Management for Professionals Series

This book introduces platform firms as unique business models. Leveraging on the early literature on network economics and strategy frameworks, this book explores how platform business firms evolve in the modern business world. Taking a strategic perspective, this book engages the reader with core concepts, case studies, and frameworks for analyzing platform business firms. This book differentiates platform business firms from traditional pipeline firms; explores engagement with different actors, value creation, and operations of platforms; elucidates resources and capabilities of platform firms that provide them sustained competitive advantage; analyzes performance levers in operating platform business models, including complementarities with other business models; and discusses the sustainability of platform business models, in the face of regulatory and societal challenges, among others.

The book is designed as a primer for entrepreneurs setting up and operating platform business firms, senior managers in large corporations repurposing their resources to initiate network dynamics in their businesses, early career managers, and professionals engaging with myriad platform firms for their professional and personal needs. This book intends to provide a decision-maker with a portfolio of decisions to make to create, operate, sustain, and generate value out of a platform business firm. It is also useful for policy professionals to appreciate the economics and policy implications of regulating and governing platforms in a post-digital world.

Platform Business Models for Executives

by R. Srinivasan

Published 22 August 2023

This book takes a practice approach to studying platform business models. Drawing from the growing academic literature as well as the practice world, this book intends to provide a framework for analysing platform business firms. Leveraging on the early literature on network economics (that was largely analytical) and the popular writing about new organizations, this book takes a strategic perspective. It answers the five big strategy questions about platform business firms: a. What are platform business models, and how are they different from others; b. How do platform business firms operate, and what value do they create? To whom and how; c. What are those resources that platforms possess and leverage to create and sustain their competitive advantage over others; d. Why and how are they successful? Why do they perform differently from others? What metrics of performance should we use to study and analyse their performance; e. Is this business model sustainable? What determines the longevity of such firms? What are the regulatory and social challenges that these platform business firms face? How do regulators and the larger society manage the disproportionate power distribution among such firms?The book is strategic in nature and highlights the resources defining the strategies of successful platform business firms. In doing so, it provides a field guide for entrepreneurs and managers embarking on building a platform, by providing a portfolio of decisions to make. Though the frameworks could be generalized, the book focuses on platform businesses, rather than societal platforms. With a few extensions, it is possible that these frameworks could be easily applied to non-profit and or social enterprises as well.