Simply just another platform? How trust is organised in babysit-platforms
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2022-09-29
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en
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This study aims to set the first step in filling the gap in the literature on how trust is established in the context of babysit-platforms. Through content analysis of four prominent Dutch babysit-platforms and the conduction of nine semi-structured interviews, it is explored what trust-activities these platforms undertake towards babysitters and families and how those are evaluated by (potential) users. The study provides an overview of the trust-activities that babysit-platforms do and do not pursue. The findings indicate a substantial disbalance between the limited effort most platforms seem to make to assess the trustworthiness of its users and the activities that increase trust in the platform, wherein families appear to be treated as clients and have to prove their trustworthiness even less. Also, the results show that the decision to use a platform for finding a babysitter/babysitting address is mostly not preceded by an extensive consideration, and seems to be influenced by assumptions that families and babysitters make about the modus operandi of the platform. Lastly, concerning the facilitation of the families and babysitters in assessing each other’s trustworthiness, the framework conditions that the platforms provide appear to not always be successful in enforcing both parties to provide information that reflects reality. The formulation of practical recommendations demonstrates the challenges in enforcing responsibility that seem to relate back to the organisational structure of babysit-platforms.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen