Configurations of platform organizations: Implications for complementor engagement
Open accessAbstract
Digital platforms are an organizational form made up of a technological architecture and governance mechanisms for managing autonomous complementors. A platform’s success depends on their engagement in value creation and capture. Prior studies of such engagement have mainly focused on a platform’s governance mechanisms without recognizing their interdependence to its technological architecture. There is therefore a limited understanding of how the interplay between governance and architecture configures platform organizations, and why these configurations produce different levels of complementor engagement. In this paper, our analysis of a 12-year study of a shared platform initiative yields three configurations of platform organizations: vertical, horizontal, and modular. Based on these configurations, we develop propositions that theorize the implications of these organizational forms for complementor engagement. We further propose that these insights, which we derive from a shared platform, are particularly relevant for blockchain-based platforms.
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A modular platform architecture separates platform from complement development and enables complements being combined without restrictions or negative impacts on stability, functionality, or performance.
“A modular platform architecture separates platform from complement development and enables complements being combined without restrictions or negative impacts on stability, functionality, or performance (Hein et al., 2020;Saadatmand et al., 2019).”
From Digital platform ecosystems in flux: From proprietary digital platforms to wide-spanning ecosystems (2023) · cites this paper as Saadatmand et al., 2019
The platforms' architecture determines market potentials prior to advancing into the following stages.
“The platforms' architecture consequently determines market potentials prior to advancing into the following stages (Saadatmand et al., 2019).”
From Digital platform ecosystems in flux: From proprietary digital platforms to wide-spanning ecosystems (2023) · cites this paper as Saadatmand et al., 2019
Ownership decisions affect both the distribution of power and the relationships between actors in the ecosystem, leading to a vertical, horizontal, or modular system.
“Ownership decisions affect both the distribution of power and the relationships between actors in the ecosystem, leading to a vertical, horizontal, or modular system.”
From Digital platform ecosystems in flux: From proprietary digital platforms to wide-spanning ecosystems (2023) · cites this paper as Saadatmand et al., 2019
There is a re-occurring pattern of lacking in-depth longitudinal empirical evidence to confirm theoretical assumptions.
“Overall, there is a re-occurring pattern of lacking in-depth longitudinal empirical evidence to confirm theoretical assumptions (Jha et al., 2016;Saadatmand et al., 2019).”
From Digital platform ecosystems in flux: From proprietary digital platforms to wide-spanning ecosystems (2023) · cites this paper as Saadatmand et al., 2019
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References 57 · Cited by 190
Research works printed but not linked: 4
- Baldwin, C.Y., Clark, K.B., 2000. Design Rules: The Power of Modularity Vol. 1 MIT press.
- Gawer, A., Cusumano, M.A., 2008. Platform Leaders. MIT Sloan Management Review.
- Leonardi, P.M., 2011. When flexible routines meet flexible technologies: affordances, constraints, and the imbrication of human and material agencies. Mis Q. 35 (1), 147-167.
- Tilson, D., Lyytinen, K., Sørensen, C., 2010. Research commentary -digital infra- structures: the missing IS research agenda. Inf. Syst. Res. 21 (4), 748-759.
- Authors
- Saadatmand, F., Lindgren, R., & Schultze, U.
- Affiliations
- IT University of Copenhagen (DK)
- University of Gothenburg (SE)
- Southern Methodist University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Saadatmand, Fatemeh
- ORCID
- Schultze, Ulrike
- Venue
- Research Policy
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2019-10
- Volume
- 48
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 103770
- ISSN
- 0048-7333 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2946042738
- Cited by
- 190
- References
- 57
- Citations by year
- 2026: 15 · 2025: 36 · 2024: 37 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 26.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- Research Policy (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- IT University Of Copenhagen (IT University of Copenhagen) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- 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 › Sociology and Political Science › Digital Economy and Work Transformation
- Keywords
- platform organizations, digital platforms, governance mechanisms, technical architecture, platform governance, value creation, value capture, organizational forms, modular platform, common platform
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