprietors’ Income in the Washington Region
April 2018
View the Executive Summary on the blog
Report 3: Gig and Independent Work in the Washington Region
The gig economy and independent work arrangements receive much national attention, but their role in regional economies is not well understood. In this report we describe national level research on the evolving ways work is performed and present several measures of gig and independent work in the Washington region.
Gig and Independent Work in the Washington Region
October 2018
View the Executive Summary on the blog
Additional Research
Dr. Harpel presented her research at the 2019 European Association for Research on Services (RESER) conference and the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) annual meeting on Measuring the Gig Economy.
Gig and Independent Work in US Metropolitan Economies and the Service Industries (RESER)
Summer 2019
View the RESER Description on the Smart Incentives Blog
View the C2ER Description on the Smart Incentives Blog
Dr. Harpel also wrote about her research for the International Economic Development Council’s Economic Development Journal.
Gig and Independent Work. A New Frontier for Economic Development
Summer 2019