Publications
Publications
- July 2017 (Revised July 2018)
- HBS Case Collection
Upwork: Creating the Human Cloud
By: Dylan Minor and David Yoffie
Abstract
Stephane Kasriel, the new CEO of Upwork, the leading platform for freelance labor, needs to decide on how to redesign its business model. While the firm has been growing rapidly since the merger of Odesk and eLance, the newly combined firm continues to face problems of clients "circumventing" the Upwork platform after an initial match. This case explores a variety of options for how Kasriel might prevent circumvention and reach his ambitious growth goals.
Keywords
Strategy; Platform; Platform Businesses; Technology; Business Model; Digital Platforms; Growth and Development Strategy; Internet and the Web; Labor
Citation
Minor, Dylan, and David Yoffie. "Upwork: Creating the Human Cloud." Harvard Business School Case 718-402, July 2017. (Revised July 2018.)