DIGITALIZATION, EPISTEMOLOGY AND LABOR: TRANSFORMATIONS IN THE AGE OF DATA-DRIVEN CAPITALISM

Pirvu Ramona Costina, Ciurila (tapi) Constantina Alina and Bratu Raducu
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Pirvu Ramona Costina: UNIVERSITY OF CRAIOVA, FACULTY OF ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, CRAIOVA, ROMANIA
Ciurila (tapi) Constantina Alina: UNIVERSITY OF CRAIOVA, FACULTY OF ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, CRAIOVA, ROMANIA
Bratu Raducu: UNIVERSITY OF CRAIOVA, FACULTY OF ECONOMICS

Annals - Economy Series, 2025, vol. 4, 24-32

Abstract: This paper critically explores the complex interplay between digitalization, epistemology, and labor within the context of data-driven capitalism. It distinguishes between key concepts such as digitalization, digital transformation, automation, and datafication, emphasizing their conceptual boundaries and interconnections. Central to the analysis is the rise of a data-centric epistemology, wherein algorithmic processing replaces traditional models of knowledge production. The study highlights how this shift facilitates the emergence of surveillance capitalism, transforming personal behavior into a commodified resource, often without consent. This transformation raises profound concerns about privacy, autonomy, and democratic accountability. In the labor market, digitalization drives structural changes, reshaping employment patterns and amplifying social inequalities. While high-skilled, digitally literate workers benefit, vulnerable groups face systemic barriers, including discrimination and unequal access to social capital. Additionally, the paper examines how technological advancement intensifies frictional and structural unemployment, and how globalization contributes to job competition and labor displacement. By situating digitalization within broader sociopolitical and economic contexts, the study underscores the urgent need for inclusive, transparent, and ethical regulatory frameworks. These should aim to mitigate algorithmic biases, protect individual rights, and ensure equitable participation in the digital economy. The paper concludes that digitalization is not merely a technical shift but a transformative force that necessitates critical governance and sustained democratic oversight.

Keywords: Digitalization; Surveillance Capitalism; Algorithmic Governance; Datafication; Labor Market; Epistemology; Inequality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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