Business use of online platforms: Competition, satisfaction and willingness to pay

IF 10.1 1区社会学 Q1 SOCIAL ISSUES

Technology in Society Pub Date : 2025-04-05 DOI:10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102887

Michael Peneder, Sandra Bilek-Steindl, Susanne Bärenthaler-Sieber, Julia Bock-Schappelwein, Alexandros Charos

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Online platforms have evolved into powerful programmable architectures that enable heterogeneous groups of autonomous but interdependent users to interact. Based on a stratified sample of 1,380 companies from a newly developed enterprise survey in Austria, the analysis aims to reduce the lack of comprehensive empirical research of the general patterns and regularities of business use of online platforms across different markets and industries. We conduct a comprehensive set of (ordered) probit estimations on the determinants of platform adoption, their interaction with platform competition, their joint impact on platform users, and their overall satisfaction and willingness to pay (more) for platform services.

The analysis provides ample empirical evidence of the importance of rivalry between platforms for delivering its value proposition to all participants: For instance, the estimates show that more competing platforms imply (i) greater ease of switching, (ii) a greater likelihood of negotiable and favourable terms of use, and (iii) associate positively with a greater impact on the number of business partners, revenue per customer or product variety. In turn, (iv) better impacts for business users go hand in hand with their higher satisfaction, which directly links to (v) a higher willingness to pay (more) for platform services. Conversely, the ease of switching to an alternative platform associates with a significantly lower willingness to pay (more). Competition between platforms thus increases the bargaining power of users and allows them to claim a larger share of the platform’s value proposition.

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来源期刊

Technology in Society Multiple-

CiteScore

17.90

自引率

14.10%

发文量

316

审稿时长

60 days

期刊介绍： Technology in Society is a global journal dedicated to fostering discourse at the crossroads of technological change and the social, economic, business, and philosophical transformation of our world. The journal aims to provide scholarly contributions that empower decision-makers to thoughtfully and intentionally navigate the decisions shaping this dynamic landscape. A common thread across these fields is the role of technology in society, influencing economic, political, and cultural dynamics. Scholarly work in Technology in Society delves into the social forces shaping technological decisions and the societal choices regarding technology use. This encompasses scholarly and theoretical approaches (history and philosophy of science and technology, technology forecasting, economic growth, and policy, ethics), applied approaches (business innovation, technology management, legal and engineering), and developmental perspectives (technology transfer, technology assessment, and economic development). Detailed information about the journal's aims and scope on specific topics can be found in Technology in Society Briefings, accessible via our Special Issues and Article Collections.