Systematizing the lexicon of platforms in information systems: a data-driven study

Abstract

While the Information Systems (IS) discipline has researched digital platforms extensively, the body of knowledge appertaining to platforms still appears fragmented and lacking conceptual consistency. Based on automated text mining and unsupervised machine learning, we collect, analyze, and interpret the IS discipline’s comprehensive research on platforms—comprising 11,049 papers spanning 44 years of research activity. From a cluster analysis concerning platform concepts’ semantically most similar words, we identify six research streams on platforms, each with their own platform terms. Based on interpreting the identified concepts vis-à-vis the extant research and considering a temporal perspective on the concepts’ application, we present a lexicon of platform concepts, to guide further research on platforms in the IS discipline. Researchers and managers can build on our results to position their work appropriately, applying a specific theoretical perspective on platforms in isolation or combining multiple perspectives to study platform phenomena at a more abstract level.

Geographic Information Systems in Information Systems Research - Review and Research Prospects

“…Compared to other information systems like Business Process Management Systems (BPMS), GIS are considered rather infrequently. For example, in 2016 the largest number of GIS papers appeared with 15 publications, however, in the field of Business Process Management (BPM) there were over 90 publications in 2016 and the field of digital platforms issued 532 publications in this year (Bartelheimer et al, 2022).…”

Predictive Maintenance on the Energy Distribution Grid–Design and Evaluation of a Digital Industrial Platform in the Context of a Smart Service System

“…The architecture of digital platforms is characterized by multiple layers and modularization [51], [52] that enable controlling the platform while maintaining flexibility [53]. While a multitude of different platform terms and concepts exists in the literature [54], two types can be distinguished in platform research: transaction platforms and innovation platforms [55]. Transaction platforms, on the one hand, match users and enable them to co-create value by exchanging information [55], e.g., Amazon, WhatsApp, and Uber.…”

Electronic Markets on platform dualities

“…Christian Barthelheimer, Philipp zur Heiden, Hedda Lüttenberg and Daniel Beverungen apply a combined approach of text mining and unsupervised learning to derive the 26 most influential platform terms, six research streams on platforms and a set of platform concepts that are designed as a decomposed lexicon of platforms. They expect that this model is helpful in overcoming a reductionist perspective on platforms towards an integrated perspective, for example, as posited by the duality of technology mentioned above (Bartelheimer et al 2022).…”