IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/vrs/manmar/v13y2018i4p1210-1225n4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The impact of Digital Platforms on Business Models: an empirical investigation on innovative start-ups

Author

Listed:
  • Ruggieri Roberto

    (Sapienza University, Rome, Italy)

  • Savastano Marco

    (Sapienza University, Rome, Italy)

  • Scalingi Alessandra

    (Sapienza University, Rome, Italy)

  • Bala Dorina
  • D’Ascenzo Fabrizio

    (Sapienza University, Rome, Italy)

Abstract

Digital platforms have the ability to connect people, organizations and resources with the aim of facilitating the core interactions between businesses and consumers as well as assuring a greater efficiency for the business management. New business concepts, such as innovative start-ups, are therefore created based on innovation, scalability and the relationships within the community around them. The purpose of this work is to deeply understand the evolution of business models brought by innovative and dynamic companies operating through online platforms. In order to achieve the objectives set, an exploratory multiple-case study was designed based on in-depth structured interviews. The aim was to conduct a mixed analysis, in order to rely both on qualitative and quantitative data. The structured interview protocol was therefore designed to collect and then analyse data concerning the company profile and managers’ perspectives on the phenomenon of interest. The interview protocol was submitted in advance and then face-to-face interviews were carried out with the following professional figures: Chief Executive Officer (CEO), General Manager, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Marketing Manager and Developers. Collected data were analysed and processed through the Canvas Business Model in order to clearly outline similarities and differences among the sample. Results can be considered under two viewpoints. On the one hand, this work provides a detailed overview of the companies interviewed, according to the dimensions of: reference market dynamics, type and number of customers, scalability. On the other one, they allow to identify some success patterns regarding key activities, key resources, channel mix strategy, costs management, value proposition, customer segmentation, key partners and the way to obtain revenues. Results from the multiple-case study with 15 Italian start-ups provide interesting insights by comparing the innovative business models developed and highlighting key differences and similarities. Overall, the start-ups analyzed, operating in several sectors, showed great growth prospects and the possibility to create value for their customers through innovative products and services offered through digital platforms.

Suggested Citation

  • Ruggieri Roberto & Savastano Marco & Scalingi Alessandra & Bala Dorina & D’Ascenzo Fabrizio, 2018. "The impact of Digital Platforms on Business Models: an empirical investigation on innovative start-ups," Management & Marketing, Sciendo, vol. 13(4), pages 1210-1225, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:vrs:manmar:v:13:y:2018:i:4:p:1210-1225:n:4
    DOI: 10.2478/mmcks-2018-0032
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.2478/mmcks-2018-0032
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.2478/mmcks-2018-0032?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. Youngjin Yoo & Richard J. Boland & Kalle Lyytinen & Ann Majchrzak, 2012. "Organizing for Innovation in the Digitized World," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(5), pages 1398-1408, October.
    2. Satish Nambisan, 2017. "Digital Entrepreneurship: Toward a Digital Technology Perspective of Entrepreneurship," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 41(6), pages 1029-1055, November.
    3. Evans David S., 2003. "Some Empirical Aspects of Multi-sided Platform Industries," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 2(3), pages 1-19, September.
    4. Henry Chesbrough & Richard S. Rosenbloom, 2002. "The role of the business model in capturing value from innovation: evidence from Xerox Corporation's technology spin-off companies," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 11(3), pages 529-555, June.
    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. Oliveira, Luis & Fleury, Afonso & Fleury, Maria Tereza, 2021. "Digital power: Value chain upgrading in an age of digitization," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(6).
    2. Schmück, Kilian & Schückes, Magnus & Gutmann, Tobias & Gassmann, Oliver, 2025. "Less trust, more truth: Implications and design choices for business models and platform ecosystems in the age of Web3," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    3. Patrick Gregori & Patrick Holzmann & David B. Audretsch, 2024. "Sustainable entrepreneurship on digital platforms and the enactment of digital connectivity through business models," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 1173-1190, February.
    4. Muhammad Farooq Islam & Ozge Can, 2024. "Integrating digital and sustainable entrepreneurship through business models: a bibliometric analysis," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, December.
    5. Boeker, Warren & Howard, Michael D. & Basu, Sandip & Sahaym, Arvin, 2021. "Interpersonal relationships, digital technologies, and innovation in entrepreneurial ventures," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 495-507.
    6. Ancillai, Chiara & Sabatini, Andrea & Gatti, Marco & Perna, Andrea, 2023. "Digital technology and business model innovation: A systematic literature review and future research agenda," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    7. Rippa, Pierluigi & Secundo, Giustina, 2019. "Digital academic entrepreneurship: The potential of digital technologies on academic entrepreneurship," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 900-911.
    8. Zaheer, Hasnain & Breyer, Yvonne & Dumay, John & Enjeti, Mahesh, 2022. "The entrepreneurial journeys of digital start-up founders," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    9. Zahra, Shaker A. & Liu, Wan & Si, Steven, 2023. "How digital technology promotes entrepreneurship in ecosystems," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    10. Matthias Fabian Gregersen Trischler & Jason Li-Ying, 2023. "Digital business model innovation: toward construct clarity and future research directions," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 3-32, January.
    11. Soluk, Jonas & Decker-Lange, Carolin & Hack, Andreas, 2023. "Small steps for the big hit: A dynamic capabilities perspective on business networks and non-disruptive digital technologies in SMEs," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    12. Rong, Ke & Kang, Zhengyao & Williamson, Peter J., 2022. "Liability of ecosystem integration and internationalisation of digital firms," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(4).
    13. Fumeng Li & Jiancheng Long, 2024. "Exploration and exploitation of multiple values: The dynamic evolution process of sustainable entrepreneurship in Chinese digital platform corporates," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(3), pages 2342-2357, June.
    14. Jianhong Zhang & Désirée Gorp & Henk Kievit, 2023. "Digital technology and national entrepreneurship: An ecosystem perspective," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 1077-1105, June.
    15. Nambisan, Satish & Wright, Mike & Feldman, Maryann, 2019. "The digital transformation of innovation and entrepreneurship: Progress, challenges and key themes," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(8), pages 1-1.
    16. Landoni, Paolo & Dell’era, Claudio & Frattini, Federico & Messeni Petruzzelli, Antonio & Verganti, Roberto & Manelli, Luca, 2020. "Business model innovation in cultural and creative industries: Insights from three leading mobile gaming firms," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 92.
    17. Satish Nambisan & Shaker A. Zahra & Yadong Luo, 2019. "Global platforms and ecosystems: Implications for international business theories," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(9), pages 1464-1486, December.
    18. Sohaib S. Hassan & Konrad Meisner & Kevin Krause & Levan Bzhalava & Petra Moog, 2024. "Is digitalization a source of innovation? Exploring the role of digital diffusion in SME innovation performance," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 62(4), pages 1469-1491, April.
    19. He, Kai & Bouncken, Ricarda B. & Kiani, Ataullah & Kraus, Sascha, 2024. "The role of strategic orientations for digital innovation: When entrepreneurship meets sustainability," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    20. Brunswicker, Sabine & Schecter, Aaron, 2019. "Coherence or flexibility? The paradox of change for developers’ digital innovation trajectory on open platforms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(8), pages 1-1.

    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:vrs:manmar:v:13:y:2018:i:4:p:1210-1225:n:4. 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: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.sciendo.com .

    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.