Vorlesung 1: Einführung

Question 1

Platform definitions

Answer 1

A platform can be referred to as a business model allowing for value-adding interactions between consumers and providers. Such business models are also referred to as two-sided or multi-sided markets.
Digital platforms facilitate such interaction by means of information technology, enabling a frictionless access to the platform for all parties and the match making process also for large volumes of users.
Digital platform business models are characterized by indirect network effects.
-Dr Holger Schmidt

A platform …
▪ … is a nexus of rules and architecture,
▪ … is open, allowing for regulated participation,
▪ … actively promotes (positive) interactions among different partners in a multi-sided market, and
▪ … scales much faster than a pipeline business because it does not necessarily bear the costs of external production.
-Geoffrey Parker

W a

Question 2

Types of digital platforms

Answer 2

Transaction platforms
Facilitate transactions between different types of individuals and companies that would otherwise have difficulty finding or trusting each other
Z.B Uber, Google,EBay

Innovation platforms
Provide technologies, products and services on the basis of which individuals and companies can develop further innovations.
Z.B salesforce, SAP

Integrated platforms
Combination of transaction und innovation platforms
Z.B Apple, Facebook

Question 3

Business Models

Answer 3

Traditional Pipeline Firms
Plattform firm

Question 4

Three primary shifts in moving from pipelines to platforms

Answer 4

“Uber, the world’s largest taxi company, owns no vehicles. Facebook, the world’s most popular media owner, creates no content. Alibaba, the most valuable retailer, has no inventory. And Airbnb, the world’s largest accommodation provider, owns no real estate. Something interesting is happening.” (Techcrunch 2015)
1. Shift in markets: From consumers to producers
2. Shift in competitive advantage: From resources to ecosystems
3. Shift in value creation: From processes to interactions

Question 5

Multi-sided platforms

Answer 5

Question 6

The platform manifesto (as food for thought)

Answer 6

… or: „business principles no longer work in a platform world“
Warehouse ⟶ Platform Ecosystem
Supply Chain ⟶ Platform Ecosystem
Scale ⟶ Network Effects
Sales Commission ⟶ Social Feedback
Command & Control ⟶ Algorithmic Decision Making
Business Development ⟶ Plug & Play (APIs)
Human Resource Management ⟶ Community Management
Inventory Control ⟶ Liquidity Management Quality Control ⟶ Reputation Management Business Process Optimization ⟶ Data Science