Dynamic Analysis of Platform Worker Protection Policies in China: An Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) Framework Approach

This paper develops a modified Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework to analyze the dynamic evolution of China’s platform worker protection policies from 2015 to 2023, revealing underlying institutional mechanisms driving policy transformation and predicting future development trajectories. Unlike traditional static IAD applications, this study introduces three methodological innovations: temporal policy evolution analysis across distinct development stages, multilevel governance integration, and outcome-response feedback mechanisms that trace how policy implementation outcomes directly influence subsequent institutional responses. Through systematic analysis of two phases-Initial Development (20152018) and Maturation and Regulation (2019-2023)-the research demonstrates how institutional learning processes transformed China’s approach from growth-prioritizing policies with minimal worker protections to sophisticated regulatory frameworks featuring the innovative “incomplete labor relationship” classification. The modified framework reveals that effective platform worker protection emerges through iterative cycles where policy outcomes generate feedback that reshapes subsequent institutional arrangements, with local policy experimentation serving as testing grounds for national measures. Key findings show that institutional responses evolved from reactive gap-filling to proactive protection design, driven by external pressures, stakeholder interactions, and systematic policy learning. The study’s theoretical contribution lies in demonstrating how the IAD framework can capture institutional dynamism and predict policy trajectories through outcome-feedback analysis. Empirically, the research reveals that China’s regulatory evolution follows predictable patterns of institutional learning, suggesting future development toward differentiated protection frameworks that balance innovation with worker rights. This modified analytical approach provides a replicable methodology for understanding platform economy governance evolution and offers practical insights for policymakers designing adaptive regulatory frameworks in rapidly evolving digital economies.