Why Do B2B Platforms Fail? The Missing Links in Identity, Architecture, and Network Effects in Industrial Ecosystems

Abstract

Business-to-business (B2B) platform ecosystems—connecting orchestrators, complementors, and end users—are central to digital transformation in industrial sectors. However, many B2B platforms fail to scale or sustain adoption due to challenges integrating legacy systems with digital technologies, navigating fragmented markets, and aligning diverse stakeholder expectations. While prior research emphasizes material dimensions like technical architecture and network effects, primarily in B2C contexts, the role of sociocognitive dimensions remains underexplored. We address this gap by examining platform identity and ecosystem identity as key sociocognitive dimensions that shape how platforms are perceived, trusted, and adopted. Using a multiple-case study of three failed B2B platforms (General Electric’s Predix, Vestas’ Covento, and ADAMOS), we trace how misalignments across identity, architecture, and network effects disrupt coherence, stall adoption, and erode stakeholder commitment. We develop a framework capturing the dynamic interdependencies among sociocognitive (identity), technical (architecture), and market (network effects) dimensions. We demonstrate that platform and ecosystem identities are distinct yet interdependent constructs that mediate alignment between technical and market dimensions. Misalignment in any one dimension can cascade into others, creating negative feedback loops that compromise ecosystem scalability and resilience. These insights challenge dominant assumptions in engineering management that prioritize technical system optimization in isolation. By foregrounding identity as a strategic lever, we contribute a more holistic understanding of B2B platform performance and offer actionable guidance for platform orchestrators and engineering managers. To build scalable and coherent platform ecosystems, firms must align material and sociocognitive elements to foster trust, commitment, and sustained adoption in complex B2B environments.