Supporting or killing the technological platform design? Towards new contingent criteria for strategies selection

The circumstances in which firms operate have moved towards novel and unknown environments, thereby fundamentally modifying the logic of decision making, rendering planning approaches inadequate. The literature highlights that in these situations companies have to adapt more flexible approaches, to incorporate learning and privilege interactions among projects and corresponding environment. Moreover, sector dynamic influences the choice of strategies under high uncertainty. There are sectors "pushed" by technologies or "pulled" by markets. In the situations of double technology and markets unknowns an interesting solution is highlighted: the design of technological platform that is able to address many emerging markets. Yet it is not self-evident when these strategies are advantageous for the firms that are subject of the environmental dynamics and pursuing double unknown. A simulation study is carried out to clarify the contingent criteria in which the exploration of multiple technologies and markets could lead to platform design. The conducted simulation experiment reveals two main contingent variables: the existence of market signals and the "segregative" or "aggregative" nature of technological systems. The study endeavors to provide an improved theoretical understanding of double unknown management and the corresponding strategies.