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New economy & the end of employment
The internet brought upon us the first instance of a crowd-based economic model in mid-2000s pioneered perhaps by YouTube and followed quickly by eBay with its peer-to-peer facilitation of exchange of second hand goods.
Full-time employment has come of age — having evolved to today include worker protections, benefits and the works. ‘The other 99%’ happily work for a few others and the model earns respect for and from the constituents in the society.
Internet and the age of start-ups seem to be posing a challenger however.
It’s becoming personal Now!
Today Uber (ride hailing) and Air b-n-b (room sharing) are the poster boys of a glamorous new way of economic modelling popularly called ‘sharing economy’. People don’t shy today on the prospect of the extent of intrusion while willing to ‘share a bedroom’ to make the most of a gig economy.
The gig economy basically relies on its ability to use resources optimally to give best throughput and is seemingly a more efficient, productive and better system.
Platform-based disruptions
Historically, employment as a method has seen unprecedented success as a model to organise labour over the last few hundred years.
Platform-based disruptions across industries – enabled through an overall robust digital trust network (example – online profiles of hosts and guests, rating systems, etc.) in the ecosystem – is however becoming the order of the day.
Are we witnessing the transformation of good old capitalism – the defining economic force of the 20th century? Will we see the 21st century lend itself to organising labour in a different fashion ultimately leading to end of full-time employment as a core model as we know it?
Can ‘new economy’ work for everybody? Will it succeed in universally becoming the new normal? Can it be inclusive as it purportedly seems to be and contentiously fights to project?
Is the sharing economy a pre-cursor to the beginning of the end of employment?
Economic might has historically beaten military might across wars and across centuries.
Is the gig economy Schumpeter’s ‘creative destruction’ in disguise or is this disruption only going to be replacing a rusty nail with a crooked one!
Are we fortunate to be living in interesting and exciting times that saw the early days of unravelling of future of work!
Domino Effect
For now, it seems ‘sharing’ could be a force for good but may not necessarily replace good old ‘full-time employment’ as a core model anytime soon.
When and if it does, will this massive change of democratisation of economic opportunity through crowd-based capitalism even lead to evolution of a better political system of governance? What is your view?
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(Piyush Sharma, a global tech, media and entrepreneurial leader, created the successful foray of Zee Entertainment in India and globally under the ‘Living’ brand. The views expressed here are of the writer’s and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them.) |
eNews
Swiggy sees record orders during India vs New Zealand T20 final
Chicken biryani tops match-day menu as fans order 7,500 times per minute at peak.
MUMBAI: India’s T20 final didn’t just break stumps, it broke Swiggy’s delivery records, proving cricket fans celebrate victories with plates, not just flags. Swiggy, India’s leading on-demand convenience platform, reported a sharp spike in food orders during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final between India and New Zealand. On 8 March 2026, overall orders rose 23.2 per cent year-on-year compared with the same date in 2025, driven by fans turning living rooms into mini stadiums complete with match-day feasts.
Key highlights from the evening:
- Orders during peak match hours (7–10 pm) were 2.1 times higher than pre-match levels.
- The highest order rate hit 7,500 orders per minute at 19:45.
- Chicken biryani reigned supreme as the most-ordered dish, followed by masala dosa, chicken fried rice, garlic breadsticks and paneer butter masala.
While metros such as Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad led volumes, the cricketing fever spread nationwide. Among emerging cities, Thiruvananthapuram, Surat and Rajkot recorded the strongest order growth. Smaller markets including Shillong, Agartala and Port Blair also showed significant appetite, underlining the expanding footprint of quick-commerce food delivery across India.
The surge reflects a growing trend of pairing major sporting events with doorstep delivery, turning big matches into shared, convenient celebrations. In a night where every boundary mattered, Swiggy proved the real MVP might just be the delivery partner who kept the snacks and the vibes flowing without missing a single wicket.
