Research Agenda

Dimmons’ research agenda is designed as a research matrix, with three vertical angles, that have remained constant throughout the years, and research lines that depend on the particular configuration of each year. Then, Dimmons is participating in the process of defining the IN3 transversal research areas of welfare, equity, participation and sustainability, and in the coming years, we will synergise with them. 

Research vertical angles: 

  • Economics angle: Economic analysis of the socioeconomic innovations linked to the digital revolution, especially the platform and the collaborative economy. This is related to the study of models of production, work, and business models, technological design, as well as democratic qualities and implications. 
  • Public policy angle: Public policies related to digital socioeconomic innovations. This is related to the emerging regulations and promotion policies in the area, as well as innovative forms of policy related to the digital, such as the co-creation of public policies. 
  • Methodological innovation angle: Open science and methodological innovation emerging from collaborative and open knowledge applied to research.

Current research lines and associated research projects in 2023:  

  • Platform and Social Economy: The analysis of the platform economy and platform work, the digitalisation and platformisation of the social and solidarity economy, and socioeconomic promotion programs to support it, particularly in the city of Barcelona. 
    • Agreements   
      • The Barcelona UOC Chair in Digital Economy is a collaborative endeavour among the UOC, the Barcelona City Council, and Barcelona Activa, focusing particularly on promoting the MatchImpulsa action-research entrepreneurship program.
    • PhD Thesis 
      • “Models and Public Policies to Promote Gender-Egalitarian Platforms: The Case of MatchImpulsa, a Program for the Transversally Feminist Digitalisation of the Social Economy in Barcelona,” by Nuria Vega, associated with the Barcelona UOC Chair in Digital Economy.
      • “Platform Work: A Holistic Analysis of Platform Business Models with a Focus on Riders’ Flexibility” by Melissa Renau, connected to the Platform Labour in Urban Spaces (PLUS) European project.
      • “Sharing City and Citizen Engagement,” by Vera Vidal Beneyt, is supported by a Joan Oró grant to hire research staff in training, funded by the Government of Catalonia.
      • “Design for Policy on Housing,” Adrià Garcia’s dissertation, funded by a UOC PhD Doctoral Grant.
      • “Communication for the Commons: An Action-Research Approach to the ‘Other Economies’ in Portugal and Catalonia,” by Sara Moreira, funded by the Portuguese National Program.
      • “Blockchain and Sharing Economy” by Marc Rocas 
    • Contracts  
      • “Platform TechESS: Technology and Innovation for Social Transformation” between the UOC and Tandem Social SCCL.
      • “Digital Impuls: Block 2 – Map of Technologies in Cooperatives and Map of Recommended Digital Solutions” between the UOC and femProcomuns.
      • “Digital Diagnosis of Cooperatives Promoted by the Federation of Work Cooperatives” between the UOC and Colectic SCCL.
  • Digital gender: The analysis of the gender and feminist qualities of the digital economy, the emergence of feminist practices in the digital sphere, and the conceptualisation and analysis of the configuration of a digital feminist economy. 
    • COST ACTION Platform Work Inclusion Living Lab (P-WILL), funded by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (15/9/2022-13/9/2026), chaired by Mayo Fuster (Dimmons’ PI), with 227 members from 48 countries, on intersectional gender approaches to platform work.  
    • R+D+i Project “Gender equality qualities of the platform economy. A framework of analysis (DIGITALGENDER)” funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation (1/9/2021-31/8/2024).
  • Co-creation methodologies: Research on methodological innovations and research management innovations. Combining action-research practices with ethnography, community-based research and participatory design. Exploring the challenges and potential of Artificial Intelligence applied to research.
    • Postdoctoral project “Open collaborative methods for citizen ethnography: transdisciplinary co-creation exploring collective data” by Enric Senabre (2022-2025) funded by UOC Postdoctoral Fellowship.
    • PhD thesis entitled “Citizens Science for Public Policy” by Anna Cigarini.
    • PhD thesis “Artificial intelligence and research crossroad” by Carlos Guadián, funded by Barcelona UOC Chair in digital economy.