Governance and Coopetition in Platform Ecosystems: Swings of a Pendulum
Journal
Strategic Management Review
Type
forthcoming
Date Issued
2025
Author(s)
Abstract
Platform ecosystems are one of the dominant organizational forms of the digital age. Research advocates two approaches for optimal ecosystem performance: balancing centralization and decentralization in governance, and balancing coopetition—the interplay of cooperation and competition. Despite the intertwined nature of these two approaches, we know little about their mutual effects and their impact on ecosystem evolution over time. Based on the metaphor of a swinging pendulum, we propose a conceptual model that incorporates different governance regimes ranging from centralized to decentralized and varying coopetition intensities ranging from competition-dominant to cooperation-dominant in platform ecosystems. Contrary to common wisdom suggesting the existence of one optimal path to platform governance, we argue that coopetitive tensions inherent in each initial governance regime trigger distinct paths of governance recalibration. Our essay contributes to a dynamic perspective on the interplay of governance and coopetition in platform ecosystems.
Keywords
platform governance
dynamic governance
governance trajectory
platform ecosystem coopetition
dynamic coopetition
coopetitive tension
Number
Special Issue on Collaborative Strategies in the Digital Age
Contact Email Address
dora.maric@unisg.ch
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