Gig-Powered Urban Transformation: The Shift from Retail Decline to the Delivery Economy – A Case Study of Ranchi District

Divyanshu Kumar; Divyanshu Sanyal; Narendra Singh; Ajay Kumar

Gig-Powered Urban Transformation: The Shift from Retail Decline to the Delivery Economy – A Case Study of Ranchi District

Author(s)	Mr. Divyanshu Kumar, Mr. Divyanshu Sanyal, Dr. Narendra Singh, Dr. Ajay Kumar
Country	India
Abstract	This research paper examines the gig-platform economy as a driver of urban transformation in Ranchi district, with specific attention to its relationship with traditional retail decline, shifting consumer behaviour, and the socio-economic conditions of gig workers. The study is positioned at the intersection of platform capitalism, digital labour, and urban studies, addressing a tier-II city context that has received negligible scholarly attention relative to metropolitan India. A descriptive-analytical research design was employed, combining primary data collected through a structured, five-point Likert-scale questionnaire administered to residents of Ranchi who use app-based delivery and gig-work platforms, with secondary data drawn from government, industry, and academic sources. A dataset of 120 valid responses was analysed using reliability analysis, descriptive statistics, and linear regression in SPSS. All four measurement constructs – Gig Platform Employment and Participation (GPE), Traditional Retail Decline (TRD), Convenience and Income Motivation (CIM), and Urban Lifestyle Transformation (ULT) – demonstrated excellent internal consistency, with Cronbach’s Alpha ranging between 0.913 and 0.951. Regression analysis confirmed that GPE is a statistically significant positive predictor of perceived TRD (R² = 0.458, F = 99.52, p < 0.001), indicating that respondents who report stronger perceptions of gig-platform-driven employment and participation also tend to report a correspondingly stronger perception of declining footfall and sales at traditional retail outlets. The findings are interpreted in light of the sample’s pronounced demographic concentration among young, student respondents, and the paper concludes with policy recommendations for government bodies, retailers, platform companies, and future researchers aimed at balancing the efficiency gains of platform-driven urban transformation against the welfare of gig workers and the sustainability of traditional retail in tier-II cities such as Ranchi.
Keywords	Gig Economy; Platform Capitalism; Urban Transformation; Traditional Retail Decline; Consumer Behavior; Delivery Economy; Ranchi District
Field	Business Administration
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 3, May-June 2026
Published On	2026-06-25

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Gig-Powered Urban Transformation: The Shift from Retail Decline to the Delivery Economy – A Case Study of Ranchi District

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