The emergence of multiplatform ecosystems: insights from China's mobile payments system in overcoming bottlenecks to reach the mass market

Zhang, MY; Williamson, P

The emergence of multiplatform ecosystems: insights from China's mobile payments system in overcoming bottlenecks to reach the mass market

Zhang, MY Williamson, P

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Publisher:: ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 2021, 173
Issue Date:: 2021-12-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Zhang, MY
dc.contributor.author	Williamson, P
dc.date.accessioned	2022-07-01T06:46:00Z
dc.date.available	2022-07-01T06:46:00Z
dc.date.issued	2021-12-01
dc.identifier.citation	Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 2021, 173
dc.identifier.issn	0040-1625
dc.identifier.issn	1873-5509
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/158485
dc.description.abstract	This paper examines the preconditions and processes necessary for multiplatform ecosystems to emerge, grow and prosper, with particular emphasis on how bottlenecks that constrain their scale-up can be overcome. Using a longitudinal case study, we track how China developed the world's largest mobile payments industry based on multiplatform ecosystems. Different from ecosystems mediated by a single multi-sided platform, multiplatform ecosystems provide mechanisms to realize complementarity between multiple platforms, sometimes across different industries, to co-create greater value than individual platforms can in isolation and to overcome barriers that stand in the way of mass scale-up. These barriers include: establishing an agreed market architecture; catalysing changes in user behaviour; and earning legitimacy in its socio-technical system. We show how the lead firms play an important role in overcoming these barriers to drive multiplatform ecosystem evolution, enabling the development of other businesses in the ecosystem, and promoting the accumulation of what we term ‘ecosystem goods’ that help the ecosystem create and capture value collectively. These findings enrich our theoretical understanding of the importance of complementary relationships and overcoming barriers to their formation in enabling multiplatform ecosystems to nurture the emergence and scale-up of a nascent industry. We also draw lessons for practising managers and policy implications.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
dc.relation.ispartof	Technological Forecasting and Social Change
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.techfore.2021.121128
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject	10 Technology, 14 Economics, 15 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services
dc.subject.classification	Science Studies
dc.title	The emergence of multiplatform ecosystems: insights from China's mobile payments system in overcoming bottlenecks to reach the mass market
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	173
utslib.for	10 Technology
utslib.for	14 Economics
utslib.for	15 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/DVC (International)
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/DVC (International)/Australia-China Relations Institute
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
dc.date.updated	2022-07-01T06:45:58Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	173

Abstract:

This paper examines the preconditions and processes necessary for multiplatform ecosystems to emerge, grow and prosper, with particular emphasis on how bottlenecks that constrain their scale-up can be overcome. Using a longitudinal case study, we track how China developed the world's largest mobile payments industry based on multiplatform ecosystems. Different from ecosystems mediated by a single multi-sided platform, multiplatform ecosystems provide mechanisms to realize complementarity between multiple platforms, sometimes across different industries, to co-create greater value than individual platforms can in isolation and to overcome barriers that stand in the way of mass scale-up. These barriers include: establishing an agreed market architecture; catalysing changes in user behaviour; and earning legitimacy in its socio-technical system. We show how the lead firms play an important role in overcoming these barriers to drive multiplatform ecosystem evolution, enabling the development of other businesses in the ecosystem, and promoting the accumulation of what we term ‘ecosystem goods’ that help the ecosystem create and capture value collectively. These findings enrich our theoretical understanding of the importance of complementary relationships and overcoming barriers to their formation in enabling multiplatform ecosystems to nurture the emergence and scale-up of a nascent industry. We also draw lessons for practising managers and policy implications.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/158485