Paper Type
ERF
Abstract
Digital artifacts continuously evolve through the introduction of new functions, yet only a small subset persist within digital ecosystems. Prior research explains how new functions emerge but offers limited insight into how ecosystems select which functions endure. We develop a theory of ecosystem selection and introduce a gain-of-function perspective to explain why some functional changes persist. We identify three mechanisms shaping retention: diffusion across participants, integration burden imposed on adopters, and ecological breadth across usage contexts. These mechanisms explain how digital ecosystems selectively retain some functional changes while others disappear over time.
Paper Number
1509
Recommended Citation
Qu, Jason, "How Functional Changes Persist: A Gain-of-Function Perspective on Ecosystem Selection" (2026). AMCIS 2026 Proceedings. 7.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/amcis2026/sig_dspe/sig_dspe/7
How Functional Changes Persist: A Gain-of-Function Perspective on Ecosystem Selection
Digital artifacts continuously evolve through the introduction of new functions, yet only a small subset persist within digital ecosystems. Prior research explains how new functions emerge but offers limited insight into how ecosystems select which functions endure. We develop a theory of ecosystem selection and introduce a gain-of-function perspective to explain why some functional changes persist. We identify three mechanisms shaping retention: diffusion across participants, integration burden imposed on adopters, and ecological breadth across usage contexts. These mechanisms explain how digital ecosystems selectively retain some functional changes while others disappear over time.
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