IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/tec/journl/v39y2023i1p350-369.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Digital technology, GAFA companies and the changing business world: growth trends in the ethereal economy 20 years later

Author

Listed:
  • Elena Sanchez Arnau

    (Universitat Politecnica de Valencia.)

  • Antonia Ferrer Sapena

    (Universitat Politecnica de Valencia.)

  • Enrique Alfonso Sanchez Perez

    (Universitat Politecnica de Valencia.)

Abstract

Taking a historical perspective, we analyze the economic growth of GAFA companies, and how they fit into the indicators that measure global human development. We explore the limits of growth -assuming that economic growth is inherent to good economic performance- by studying these cases, which are relevant insofar as they lead global economic growth in the new digital-based ("ethereal") economy. Our methodological approach contrasts the growth patterns of GAFA companies with general human growth parameters. This case-to-global study finds clear trends, suggesting that the ethereal economy is constrained only by the limits of human growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Elena Sanchez Arnau & Antonia Ferrer Sapena & Enrique Alfonso Sanchez Perez, 2023. "Digital technology, GAFA companies and the changing business world: growth trends in the ethereal economy 20 years later," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 39(1), pages 350-369, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:tec:journl:v:39:y:2023:i:1:p:350-369
    DOI: 10.47577/tssj.v39i1.7703
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://techniumscience.com/index.php/socialsciences/article/view/7703/2980
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://techniumscience.com/index.php/socialsciences/article/view/7703
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.47577/tssj.v39i1.7703?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gawer, Annabelle, 2014. "Bridging differing perspectives on technological platforms: Toward an integrative framework," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(7), pages 1239-1249.
    2. Kevin Boudreau, 2010. "Open Platform Strategies and Innovation: Granting Access vs. Devolving Control," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 56(10), pages 1849-1872, October.
    3. He, Hongwei & Harris, Lloyd, 2020. "The impact of Covid-19 pandemic on corporate social responsibility and marketing philosophy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 176-182.
    4. Teece, David J., 2018. "Profiting from innovation in the digital economy: Enabling technologies, standards, and licensing models in the wireless world," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(8), pages 1367-1387.
    5. Wang, Yonggui & Hong, Aoran & Li, Xia & Gao, Jia, 2020. "Marketing innovations during a global crisis: A study of China firms’ response to COVID-19," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 214-220.
    6. Kaplan, Andreas & Haenlein, Michael, 2020. "Rulers of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 63(1), pages 37-50.
    7. Vollebergh, Herman R.J. & Kemfert, Claudia, 2005. "The role of technological change for a sustainable development," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(2-3), pages 133-147, August.
    8. Jalas, Mikko, 2002. "A time use perspective on the materials intensity of consumption," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 109-123, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Alaimo, Cristina & Kallinikos, Jannis & Vallderama-Venegas, E, 2020. "Platforms as service ecosystems: lessons from social media," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 101474, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Shi, Xianwei & Liang, Xingkun & Luo, Yining, 2023. "Unpacking the intellectual structure of ecosystem research in innovation studies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(6).
    3. Andreas Hein & Maximilian Schreieck & Tobias Riasanow & David Soto Setzke & Manuel Wiesche & Markus Böhm & Helmut Krcmar, 2020. "Digital platform ecosystems," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 30(1), pages 87-98, March.
    4. Cenamor, Javier & Frishammar, Johan, 2021. "Openness in platform ecosystems: Innovation strategies for complementary products," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(1).
    5. Jiatao Li & Liang Chen & Jingtao Yi & Jiye Mao & Jianwen Liao, 2019. "Ecosystem-specific advantages in international digital commerce," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(9), pages 1448-1463, December.
    6. Tobias Wulfert & Robert Woroch & Gero Strobel & Sarah Seufert & Frederik Möller, 2022. "Developing design principles to standardize e-commerce ecosystems," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 32(4), pages 1813-1842, December.
    7. Jan Frederic Nerbel & Markus Kreutzer, 2023. "Digital platform ecosystems in flux: From proprietary digital platforms to wide-spanning ecosystems," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 33(1), pages 1-20, December.
    8. Ali Zackery & Joseph Amankwah-Amoah & Zahra Heidari Darani & Shiva Ghasemi, 2022. "COVID-19 Research in Business and Management: A Review and Future Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-32, August.
    9. Spaniol, Matthew J. & Rowland, Nicholas J., 2022. "Business ecosystems and the view from the future: The use of corporate foresight by stakeholders of the Ro-Ro shipping ecosystem in the Baltic Sea Region," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    10. David Benjamin Billedeau & Jeffrey Wilson & Naima Samuel, 2022. "From Responsibility to Requirement: COVID, Cars, and the Future of Corporate Social Responsibility in Canada," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-16, May.
    11. Christian Bartelheimer, Philipp zur Heiden, Hedda Lüttenberg, Daniel Beverungen, 2021. "Systematizing the Lexicon of Platforms in Information Systems: A Data-Driven Study," Working Papers Dissertations 79, Paderborn University, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics.
    12. Xie, Junyi & Ifie, Kemefasu & Gruber, Thorsten, 2022. "The dual threat of COVID-19 to health and job security – Exploring the role of mindfulness in sustaining frontline employee-related outcomes," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 216-227.
    13. Panos Constantinides & Ola Henfridsson & Geoffrey G. Parker, 2018. "Introduction—Platforms and Infrastructures in the Digital Age," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 29(2), pages 381-400, June.
    14. Hou, Hong & Shi, Yongjiang, 2021. "Ecosystem-as-structure and ecosystem-as-coevolution: A constructive examination," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    15. Uzunca, Bilgehan & Sharapov, Dmitry & Tee, Richard, 2022. "Governance rigidity, industry evolution, and value capture in platform ecosystems," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(7).
    16. Gomes, Leonardo Augusto de Vasconcelos & Flechas, Ximena Alejandra & Facin, Ana Lucia Figueiredo & Borini, Felipe Mendes, 2021. "Ecosystem management: Past achievements and future promises," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    17. Jiang, Yangyang & Stylos, Nikolaos, 2021. "Triggers of consumers’ enhanced digital engagement and the role of digital technologies in transforming the retail ecosystem during COVID-19 pandemic," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    18. Yuki Inoue & Masataka Hashimoto & Takeshi Takenaka, 2019. "Effectiveness of Ecosystem Strategies for the Sustainability of Marketplace Platform Ecosystems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-33, October.
    19. Chang Jing & Hou Ke & Zhu Yangpeng, 2023. "Performance investment and price decisions of two‐sided platforms under multiple quality regulation strategies," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(4), pages 2148-2158, June.
    20. Harold Paredes-Frigolett & Andreas Pyka, 2022. "The global stakeholder capitalism model of digital platforms and its implications for strategy and innovation from a Schumpeterian perspective," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 463-500, April.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Big Data; Linear trend; GAFA; ethereal economy; growth;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:tec:journl:v:39:y:2023:i:1:p:350-369. 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.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with 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: Tasente Tanase (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    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.