Conceptual Typology for Platform Service Ecosystems

Abstract

Submitted:April 26, 2015 1 st Revision:December 6, 2015 Accepted:December 10, 2015 * 경희대학교 경영대학 교수 This study first introduces platform services and their business models. On the basis of the concepts of business ecosystem, we present a framework for distinguishing types of the platform service business models. Two key characteristics of business ecosystems ecosystem configuration and value production process are employed as fundamental dimensions for constructing typology. In particular, we also present the notion of value ecosystem, where not a single platform provider but a federation of platforms constitutes a virtual platform and completes a service system. The value ecosystem represents two distinct types of platform service business models : meta-platform ecosystem and platform coalition ecosystem. They show different governance structure in the platform federation and service flows across the ecosystem. We present detailed analyses of these two value ecosystems focusing on relevant cases of e-payment FinTech : Apple Pay as an example of meta-platform and Kakao Pay for platform coalition. Our conceptual typology contributes to platforms’ proper strategy formulation and presents policy implications to, for example, platform neutrality. Keyword:Platform, Business Ecosystem, Value Production Process, Value Ecosystem, MetaPlatform, Platform Coalition, FinTech Case Study 韓國IT서비스學會誌 第15卷 第1號 2016年 3月, pp.299-319