Work-on-demand in patchwork capitalism: The peculiar case of Uber's fleet partners in Poland

In recent years, global corporations entering Central and Eastern European (CEE) markets have begun to adapt to existing legal regulations through innovative means. Uber's entry into Polish market, for example, involved the use of a supplementary entity—a fleet partner. Based on 42 interviews with Uber drivers in Poland (conducted between 2018 and 2020) and two in-depth interviews with fleet partners (2021), this article investigates the prerequisites necessary for the emergence of fleet partners within a work-on-demand platform and their role in the relationships between different stakeholders. Using the concept of patchwork capitalism adapted for CEE countries, this study shows that additional entities took advantage of institutional hybridity, situating themselves as the intermediary between a global giant and a local regulator, and thereby creating a patchwork gig economy.