Paper ID

1775

Paper Type

full

Description

Digital platform business models consist of conflicting elements that often create tensions. We integrate the tension and business model perspectives to explore what set of interrelated tensions platform owners face when continuously designing, adapting, and/or redesigning their digital platform business model. For this purpose, we systematically reviewed information systems literature resulting in 21 unique tensions that platform owners face when crafting business models. We provide a theory for analyzing tensions in digital platform business models by classifying tensions into categories of tensions (i.e., organizing, performing, learning, and belonging) and business model dimensions (i.e., value architecture, value network, value finance, and value proposition). We highlight for business model research which business model dimensions are rich with tensions. Additionally, we integrate tensions that were largely considered in isolation by past digital platform research. This integration helps to avoid conceptual ambiguity and reveals chains and cycles between tensions.

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Tensions in Digital Platform Business Models: A Literature Review

Digital platform business models consist of conflicting elements that often create tensions. We integrate the tension and business model perspectives to explore what set of interrelated tensions platform owners face when continuously designing, adapting, and/or redesigning their digital platform business model. For this purpose, we systematically reviewed information systems literature resulting in 21 unique tensions that platform owners face when crafting business models. We provide a theory for analyzing tensions in digital platform business models by classifying tensions into categories of tensions (i.e., organizing, performing, learning, and belonging) and business model dimensions (i.e., value architecture, value network, value finance, and value proposition). We highlight for business model research which business model dimensions are rich with tensions. Additionally, we integrate tensions that were largely considered in isolation by past digital platform research. This integration helps to avoid conceptual ambiguity and reveals chains and cycles between tensions.