Digital economy labor in the quality era: a socio-technical and biblio-scientometric mapping

Purpose This study employs socio-technical systems (STS) theory to analyze the evolving landscape of digital labor in the gig economy, offering critical insights into the ways human resource adaptation has progressed in the digital era. Design/methodology/approach This research used a mixed-method framework by using bibliometric and scientometric analysis. Biblioshiny was used to identify research themes, using Latent Dirichlet Allocation followed by clustering using K-means and hierarchical clustering. All keyword co-occurrence analysis was done using CiteSpace, applying the Louvain algorithm, to visualize and identify thematic clusters. Findings The findings identify nine core themes shaping the development of digital labor, offering a socio-technical perspective on the dynamics of gig work, revealing structural shifts and challenges within the digital labor market. Notably, a research gap remains in studies focused on the Middle East, Africa and North America, highlighting the need for future investigations to expand the global understanding of digital labor and its economic transformation. Practical implications This research presents a strategic roadmap for managing and optimizing digital labor, particularly within industrial and manufacturing quality settings. By aligning labor management with economic drivers, the study emphasizes operational efficiency, inclusivity and sustainability. The results have direct implications for industry leaders and policymakers, offering actionable insights to enhance organizational adaptability in an increasingly digital economy. Originality/value This investigation integrates regional contexts with interdisciplinary bibliometric analysis and methodological innovation and aids policymakers and industry practitioners. By exploring the multiplicity and complexities of digital labor, this study bridges STS theory with quality management by showing how digital labor dynamics affect human-centered quality systems. For managerial readers, it offers insights into designing adaptive and resilient quality practices in response to technological and organizational change, addressing a critical gap through a functional-process lens.