Digital platforms for development: Foundations and research agenda. (28th January 2021)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- Digital platforms for development: Foundations and research agenda. (28th January 2021)
- Main Title:
- Digital platforms for development: Foundations and research agenda
- Authors:
- Bonina, Carla
Koskinen, Kari
Eaton, Ben
Gawer, Annabelle - Other Names:
- Davison Robert M. guestEditor.
Nicholson Brian guestEditor.
Nielsen Petter guestEditor.
Saebo Johan guestEditor. - Abstract:
- Abstract: Digital platforms hold a central position in today's world economy and are said to offer a great potential for the economies and societies in the global South. Yet, to date, the scholarly literature on digital platforms has largely concentrated on business while their developmental implications remain understudied. In part, this is because digital platforms are a challenging research object due to their lack of conceptual definition, their spread across different regions and industries, and their intertwined nature with institutions, actors and digital technologies. The purpose of this article is to contribute to the ongoing debate in information systems and ICT4D research to understand what digital platforms mean for development. To do so, we first define what digital platforms are and differentiate between transaction and innovation platforms, and explain their key characteristics in terms of purpose, research foundations, material properties and business models. We add the socio‐technical context digital platforms operate and the linkages to developmental outcomes. We then conduct an extensive review to explore what current areas, developmental goals, tensions and issues emerge in the literature on platforms and development and identify relevant gaps in our knowledge. We later elaborate on six research questions to advance the studies on digital platforms for development: on indigenous innovation, digital platforms and institutions, on exacerbation ofAbstract: Digital platforms hold a central position in today's world economy and are said to offer a great potential for the economies and societies in the global South. Yet, to date, the scholarly literature on digital platforms has largely concentrated on business while their developmental implications remain understudied. In part, this is because digital platforms are a challenging research object due to their lack of conceptual definition, their spread across different regions and industries, and their intertwined nature with institutions, actors and digital technologies. The purpose of this article is to contribute to the ongoing debate in information systems and ICT4D research to understand what digital platforms mean for development. To do so, we first define what digital platforms are and differentiate between transaction and innovation platforms, and explain their key characteristics in terms of purpose, research foundations, material properties and business models. We add the socio‐technical context digital platforms operate and the linkages to developmental outcomes. We then conduct an extensive review to explore what current areas, developmental goals, tensions and issues emerge in the literature on platforms and development and identify relevant gaps in our knowledge. We later elaborate on six research questions to advance the studies on digital platforms for development: on indigenous innovation, digital platforms and institutions, on exacerbation of inequalities, on alternative forms of value, on the dark side of platforms and on the applicability of the platform typology for development. … (more)
- Is Part Of:
- Information systems journal. Volume 31:Number 6(2021)
- Journal:
- Information systems journal
- Issue:
- Volume 31:Number 6(2021)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 31, Issue 6 (2021)
- Year:
- 2021
- Volume:
- 31
- Issue:
- 6
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2021-0031-0006-0000
- Page Start:
- 869
- Page End:
- 902
- Publication Date:
- 2021-01-28
- Subjects:
- Information technology -- Periodicals
Management information systems -- Periodicals
303.4833 - Journal URLs:
- http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/servlet/useragent?func=showIssues&code=isj ↗
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1365-2575 ↗
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ ↗ - DOI:
- 10.1111/isj.12326 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 1350-1917
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library DSC - 4496.368300
British Library DSC - BLDSS-3PM
British Library HMNTS - ELD Digital store - Ingest File:
- 19790.xml