Digital platforms and internet-enabled devices: a longitudinal multi-country analysis.

Abstract

In the last decades, the technological revolution that hit the world completely transformed the way of doing business. Digital technology has been changing the business strategy, products and services across many industries and sectors. In order to maintain competitive advantage and capture new growth opportunities, companies should change and adapt their business models. For this reason, most companies are moving towards the platform business model. Digital platforms, in fact, are becoming more and more established in the digital age. They are referred to as digital as they can be accessed only through the Internet, making use of different devices, such as desktop, mobile, tablet and console. This dissertation analyzes digital platforms in a theoretical framework, explaining the shift from the traditional model to the platform business model and conducts then a longitudinal multi-country analysis on the devices where platforms are used.