Configurations of digital platforms for manufacturing: An analysis of seven cases according to platform functions and types

Erik Hartigh (), Claire C.M. Stolwijk, J. Roland Ortt and L. Matthijs Punter
Additional contact information
Erik Hartigh: Faculty of Business, Özyeğin University
Claire C.M. Stolwijk: TNO, Strategic Analysis and Policy
J. Roland Ortt: Delft University of Technology
L. Matthijs Punter: TNO, Data Ecosystems

Electronic Markets, 2023, vol. 33, issue 1, No 30, 17 pages

Abstract: Abstract We analyze organizational configurations of digital platforms for manufacturing according to two dimensions: platform functions and platform types. Platform functions refer to the organizational functions of platforms: manufacturing, data sharing, market making, and innovation. Platform types refer to a typology of how platforms are organized: as internal, supply chain, or industry type. We combine those dimensions into a framework and use that to analyze seven cases of digital platforms from the manufacturing sector. Our research answers calls for conceptual clarity and scoping of the digital platform concept and mends relative lack of attention toward digital platforms for the manufacturing sector. We find that digital platforms for manufacturing come in different, partly unexpected, configurations: (1) not all functions are necessarily organizationally part of the platform, (2) not all functions are necessarily organized according to the same platform type, but (3) also not all random configurations of platform types and functions seem to be possible. This complexity highlights the importance of the innovation function for exploring effective configurations of digital platforms for manufacturing.

Keywords: Digital platforms; Platforms; Platform innovation; Manufacturing; Digitalization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L1 L6 M1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12525-023-00653-4 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:elmark:v:33:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s12525-023-00653-4

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer. ... ystems/journal/12525

DOI: 10.1007/s12525-023-00653-4

Access Statistics for this article

Electronic Markets is currently edited by Rainer Alt and Hans-Dieter Zimmermann

More articles in Electronic Markets from Springer, IIM University of St. Gallen
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().