The evolution of the global digital platform economy: 1971–2021

Zoltan Acs, Abraham K. Song (), László Szerb, David B. Audretsch and Éva Komlósi
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Abraham K. Song: Pepperdine University
David B. Audretsch: Indiana University
Éva Komlósi: University of Pécs

Small Business Economics, 2021, vol. 57, issue 4, No 2, 1629-1659

Abstract: Abstract The emergence of digital technologies has significantly reduced the economic costs of data—search, storage, computation, transmission—and enabled new economic activities. Over the years, firms able to create a platform-based ecosystem have become a force of “creative construction.” Economic activities (C2C, B2C, B2B) have been reorganized around platform-based ecosystems for value creation and value appropriation, which are orchestrated by multisided platforms via the “digital hand.” To further understanding of the Digital Platform Economy, this paper provides a conceptual framework consisting of three interrelated concepts: digital technology infrastructure, multisided digital platforms, and platform-based ecosystems (users and entrepreneurs). Using a unique database over five decades, we revisit the hypothesis that new firms were needed to introduce digital technologies.

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Ecosystems; Multisided platforms; Platform economy; Users; Digital economics; L20; M13; O33; D23; D83 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (18)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11187-021-00561-x

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