eNews
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?
 |
(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
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
