Co-opetition between Differentiated Platforms in Two-sided Markets
By Ravi Mantena, Rajib Saha
Journal of Management Information Systems | 2012
DOI
doi.org/10.2753/MIS0742-1222290205
Citation
Mantena, Ravi., Saha, Rajib. Co-opetition between Differentiated Platforms in Two-sided Markets Journal of Management Information Systems doi.org/10.2753/MIS0742-1222290205.
Copyright
Journal of Management Information Systems, 2012
Share:
Abstract
Technology is an important factor underlying the value propositions of intermediary platforms in two-sided markets. Here, we address two key questions related to the effect of technology in platform markets. First, how does technology asymmetry affect competition between platforms? Second, how does it affect the incentives for platforms to collaborate? Using a game-theoretic model of a two-sided market where technology strongly influences network value, we show that small asymmetries in platform technologies can translate into large differences in their profitability. We find that technology improvements by the inferior platform do not significantly increase its profits, but can reduce opportunities for fruitful cooperation, since collaboration is less likely in markets with closely matched competitors. We also show that collaboration is most profitable when it takes the form of direct network interconnection. Interestingly, collaboration may provide incentives for a dominant platform to accommodate entry, where it would not otherwise do so.

Rajib Saha is an Associate Professor of Information Systems at the Indian School of Business (ISB). He works broadly in the areas of Economics of IT and IT-enabled business models and data mining. His research explores questions related to crowds and platforms, pricing and operationalisation of digital goods, B2B contracts, network analytics, and more.

Prior to joining ISB, he taught graduate-level courses in the area of Operations Management and Information Systems at the University of Rochester, and worked in the IT industry for several years at organisations such as Oracle and Novell.

Professor Saha received his MS and PhD in Business Administration from the University of Rochester, New York and B.Tech. in Computer Science and Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.

Rajib Saha
Rajib Saha