Digital platforms as common goods or economic goods? Constructing the worth of a nascent agricultural data platform

The potential of digital platforms to deliver on both economic and societal values is contested, with many arguing that economic value is prioritized to the detriment of more social values. Yet, the literature lacks in-depth empirical studies on how these perceptions of worth in the early stage of platform development are developed and settled upon. This paper draws on valuation studies to provide insight into how multiple platform founders construct the worth of a nascent agriculture data-sharing platform in Sweden. Using qualitative methods, the study shows that initially, the platform founders consider a number of values (accessible and transparent data, profitability, sustainability and innovation) that are defined through ‘common good’ and ‘economic good’ aspects. However, the need to articulate the worth to potential funders and partners encourages a reliance on measurable qualities, which subsequently leads to a shift in how values are defined and discussed, foregrounding and backgrounding different values and stakeholders in the process. These insights point to the complexity for firms grappling with economic and social values and highlight the need for the re-evaluation of the frameworks used to determine the value of innovation in the agri-food sector.