Minh Anh Vu

Master’s student, Faculty of Sociology 

University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Ho Chi Minh City 

National University Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Email: minhanhv.work@gmail.com

Thi Thuc Duyen Nguyen

Sociology and Social Work Department 

Da Lat University, Vietnam

 JEL Classification: J24, J53                                                                                                                                                https://doi.org/10.65176/IJLM.V2I1.04

Abstract

Driven by digital technology, the gig economy is reshaping labour markets in developing Asian cities, where location-based workers—such as drivers, couriers, and domestic helpers—form a major share and play a key role in the social and economic development of the region. However, this flexible work model also brings many challenges, such as unstable income, unsafe working conditions, and limited access to social protection, which increase workers’ vulnerabilities. These issues raise questions about whether gig workers can participate in and remain in this labour market sustainably. This study uses a systematic review with the PRISMA method, combined with qualitative content analysis, to explore the factors affecting Asian gig workers. The results show that workers are affected by three main groups of factors: (1) platform technology and algorithms, (2) policies and legal frameworks, and (3) workers’ efforts to adapt and resist. These factors interact in complex ways, shaping both the risks and opportunities. Based on these findings, this study suggests policy measures to improve social protection, limit platform power, and promote a fairer and more sustainable gig economy. The goal is to reduce workers’ vulnerability while supporting the contributions of location-based gig workers, ensuring that their work is safer and more sustainable in the rapidly changing digital labour market.

Keywords: Gig economy, location-based work, labour vulnerability, systematic literature review

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