{"title":"A layered governance approach to regulating Big Tech","authors":"Maria Jose Murcia , Roy Suddaby","doi":"10.1016/j.lrp.2024.102453","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>After decades of unregulated growth, the world's largest technology companies have now attracted the attention of regulators in both Europe and the US. Regulating “Big Tech”, however, has proven to be challenging, partly because of their size, but also because of their strategic importance in maintaining a competitive advantage between western nation-states and rising economies in Asia. The paradox is that regulators hope to create a regulatory regime that constrains the oligopoly power of Big Tech without quashing their capacity to innovate. Traditional regulatory theories are not equipped to address this paradox. Drawing from neo-institutional theory, we propose a “layered governance” model of regulation to address this problem. Layered governance is an emerging regulatory regime that distributes power across multiple government and non-government organizations while providing the regulated organizations with a degree of flexibility and choice by the organizations themselves as to the mode of regulation. We elaborate how layered governance is consistent with current understandings of regulation as derived from neo-institutional theory, elaborate how it differs from traditional approaches to regulation, and discuss how a layered governance approach to regulating Big Tech may evolve in the future.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":18141,"journal":{"name":"Long Range Planning","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.4000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Long Range Planning","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0024630124000402","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BUSINESS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
After decades of unregulated growth, the world's largest technology companies have now attracted the attention of regulators in both Europe and the US. Regulating “Big Tech”, however, has proven to be challenging, partly because of their size, but also because of their strategic importance in maintaining a competitive advantage between western nation-states and rising economies in Asia. The paradox is that regulators hope to create a regulatory regime that constrains the oligopoly power of Big Tech without quashing their capacity to innovate. Traditional regulatory theories are not equipped to address this paradox. Drawing from neo-institutional theory, we propose a “layered governance” model of regulation to address this problem. Layered governance is an emerging regulatory regime that distributes power across multiple government and non-government organizations while providing the regulated organizations with a degree of flexibility and choice by the organizations themselves as to the mode of regulation. We elaborate how layered governance is consistent with current understandings of regulation as derived from neo-institutional theory, elaborate how it differs from traditional approaches to regulation, and discuss how a layered governance approach to regulating Big Tech may evolve in the future.
期刊介绍:
Long Range Planning (LRP) is an internationally renowned journal specializing in the field of strategic management. Since its establishment in 1968, the journal has consistently published original research, garnering a strong reputation among academics. LRP actively encourages the submission of articles that involve empirical research and theoretical perspectives, including studies that provide critical assessments and analysis of the current state of knowledge in crucial strategic areas. The primary user base of LRP primarily comprises individuals from academic backgrounds, with the journal playing a dual role within this community. Firstly, it serves as a platform for the dissemination of research findings among academic researchers. Secondly, it serves as a channel for the transmission of ideas that can be effectively utilized in educational settings. The articles published in LRP cater to a diverse audience, including practicing managers and students in professional programs. While some articles may focus on practical applications, others may primarily target academic researchers. LRP adopts an inclusive approach to empirical research, accepting studies that draw on various methodologies such as primary survey data, archival data, case studies, and recognized approaches to data collection.