Societal Digital Platforms: Architecture and Design

Abstract

Societal digital platforms have emerged globally as a new class of digital platforms to address community and social needs in several countries. Based on platform centred ecosystem approach, societal digital platforms not only provide solution to some significant community problem but also enable other ecosystem participants to create innovative solutions on top of such platforms in diverse fields. This study examines how, in absence of any monetary appropriation, architecture and design features of societal digital platforms facilitate achieving platform goals of ecosystem innovation and network effect. A qualitative multiple case study method based on a data-driven approach has been followed to examine a set of propositions. In-depth interpretive case analysis has been used to analyse multiple cases employing NVivo software. It has been established that the architecture and design aspects of societal digital platforms enable ecosystem innovation (due to modularity and by adopting open standards) as well as drive positive network effect (due to scalability and strong ties network). For practitioners and policy planners, this research contributes by bringing out configurations which need to be incorporated in architecture and design to realize societal digital platforms goals. These can be further employed in other similar platforms which are emerging in different countries. Secondly, this study contributes to the theoretical understanding of elements of ecosystem innovation and network effect in case of societal digital platforms.