Platform-Based Business Ecosystems - A Framework for Description and Analysis

Abstract

Value creation is increasingly driven by digital or semi-digital business models. Platforms offer the necessary backbone for such highly profitable business models. Our research centers on the questions how platforms are created, which drivers are behind this development and how platforms are successfully implemented. We analyzed various business ecosystems and their underlying platforms to understand the various roles companies can take in platform-based business ecosystems. Based on our results we propose a framework to describe business ecosystems as well as a canvas to analyze their underlying platforms, the acting companies' roles, and the applied business models. One case study illustrates this tool. Our results will (1) help to understand why companies bet on platforms to establish business ecosystems, (2) analyze the processes and methods behind successful business ecosystems, and (3) reflect about the dominant and still growing importance of platform-based business ecosystems.

What Are the Topics That Business Ecosystems Navigate? Updating of Scientific Activity and Future Research Agenda

“…These nine clusters are shown in Table 2. Innovation Ecosystems: In Table 2, this is indicated as a motor theme and includes publications that deal with how companies, institutions and states relate to each other to create a collaborative and innovative framework, where they work together and make their results known, guaranteeing a profound knowledge change [7,11,12,33,46,47,78].…”

“…A business ecosystem (BE) is identified when a group of companies pool their expertise around an innovation to develop innovative products and satisfy customers [1][2][3][4]. BEs have a main objective, and that is to create value for regular customers, which is why they require good organization [5][6][7][8].…”

“…There are numerous study topics linked to business ecosystems, such as digital business ecosystems [4,29,30], sustainability [11,31,32], business development [33][34][35], business models [7,36,37], benchmarking [38], electronic commerce [7,39], supply-chain management [8,9], and blockchain [40,41], among others.…”