Digital Platforms Research Articles

Mathematic Model of Business-Ecosystem

The article discusses the approach to building a mathematic model of business-ecosystem. To provide objectivity to the model it is proposed to study business-ecosystem as a customer-centric triad, which includes, firstly, the totality of elements of inter-branch belonging interacting in the process of development, production and marketing; secondly, one or several digital platforms with a set of various services integrated around one company. It gives the customer an opportunity to move in a ‘seamless’ way along them and obtain benefits from their complex use and satisfy his/her needs in conditions of one window. And thirdly, this pattern covers the organization itself, which uses innovation approaches to management and considers the enterprise as a self-developing complex living body that can effectively interact with the outward environment. The most important parameter showing profitability of staying in business-system is price of goods and services, which shall be studied from different sides at the same time: customer, supplier and organizer (proprietor) of the eco-system. Apart from profitable price for all participants, in order to assess efficiency of participation in business-ecosystems it is proposed to investigate functions of cost minimization, market share maximization and the rate of customer satisfaction maximization. The system of these criteria allows us, on the one hand, to identify limits of the business-ecosystem and on the other hand, to model the behavior of its elements and on this basis to make adequate managerial decisions.

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Digital platforms, as a rule, offer their services to at least one of the parties without a monetary fee, but by charging another resource – information – in the form of personal information and digital footprints. Analysis mechanisms of collected information provide companies with hidden competitive power, which, on the one hand, allows them to increase efficiency, but on the other hand, carries potential threats for many individual users and for economic welfare. The main research question concerns the presence of incentives to maintain or enhance privacy on the Internet, which arise not only from users, but also from business, as well as the role of government regulators in this process. Some of the urgent regulatory decisions to develop a competitive environment in digital markets and ensure transparency of processes within ecosystems, discussed in this article, can provide progress in user control over their personal information. At the same time, the proposed changes will lead to additional information security risks (and other aspects). The question of ensuring the guarantor reliability related to privacy on the Internet remains open.

‘Platform-ised’ work? The case of neo-craft work

In relation to work, the term ‘platformisation’ has gained popularity to indicate the various ways in which a digital platform gets to mediate, organise, intervene in, or otherwise facilitate some work activity. Yet, the intervention of digital platforms into work today increasingly involves activities that are not immediately related to the digital sphere, where different kinds of platforms have become part and parcel of the cultures and practices of work. There is a necessity, in other words, to develop a clearer framework to identify what it means when work activity gets to be ‘platform- ised’, the conditions under which this takes place, and what the main implications are deriving from this process. Using the case of ‘neo-craft’ work in the European Union, we propose and illustrate a theoretical conceptualisation of platform- ised work, critically discussing the distinctiveness of this process and highlighting its key features.

Exploring minimal indirect digital economy taxation as a post-COVID-19 economic recovery strategy for African revenue mobilisation

The COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath continue to devastate most areas of society and continue to reveal inherent structural vulnerabilities in the economies, social, and health systems in countries. In addition, the Russia-Ukraine conflict of 2022 and the geopolitics of its resolution continue to create shocks across the globe- evidenced by rising inflation, increased sovereign debt level, recession, and reduced public expenditure among others. While many sectors of the economy were crippled by the back-to-back global economic shocks of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict through reduced economic activities resulting in a global recession and reduced tax revenues for public expenditure, the digital economy has surprisingly boomed and continues to grow in this period of uncertainty. This has been directly attributed to the 'lure of the alternative', caused by the social and economic lockdowns imposed by countries, which pushed many persons and companies to explore the next available option- online platforms to conduct business. Although the rise in the use of digital platforms for business activities is commendable, this development has some implications for traditional business frameworks which in turn affects revenue mobilisation for funding public infrastructure projects and services. This is because, in Africa, the digital economy is not as well-regulated as the traditional economy. This creates an avenue for tax evasion and avoidance, arising from the dynamic and complex nature of digital transactions. This challenge requires that urgent solutions be found for the effective taxation of the digital economy. There will be a need to review/reform economic and fiscal policies and laws to ensure a faster recovery from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. There would also be a need to create digital tax policies that are equitable for source and market jurisdictions and, lastly, there will be a need for cooperation in tax law and policies across Africa that capture the reality of the growth and ubiquitous presence of digital multinationals in Africa.

Digital platforms and SMEs’ performance: the moderating effect of intellectual capital and environmental dynamism

PurposeThis research aims to shed light on the linkage between digital platforms and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) performance and consider the moderating effect of intellectual capital and environmental dynamism.Design/methodology/approachThis study applies a quantitative approach using a sample of primary data from 508 managers and directors of Vietnamese SMEs, using structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsThe utilization of digital platforms by managers and directors has a positive impact on enhancing intellectual capital. However, under the influence of external environment changes, this trend may shift towards a negative direction. The ability to utilize digital platforms, whether directly or through information communication, positively affects the performance of businesses. Research has shown that the positive promotion of digital platform capability for intellectual capital factors such as human capital, organizational capital, and relational capital decreases when the external environment changes in the context of uncertain globalization.Originality/valueThis research focuses on SMEs operating in the technology and e-commerce sectors and it evidences that digital platforms are an effective baseline driver for promoting high-performing SMEs. By examining the connection between digital platform’s capability and IC and the significance of intellectual capital for SMEs’ performance, this study adds to the body of literature already available on the destructive regulatory potential of environmental dynamism. This study broadens the dynamic capabilities theory’s outcome audience and adds a new dimension to the impact of the digital platform’s capability (resource utilization) on the performance of SMEs.

Designing Digital Voting Systems for Citizens: Achieving Fairness and Legitimacy in Participatory Budgeting

Participatory Budgeting (PB) has evolved into a key democratic instrument for resource allocation in cities. Enabled by digital platforms, cities now have the opportunity to let citizens directly propose and vote on urban projects, using different voting input and aggregation rules. However, the choices cities make in terms of the rules of their PB have often not been informed by academic studies on voter behaviour and preferences. Therefore, this work presents the results of behavioural experiments where participants were asked to vote in a fictional PB setting. We identified approaches to designing PB voting that minimise cognitive load and enhance the perceived fairness and legitimacy of the digital process from the citizens’ perspective. In our study, participants preferred voting input formats that are more expressive (like rankings and distributing points) over simpler formats (like approval voting). Participants also indicated a desire for the budget to be fairly distributed across city districts and project categories. Participants found the Method of Equal Shares voting rule to be fairer than the conventional Greedy voting rule. These findings offer actionable insights for digital governance, contributing to the development of fairer and more transparent digital systems and collective decision-making processes for citizens.

Leveraging strategic network resources into firm performance: the roles of dynamic capabilities and platform monitoring

Purpose Drawing from the resource-based view (RBV), this study aims to develop a parsimonious model in the context of digital platforms that links strategic network resources (SNR) and firm performance through considering dynamic capabilities (DC) as important mediating mechanisms. In addition, we also investigate how platform monitoring shapes the relationship between SNR and DC. Design/methodology/approach This study uses the survey data from 162 firms in eastern China. Findings The findings indicate that both two DC dimensions (i.e., sensing and reconfiguring) significantly mediate the relationship of SNR-performance. Moreover, platform monitoring positively moderates the relationship of SNR and sensing as well as SNR and reconfiguring. Originality/value With these findings, this study advances SNR and digital platform research and provides insights into how to transform SNR into superior performance through DC.

The Role of Marketing Research in Understanding Consumer Behavior and Preferences

The research aims to explore the transformative impact of digital channels and online platforms on contemporary consumer behavior, with a focus on understanding the role of social media and personalized marketing strategies. Employing a comprehensive research design, the study integrates insights from diverse disciplines, including consumer psychology, digital analytics, and economic considerations. Methodologically, a systematic literature review and qualitative analysis are conducted to synthesize findings from recent research studies, providing a nuanced understanding of the dynamics shaping consumer-brand interactions in the digital age. The findings highlight the significance of digital channels in reshaping consumer preferences and purchasing decisions, emphasizing the role of social media platforms and personalized experiences in driving brand engagement and loyalty. Implications for businesses include the necessity to adopt digital-first approaches, leverage advanced analytics tools, and prioritize consumer-centric strategies to remain competitive in the evolving marketplace. Additionally, the study underscores the importance of interdisciplinary perspectives and ongoing research efforts to explore emerging trends and technologies that continue to shape consumer behavior and market dynamics.

Contestation, negotiation, and experimentation: The liminality of land administration platforms in Kenya

This paper examines diverse infrastructural interventions in the making of Ardhisasa, the Kenyan state’s digital land information management platform, as a space of contestation, negotiation, and experimentation. We analyse the platformisation of governance through theories on liminality to explain the agency of various actors in shaping the digital state. We particularly zoom into the influence of two actors: the private actors in the land sector and the civil society organisations representing informalised residents, and how they exercise agency in the development of Ardhisasa. Drawing on interviews with state and non-state actors, secondary literature, and extensive experience within Kenya’s land administration system, we trace the overt and covert exercise of power in the platformisation of land administration of Nairobi. Our central thesis is that, despite its progressive development, Ardhisasa follows the tradition of a long line of large-scale infrastructural or developmental projects that rarely deliver on their promise for improvement but rather further entrench marginalised groups due to its exclusion of the already existing, albeit informalised, land administration and transaction practices that meet the needs of the urban poor. We argue that Ardhisasa’s perpetual state of becoming leads to the spatialisation of liminality itself.

The platformisation of illicit drug markets: How datafication, technological affordances, and platform-mediated labour practices shape illicit drug markets

Digital technologies go beyond merely facilitating illicit drug exchanges; they actively reconfigure and reorganise interactions in illicit drug markets. In this article we consider the ongoing evolution of illicit drug markets against the backdrop of platform capitalism in order to conceptualise the platformisation of illicit drug markets. The platformisation of illicit drug markets illustrates how drug markets are becoming contingent on the technological, economic and socio-cultural logics of digital platforms. We explore three key themes that are useful in framing the process of platformisation: (i) the datafication of drug markets, (ii) platform affordances and drug exchanges and (iii) platform-mediated labour practices. These themes unpack the transformations underway in illicit drug markets, but the paper also invites broader conversations on how criminology engages in discussions of crime in an era dominated by technology giants (e.g. Meta, Google and Amazon).

Customer Acquisition via Explainable Deep Reinforcement Learning

Effective customer acquisition is crucial for digital platforms, with sequential targeting ensuring that marketing messages are both timely and relevant. The proposed deep recurrent Q-network with attention (DRQN-attention) model enhances this process by optimizing long-term rewards and increasing decision-making transparency. Tested with a data set from a digital bank, the DRQN-attention model has proven to enhance clarity in decision making and outperform traditional methods in boosting long-term rewards. Its attention mechanism acts as a strategic tool for forward planning, pinpointing crucial ad marketing channels that are likely to engage and convert prospects. This capability enables marketers to understand the dynamic targeting strategies of the proposed model that align with customer profiles, dynamic behaviors, and the seasonality of the markets, thereby boosting confidence and effectiveness in their customer acquisition strategies.

Managing Human Resource in the Digital Economy: Balancing Challenges and Opportunities

Digital technologies enable the adoption of more efficient working models, such as process automation, predictive analytics for better decision making, and the use of digital platforms for employee development and performance management. This study aims to investigate employee perceptions and experiences of digital transformation in the context of challenges and opportunities at the company PT Charoen Pokphand Indonesia (CP) Food. The research method used is descriptive qualitative with a data collection approach through questionnaires and observations. The questionnaire was designed to collect employee responses on various aspects of digital transformation in terms of opportunities and challenges. Using a purposive sampling approach, which is a sampling method in which the researcher deliberately selects certain participants or sample units based on certain characteristics or criteria that are considered relevant to the research objectives. The results showed that employees have a positive view of digital transformation at the company PT Charoen Pokphand Indonesia (CP) Food. Employees see it as an opportunity for career development and professional growth, and feel supported in developing their digital skills. A work culture that supports collaboration, innovation, and creativity is also considered important in creating a productive and dynamic work environment. The integration of digital technology is considered successful by employees, indicating that the company has successfully implemented technology in daily work processes well. This research provides valuable insights into how digital transformation affects employee perceptions and experiences in the work environment. The implications of these findings can be used by companies to design more effective human resource management strategies to face the challenges and opportunities in the evolving digital economy.

Accessibility of digital systems in information retrieval by users with visual impairment

Purpose This paper aims to evaluate the accessibility of digital information systems as a key usability attribute in information retrieval by users with visual impairment (VI), to inform development of accessible information systems. Design/methodology/approach This study used a cross-sectional survey design based on the quantitative research paradigm. Data was collected from 117 students with visual impairments from selected public universities in Kenya, using a semi-structured questionnaire adapted from Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Findings This study revealed that gender did not influence screen reader compatibility, alternative format preferences, perceptions of accessible content or digital library navigability. Instead, type of visual impairment, prior assistive technology (AT) training and digital library use frequency significantly impacted these attributes. Blind students reported positive experiences, favouring alternative formats, and expressed positive views on accessible content while those with low vision faced more challenges. Prior training in assistive technology and frequent digital library use resulted in higher screen reader compatibility and better navigability. Increased digital library use was linked to access to alternative content for those with prior assistive technology training. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to the existing literature on accessibility of digital information systems for users with visual impairments. Further research is needed to explore other factors that may influence the accessibility of digital systems, such as the design of user interfaces as well as an evaluation of accessibility of digital systems for other categories of disabilities such as hearing impairment, physical impairment, autism and intellectual disability, among others. Practical implications The findings of this study have practical implications for the design and development of digital systems such as digital libraries. Developers can leverage findings of this study to enhance compatibility of digital platforms with screen readers and provide alternative formats and accessible content. User-centred design principles can be used to create interfaces that are easy to navigate and friendly to users with visual impairments. Training programmes on assistive technology should be provided to users to enhance their skills and confidence in using digital systems. Originality/value This study contributes towards design and creation of navigable systems that are compatible with screen readers. The study also points out the importance of creating more inclusive and usable digital environments for persons with visual impairments.

Ship-from-store omnichannel using a 4pl digital platform

Goal: This research aimed to simulate a ship-from-store operation process from an omnichannel retailer. Based on this we proposed a conceptual model orchestrated through a 4PL. Through the results evaluated by performance indicators in the simulation, computational results of using the approach in a real case can be added to decision-making and the literature. Design / Methodology / Approach: This paper comprises the collection of sales and logistics data from a retailer for developing a computer simulation using R programming language, so that the ship-from-store strategy is evaluated. Data from an omnichannel retailer supported the development of two scenarios: the first represent retailer's current praxis; in the second, the logistics orchestration model is applied. The analysis considers two performance indicators: freight price and freight time. Results: The results demonstrate that after adopting the ship-from-store strategy the omnichannel retailer can reduce the freight price by up to 60%. Regarding the delivery time, a reduction of up to 8 days is envisioned. These reductions positively impact the customer experience in the online channel, increasing its attractiveness. Limitations of the investigation: The limitations of the research are based on a logistics orchestration model for a retailer that is omnichannel and has several stores within its national territory with stock. This stock is sufficient to implement a ship-from-store process in this retailer. Practical implications: This retailer, by applying the method, is able to achieve better customer rewards. In the same way, it manages to make the online channel more attractive at the lowest cost and in the shortest time. This retailer is also able to use new technological resources through a 4PL. This serves as a technological tool for the logistics orchestration operation. Originality / Value: An original computer simulation for a 4PL digital platform orchestrating the ship-from-store strategy in omnichannel retailing is presented.

The advancement of artificial intelligence in biomedical research and health innovation: challenges and opportunities in emerging economies

The advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), algorithm optimization and high-throughput experiments has enabled scientists to accelerate the discovery of new chemicals and materials with unprecedented efficiency, resilience and precision. Over the recent years, the so-called autonomous experimentation (AE) systems are featured as key AI innovation to enhance and accelerate research and development (R&D). Also known as self-driving laboratories or materials acceleration platforms, AE systems are digital platforms capable of running a large number of experiments autonomously. Those systems are rapidly impacting biomedical research and clinical innovation, in areas such as drug discovery, nanomedicine, precision oncology, and others. As it is expected that AE will impact healthcare innovation from local to global levels, its implications for science and technology in emerging economies should be examined. By examining the increasing relevance of AE in contemporary R&D activities, this article aims to explore the advancement of artificial intelligence in biomedical research and health innovation, highlighting its implications, challenges and opportunities in emerging economies. AE presents an opportunity for stakeholders from emerging economies to co-produce the global knowledge landscape of AI in health. However, asymmetries in R&D capabilities should be acknowledged since emerging economies suffers from inadequacies and discontinuities in resources and funding. The establishment of decentralized AE infrastructures could support stakeholders to overcome local restrictions and opens venues for more culturally diverse, equitable, and trustworthy development of AI in health-related R&D through meaningful partnerships and engagement. Collaborations with innovators from emerging economies could facilitate anticipation of fiscal pressures in science and technology policies, obsolescence of knowledge infrastructures, ethical and regulatory policy lag, and other issues present in the Global South. Also, improving cultural and geographical representativeness of AE contributes to foster the diffusion and acceptance of AI in health-related R&D worldwide. Institutional preparedness is critical and could enable stakeholders to navigate opportunities of AI in biomedical research and health innovation in the coming years.

The Possible Role of Digital Platforms in Information Operations

The Possible Role of Digital Platforms in Information Operations

Evolutionary game analysis of data sharing among large and medium-sized enterprises in the perspective of platform empowerment

With the swift advancement of the global digital economy, data has emerged as a critical component in fostering the integration of large enterprises with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Nevertheless, due to disparities in resources and capabilities between these entities, there is a deficiency in the willingness to share data, hindering the full actualization of data’s potential value. Hence, it is imperative to facilitate a novel cooperative development paradigm wherein platforms enable data sharing among large enterprises and SMEs. In this paper, we construct a tripartite evolutionary game model encompassing large enterprises, SMEs, and digital platforms, examine the evolutionary stable strategies adopted by these entities in the data sharing, and use numerical simulation to explore the system’s evolutionary stability under various influencing factors. Contrasting with prior research, this study considers the heterogeneity of enterprise scale and delves into the data sharing dynamics between large enterprises and SMEs. Simultaneously, it positions the digital platform as a player in the game, examining its impact on data sharing among the enterprises. Findings indicate that: (1) SMEs exhibit greater eagerness for data sharing compared to large enterprises, which display a U-shaped influence during the process; (2) Digital platforms are particularly sensitive to costs, with the platform’s initiative and the service quality will affect enterprises strategic choices; (3) Government subsidies positively encourage tripartite cooperation, and robust data security governance framework is crucial for enterprises. Finally, based on the results of the study and combining with the current situation of digital economy development, it puts forward the suggestions for promoting platforms to empower large enterprises and SMEs to realize data sharing and the prospects for future research.

Overcoming Data Limitations in Thai Herb Classification with Data Augmentation and Transfer Learning

Despite the medicinal significance of traditional Thai herbs, their accurate identification on digital platforms is a challenge due to the vast diversity among species and the limited scope of existing digital databases. In response, this paper introduces the Thai traditional herb classifier that uniquely combines transfer learning, innovative data augmentation strategies, and the inclusion of noisy data to tackle this issue. Our novel contributions encompass the creation of a curated dataset spanning 20 distinct Thai herb categories, a robust deep learning architecture that intricately combines transfer learning with tailored data augmentation techniques, and the development of an Android application tailored for real-world herb recognition scenarios. Preliminary results of our method indicate its potential to revolutionize the way Thai herbs are digitally identified, holding promise for advancements in natural medicine and computer-assisted herb recognition.

Urgent actions needed by digital services platforms to help achieve conservation and public health goals

Urgent actions needed by digital services platforms to help achieve conservation and public health goals

Spatio-temporal data fusion techniques for modeling digital twin City

ABSTRACT The digital twin city technique maps the massive city environmental and social data on a three-dimensional virtual model. It presents the operational status of physical world and supports intelligent city governance. However, the inefficient utilization of distributed data resources, and the lack of sharing and collaboration among multiple departments restrict the data formulation of digital twin city construction. This research proposes a new cross-domain spatio-temporal data fusion framework for supporting complex urban governance. It integrates the heterogeneous urban information generated and stored by different government departments using multiple-information techniques. A specified geographic base reflecting the real city status is established, using geographical entities with unified address as identifiers to encapsulate the urban elements information. We introduce a comprehensive urban spatio-temporal data center construction process, which has already supported multiple urban governance projects. The two distinct advantages in using this data fusion system are: 1) The proposed Bert+PtrNet+ESIM-based address mapping method associates the urban elements information to their corresponding geographic entities with 99.3% F1-Score on real-world dataset. 2) The Wuhan spatio-temporal data center operation illustrates the capability of our framework for complex urban governance, which significantly improves the efficiency of urban management and services. This integrated system engineering provides reference and inspiration for further spatio-temporal data management, which contributes to the future social governance in digital twin city platform.