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Cited by 512Digital Platforms and EconomicsICT in Developing CommunitiesDigital Economy and Work Transformation

Digital platforms for development: Foundations and research agenda

Open access
Bonina, Carla, Koskinen, Kari, Eaton, Ben, Gawer, Annabelle·2021·Information Systems Journal
DOI 10.1111/isj.12326
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Abstract

Digital platforms hold a central position in today's world economy and are said to offer a great potential for the economies and societies in the global South. Yet, to date, the scholarly literature on digital platforms has largely concentrated on business while their developmental implications remain understudied. In part, this is because digital platforms are a challenging research object due to their lack of conceptual definition, their spread across different regions and industries, and their intertwined nature with institutions, actors and digital technologies. The purpose of this article is to contribute to the ongoing debate in information systems and ICT4D research to understand what digital platforms mean for development. To do so, we first define what digital platforms are and differentiate between transaction and innovation platforms, and explain their key characteristics in terms of purpose, research foundations, material properties and business models. We add the socio‐technical context digital platforms operate and the linkages to developmental outcomes. We then conduct an extensive review to explore what current areas, developmental goals, tensions and issues emerge in the literature on platforms and development and identify relevant gaps in our knowledge. We later elaborate on six research questions to advance the studies on digital platforms for development: on indigenous innovation, digital platforms and institutions, on exacerbation of inequalities, on alternative forms of value, on the dark side of platforms and on the applicability of the platform typology for development.

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  • A gap remains in understanding within the policy space of how transaction and innovation platforms interact to address development and humanitarian goals.

    “What remains a gap, however, is an understanding within the policy space of how transaction and innovation platforms interact to address development and humanitarian goals (Bonina et al., 2021).”

    From Digital identity as a platform for improving refugee management (2021) · cites this paper as Bonina et al., 2021

    Section 4.5 reports that the review found no hybrid or composite platforms, supporting a gap in understanding how platform types combine in development contexts. Section 4.1 also identifies limited research linking innovation platforms to developmental outcomes. Neither passage frames the gap as being within the policy space or specifically about humanitarian goals; page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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Research works printed but not linked: 7

  1. Evans, D. S., & Schmalensee, R. (2016). Matchmakers: The new economics of multisided platforms, Boston, MA: Harvard Busi- ness Review Press.
  2. 8s948 · DOI
  3. tb00512.x · DOI
  4. Meneses, M. E., Nonnecke, B., del Campo, A. M., Krishnan, S., Patel, J., Kim, M., … Goldberg, K. (2017). Overcoming citizen mistrust and enhancing democratic practices: Results from the E-participation platform México Participa. Information Technologies & International Development, 13(0), 17.
  5. Nussbaum, M. C. (2011). Creating capabilities, Boston, MA: Harvard University Press.
  6. UNCTAD. (2019). Digital economy report 2019. Value creation and capture: Implications for developing countries (p. 172). Geneva: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
  7. tb00610.x · DOI

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Authors
Bonina, C., Koskinen, K., Eaton, B., & Gawer, A.
Affiliations
  • University of Surrey (GB)
  • Aalto University (FI)
  • Copenhagen Business School (DK)
Corresponding author
Bonina, Carla
ORCID
Venue
Information Systems Journal
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2021-01-28
Volume
31
Issue
6
Pages
869-902
ISSN
  • 1350-1917 (ISSN-L)
  • 1365-2575
DOI
10.1111/isj.12326
OpenAlex
W3127663722
Cited by
512
References
127
Citations by year
2026: 108 · 2025: 113 · 2024: 120 · 2023: 96 · 2022: 56 · 2021: 19
FWCI
64.88
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Information Systems Journal (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Aaltodoc (Aalto University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • CBS Research Portal (Copenhagen Business School) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Economic and Social Research Council
  • Royal Holloway, University of London
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Digital Platforms and Economics
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › ICT in Developing Communities
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Digital Economy and Work Transformation
Keywords
digital platforms, development, ICT4D, transaction platforms, innovation platforms, business models, independent innovation, institutions, inequality, platform typology, Global South

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