| Abstract [eng] |
Technological development and digitalization are constantly changing the structure of the labor market and affecting employment. Over time, self-employment is becoming more popular, for which digitalization has both positive and negative effects. There are many advantages to working in the form of self-employment, but it is important not to forget about uncertainty and lack of guarantees. The object of the research – self-employed individuals. The aim of the project – to determine the impact of digitalization on the employment structure and income changes of self-employed persons in Lithuania. The first part of the work analyzes the problem of the impact of digitalization on the employment and income of self-employed persons, during which the impact of digitalization on the labor market and employment is observed. A growth trend is observed in both the use of technologies and the internet and the number of self-employed persons in Lithuania. In the second part, after analyzing the scientific literature, the individual and structural level reasons that determine the choice of self-employment, which are decisive necessities or opportunities, are clarified. Five types of self-employment are analyzed: freelancers, independent contractors, entrepreneurs and independent professionals. Changes in the structure of self-employment employment in the context of digitalization and possible positive and negative effects of digitalization are clarified. It is clarified that digitalization affects both business and self-employed persons, providing both forms with new opportunities and the need to constantly improve and adapt to innovations. The third part presents the methodology of the planned research, according to which the impact of digitalization on self-employed persons and their income is further investigated. The fourth part presents the results of the research, which found variables that affect self-employment. The number of self-employed persons is influenced by the number of persons who used the internet for financial purposes. As the number of persons using the internet for financial purposes increases, the number of self-employed persons begins to decrease, but only up to a certain level. The reverse effect occurs with a 1–2 % growth in internet use for financial purposes, and with a higher growth, the number of self-employed persons increases. Another developed model shows that the number of households with broadband internet access affects monetary income from self-employment and as the number of households increases, income decreases. However, with a significant increase in internet access, the decline in income slows down and at a certain limit it begins to increase. Thus, a small part of the indicators reflecting digitalization in Lithuania are related to self-employment, therefore not all the insights of foreign authors are reflected in the Lithuanian case. |
