IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/orserv/v4y2012i1p24-41.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Value Transformation in the Mobile Service Ecosystem: A Study of App Store Emergence and Growth

Author

Listed:
  • Rahul C. Basole

    (Tennenbaum Institute, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332)

  • Jürgen Karla

    (Institute of Business Information Systems, RWTH Aachen University, 52062 Aachen, Germany)

Abstract

The mobile service ecosystem is in a state of fundamental and rapid transformation. Fueled by enormous revenue opportunities enabled by the emergence of smartphones, improvements in mobile network infrastructure, and an explosive global growth of and demand for mobile applications, significant changes in industry structure, collaboration, and dynamics have been observed, with new players entering the ecosystem and traditional players reshaping their roles. One new player--the mobile app store--is playing a particularly transformative role in how value is created, delivered, distributed, and consumed. This paper examines the emergence and growth of mobile app stores in the mobile service ecosystem. Based on theories of technology platforms, strategic networks, and business ecosystems, we first visualize the evolving interfirm network structure of value cocreation in the mobile service ecosystem. Second, drawing on theories of service science and the economics of digital goods, we investigate through a comprehensive field study in what ways mobile app stores are transforming value creation. Together, these two analysis perspectives provide important insights to the evolution of the mobile service ecosystem. We conclude the paper with a discussion of theoretical and managerial implications as well as future research opportunities.

Suggested Citation

  • Rahul C. Basole & Jürgen Karla, 2012. "Value Transformation in the Mobile Service Ecosystem: A Study of App Store Emergence and Growth," Service Science, INFORMS, vol. 4(1), pages 24-41, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orserv:v:4:y:2012:i:1:p:24-41
    DOI: 10.1287/serv.1120.0004
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/serv.1120.0004
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/serv.1120.0004?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:inm:orserv:v:4:y:2012:i:1:p:24-41. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.