Platformization and Internationalization in the LEGO Group

Internationalization, to expand a firms territorial footprint, is an important but difficult strategic act for a growing business. Simultaneously, digital technologies are increasingly shaping businesses world-wide and by implication also their internationalization activities as well as strategies. Using experiences from the LEGO Group, the toy-manufacturer well-known for its iconic modular bricks concept, we explain how the transformation of the Information Systems (IS) landscape towards a platform architecture is a key enabler for internationalization. Platformization of the IS landscape contributes to mitigate the issues of psychic distance that needs to be overcome when expanding internationally. Based on the insights gained from the LEGO Group, we provide lessons learned for CIO’s when enabling an internationalization strategy

Towards “Government as a Platform”: An analysis framework for public sector infrastructure

“Government as a Platform” (GaaP) is a promising approach to the digital transformation of the public sector. The approach sees Government as an open platform on which people inside and outside the government can innovate and co-create better public services. On a technical level, this is enabled by public sector infrastructure that also follows the approach. However, it remains unclear how exactly GaaP can be applied to public sector infrastructure in practice. In order to tackle this challenge, we develop a framework for the analysis of public infrastructure regarding its platform character. We apply the framework to a current public infrastructure project in Germany to demonstrate its applicability and infer possible future improvements. We contribute to literature by integrating GaaP literature with ideas and concepts from general IS platform literature and contribute to practice by providing a tool that supports the application of GaaP

Toward Government as a Platform: An Analysis Method for Public Sector Infrastructure

Government as a Platform (GaaP) is a promising approach to the digital transformation of the public sector. In practice, GaaP is realized by platform-oriented infrastructures. However, despite successful examples, the transformation toward platform-oriented infrastructures remains challenging. A potential remedy is the analysis of existing public infrastructure regarding its platform orientation. Such an analysis can identify the gaps to an ideal platform-oriented infrastructure and, thus, support the transformation toward it. We follow the design science research methodology to develop a four-dimensional analysis method. We do so in three iterations, and, after each iteration, evaluate the method by its application to infrastructures in practice. With regard to theory, our results suggest extending GaaP conceptualizations with a specific emphasis on platform principles. With regard to practice, we contribute an analysis method that creates proposals for the improvement of infrastructures and, thus, supports the transformation toward GaaP

Toward Government as a Platform: An Analysis Method for Public Sector Infrastructure

Government as a Platform (GaaP) is a promising approach to the digital transformation of the public sector. In practice, GaaP is realized by platform-oriented infrastructures. However, despite successful examples, the transformation toward platform-oriented infrastructures remains challenging. A potential remedy is the analysis of existing public infrastructure regarding its platform orientation. Such an analysis can identify the gaps to an ideal platform-oriented infrastructure and, thus, support the transformation toward it. We follow the design science research methodology to develop a four-dimensional analysis method. We do so in three iterations, and, after each iteration, evaluate the method by its application to infrastructures in practice. With regard to theory, our results suggest extending GaaP conceptualizations with a specific emphasis on platform principles. With regard to practice, we contribute an analysis method that creates proposals for the improvement of infrastructures and, thus, supports the transformation toward GaaP

Digital Transformation through Collaborative Platformization: A Study of Incumbent-Entrepreneur Relations

The paper examines the unfolding of digital transformation in and the platformization of an industrial firm. To enable transformation despite a complex and heterogeneous IT landscape, a platformization strategy was followed and an entrepreneurial firm was established to be the strategic partner in the transformation journey. We examine the collaboration between the two firms based on empirical material covering the period 2016-2020. The paper contributes to the literature on digital transformation, as it illuminates the dynamic role of strategic partnerships in such processes. We also contribute to the literature on digital platforms and collaborative nature of governing the process of platform development by identifying three modes of collaborating and adapting

Emergence and Constraints of Enterprise Platform Silos for Online Interactions: A Case Study from Ghana Before and During Covid-19

The purpose of this study is to understand the emergence and constraints of enterprise platform silos for online interactions at the organizational level. Information systems (IS) research has focused more on external platforms without silos. As a result, not much is known about internal platforms and silos at the organizational level and how they constrain online interactions, especially in the developing economic context of Africa. This study follows an interpretive, qualitative case study methodology and the encounter-episode process model to investigate the case of using enterprise platform silos in an organization in Ghana, before and during Covid-19. The findings show how failure to modernize the installed-based platforms, integrate platform portfolios, use enterprise architecture, and build internal competence for platform integration leads to silos. Identified constraints include challenges with information sharing and transfer between platforms, manual intervention with delays and errors, and multiple sign-ins with different password formats per user