Datenplattformökosysteme

Platform ecosystems have become a source of sustained competitive advantages over pipeline models. A platform consists of a platform core (such as a smartphone operating system, a marketplace or a music streaming service) which is controlled by the platform owner who orchestrates the relationship between customers and providers (e.g. the distribution of goods, apps or music to end-users). Recently, the utilization and monetization of data has been significantly increasing. While some sources report the existence of data platforms as technical repositories to distribute data, the literature is sparse in discussing the role of data in platform ecosystems or outlining the existence of data platform ecosystems. By combining the technical concept of a data platform with the one of a platform ecosystem, a data platform ecosystem emerges. It comprises a platform ecosystem that facilitates the recombination and exchange of data around a stable core between a wide range of complements of data providers and prospective customers. To understand the characteristics of data platform ecosystems, we will elaborate on the concepts of data modularity, data quality, disposal and usage rights of data as well as ways to address the information paradox inherent to data. Based on these key properties, we illustrate the emergence of data platform ecosystems through two case examples and suggest avenues for future research.