The Freelancer: A Conceptual Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11113/sh.v2n3.428Keywords:
Entrepreneur, freelancer, contractor, boundary-less worker, portfolio-workerAbstract
This paper provides a detail review of  conceptualization of a freelancer, describing its history, jobs, earnings, top hiring, freelancer countries, popular websites those serves as broker between employer and freelancer. Study also elaborate differences between an entrepreneur and a freelancer. Study supported by empirical evidences through a non-systematic narrative review of the existing literature. Study exposed facts about freelancers. Firstly, it was found that current organizational structure is changing to support labor market and technological changes, this shows sustainable growth in individual contractors, now referred as freelancer. Secondly, literature review shows that the freelancing is rooted back to 1970s and started growing continuously since 1980s. Thirdly, study distinguished  that the entrepreneur is a person who engages service or product of someone’s to establishes a business; whereas a freelancer is a person who engages own-skills to serve client(s), he/she serves multiple clients for multiple job types. Lastly, empirical evidence shows that freelancing is still considered as a new and different area, researchers and policy makers may explore it further.
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