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Cited by 101Digital Platforms and EconomicsInnovation and Knowledge ManagementBusiness Strategy and Innovation

In search of complementarities within and across platform ecosystems: Complementors’ relative standing and performance in mobile apps ecosystems

Tavalaei, M. Mahdi, Cennamo, Carmelo·2021·Long Range Planning
DOI 10.1016/j.lrp.2020.101994
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Abstract

Firms can benefit immensely from participating in digital platform ecosystems—specifically, from the shared technological assets and market opportunities offered by the platform owner. Yet, while aligning with the platform ecosystem rules, each member must decide whether to specialize in a given platform ecosystem or across multiple platform ecosystems to capture these benefits. We examine two common patterns through which platform ecosystem members (i.e., complementors ) specialize within and across platform ecosystems, and the relative impact on their market performance. We look at the high relative standing of the complementary product as a reflection of complementors' specialization in the given product category or platform ecosystem. We then theorize that having products with high relative standing in a single product category and a single platform ecosystem, together, diminishes complementors’ market performance over time. Similarly, high relative standing in multiple platform ecosystems and multiple product categories, at the same time, adversely impacts the market performance. We find supportive evidence for our hypotheses, in a panel dataset of mobile app developers. This paper contributes to the burgeoning stream of research that investigates the trade-offs faced by complementors, suggesting that complementor strategies are more complex than simply trying to maximize market reach.

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Authors
Tavalaei, M. M., & Cennamo, C.
Affiliations
  • University of Surrey (GB)
  • Copenhagen Business School (DK)
Corresponding author
Cennamo, Carmelo
ORCID
Venue
Long Range Planning
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2021-10
Volume
54
Issue
5
Pages
101994
ISSN
0024-6301 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.lrp.2020.101994
OpenAlex
W3014095858
Cited by
101
References
66
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 4
FWCI
12.79
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
  • Long Range Planning (publishedVersion)
  • Surrey Research Insight Open Access (The University of Surrey) (submittedVersion)
  • CBS Research Portal (Copenhagen Business School) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Google
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Digital Platforms and Economics
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Innovation and Knowledge Management
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Business Strategy and Innovation
Keywords
digital platform ecosystems, complementors, relative standing, market performance, mobile app developers

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