From Product Platform Ecosystem to Innovation Platform Ecosystem: An Institutional Perspective on the Governance of Ecosystem Transformations

Incumbent companies across industries such as banking, insurance, and enterprise software have begun transforming their existing product platform ecosystems into innovation platforms ecosystems to increase generativity in their ecosystems. Such ecosystem transformations not only entail technological challenges as the underlying platform technology changes but also organizational challenges in that ecosystem actors such as partners and customers need to become part of the transformed ecosystem. To study how incumbent companies can govern ecosystem transformations successfully, we interpret ecosystems as organizational fields and ecosystem transformations as changes to the fields’ institutional infrastructure. Based on a multiyear, grounded theory study of the transformation of SAP’s on-premises ERP system, we first identify institutionalization challenges that arise when institutional infrastructure is changed during an ecosystem transformation. We then show how field-level governance mechanisms address these challenges and how the new institutional infrastructure gains legitimacy among ecosystem actors, ultimately leading to the institutionalization of the transformed ecosystem. These findings contribute to the literature on ecosystem transformations and platform governance by highlighting the role that institutional forces play in ecosystem transformations. Furthermore, we add to the literature on institutional theory by providing insights into the dynamics of institutional infrastructure as it becomes infused with digital technologies

Product Design And Success in A Platform Ecosystem

A platform ecosystem allows developers to leverage the software codebase innovations of others. Codebase (re)combination extends the range of opportunities for product innovation aimed at satisfying the functional needs of users. Despite facilitating extraordinary innovation gains among developers, prior research on how outside developers can more efficiently develop digital ecosystem resident products has not been addressed. We emphasize two layered properties of design momentum that may increase digital product innovation: 1) the dependencies of functions and 2) the dependencies of genres expressed in product descriptions. We analyze the source codes of R platform ecosystem packages using deep learning algorithms (i.e., Struc2Vec and Doc2Vec) to capture how layered software properties change as the dynamics of the R platform ecosystem increases in each month. We found a positive relationship between software codebase usage and genre dependencies and digital product design success

Coopetition Balance and Coopetition Capability in Platform Ecosystems: Complementors’ Perspective

In a platform ecosystem, complementors can utilize various resources from a platform owner that receives a variety of products/services via complementors for better customers’ choice and satisfaction. The literature has focused on the cooperative nature of the platform ecosystem. Less attention, however, has been given to coopetition (i.e., simultaneous strategic use of cooperation and competition). Drawing upon paradox theory, this study develops a research model that explains the individual and joint impact of coopetition balance and coopetition capability on relationship performance in a platform ecosystem. Based on survey data from 365 complementors to Amazon, this study illustrates that coopetition balance and coopetition capability have a significant impact on relationship performance. Additionally, coopetition capability moderates the relationship between coopetition balance and relationship performance. In particular, results show that coopetition capability is the most critical variable to enhance relationship performance. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed in this paper

Component trustworthiness in an enterprise software platform ecosystem

Enterprise software packages are increasingly designed as ex-tendable software platforms. These platforms are characterised by modular architecture that allows third parties to innovate and create value through the development of complementary applications. The development process of complementary applications from scratch is resource-intensive. One way of optimising the development process is by using the component-based software engineering (CBSE) approach that focuses on software reuse and suggests building applications with reusable components. There is a considerable amount of literature on CBSE; however, there has been little discussion on how component-based software engineering can strengthen third-party application development in the context of an enterprise software platform ecosystem. Specifically, it is unclear how the challenge of component trustworthiness can be addressed in this context. To explore this, we conducted a design science research(DSR) study to answer the following question: What are design principles pertaining to component trustworthiness for implementing a component repository that facilitates component reuse in an enterprise software platform ecosystem? In our study, we have explored the potential for component reuse in the ecosystem of the global health software platform DHIS2 by designing and developing a prototype component repository. Duringthe design and development process, two design principles were identi-fied: Principle of component trustworthiness and Principle of balanced certification. These principles are to guide researchers and practitioners on how a component repository can be implemented in the context of an enterprise software platform ecosystem

Stakeholders’ perceptions of digital health platform ecosystem generativity

This paper discusses findings from a study of healthcare stakeholders’ perceptions of the enablers and barriers of core-periphery systems and solutions in the digital platform of a Private Tertiary Health Service (PTHS). Using critical realism as a lens, the study involved an embedded case study of three departments in PTHS. The findings show that the platformisation of digital health infrastructure enhanced generativity, including innovation, adoption, and scaling. Further, the research identified platform governance as the area that requires enhancements. This research adds to the limited literature on digital health platform ecosystems by revealing healthcare stakeholders’ perceptions. Our findings can inform strategy for health organisations seeking platformisation of their digital infrastructures. Further, state and national digital healthcare policymakers can use this research to address digital health platform ecosystems challenges, especially in the private sector

Initiating and designing an emerging multi-platform ecosystem for the circular economy in the built environment: An empirical case study

With the increasing importance of platform ecosystems for value creation and capture in the emerging economies, the platform ecosystems have also proliferated across the circular economy in the built environment. Platform ecosystems are a useful medium that connects and enables seemingly geographically dispersed and diverse businesses to exchange products and services. Initiating and designing a new platform ecosystem for the circular economy in the built environment is challenging. Thus, our case study explores the challenges of initiating and designing an emerging platform ecosystem for the recirculation of the construction waste materials and industrial production side streams across the built environment. This study presents the challenges of an initiative by the several platform owners that combined their capabilities and resources in one efficient network to support circular economy growth in the built environment. Specifically, we offer insights into how several platform owners initiative and design multi-platform ecosystems. A specific challenge identified in this study is the design of the multi-platform ecosystem for equal value creation and capture by the platform owners. This study further draws recommendations for the policymakers while contributing to the literature on the platformization for the circular economy in the built environment