Evolutionary dynamics of digital platform ecosystems in healthcare: A case study of the discovery ecosystem in South Africa

Chibuike Mbanefo and Sara Grobbelaar ()
Additional contact information
Chibuike Mbanefo: Stellenbosch University
Sara Grobbelaar: Stellenbosch University

Electronic Markets, 2025, vol. 35, issue 1, No 79, 26 pages

Abstract: Abstract Delivering quality healthcare rests on multiple interactions between several actors. From providers and patients to insurers and policymakers, each contributes to a network of services that promote, maintain, and restore health. Digital platforms are emerging as an innovative approach to facilitate this collaboration. These platforms function as collaborative networks where independent actors integrate resources around a central platform to co-create value. However, despite the promise of digital platforms in healthcare, a critical knowledge gap persists on how actor roles evolve within platform ecosystems. This paper investigates the evolutionary dynamics of digital platform ecosystems in healthcare. The study presents a case study approach to systematically collect and analyse data on the five chronological stages of the Discovery ecosystem development. Through an event history analysis, we focus on (i) actors and roles enacted during ecosystem emergence, (ii) the timing of activities during the evolutionary stages, and (iii) discovery and the evolution of its platform ecosystem. The paper’s findings contribute to understanding actor roles, interactions, role diversity, and ecosystem activities during digital platform development. For managers and practitioners, our study underlines a model for building partnerships with technology providers, financial institutions and other stakeholders to co-create value and improve patient outcomes.

Keywords: Digital platform ecosystems; Healthcare ecosystems; Evolution; Actor roles; Resource integration; Innovation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O32 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12525-025-00820-9 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:35:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s12525-025-00820-9

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

DOI: 10.1007/s12525-025-00820-9

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 ().