Strategies for digital platforms at early stage of development : insights gained from three empirical studies

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Abstract

This thesis consists of three empirical studies of growing digital platforms at their early stage of development. The thesis tackles three vital challenges nascent digital platforms face: growing the platform’s complementary markets, scaling the platform user base, and building and expanding the platform ecosystem. The mingled use of the econometric and qualitative research approaches has been operationalized in three empirical settings: Amazon Alexa, Pinduoduo, and PingAn OneConnect’s Blockchain. The first study investigates how platform owners may leverage the timing of entry to the nascent platform complementary market as a strategic means to grow the viability of that market. The second research draws on the psychology domain and discusses an alternative design of platform referral scaling in acquiring platform users. The third paper explores the platform’s engagement with emerging technology and investigates how the adapted layered modular architecture could be used in building a platform ecosystem. Overall, by deciphering platform strategy studies through the proposed component view and carefully conducting three empirical analyses, this thesis aims to contribute novel insights into growing nascent platform’s generativity, user base, and ecosystem.

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