Platform Strategy : How to Unlock the Power of Communities and Networks to Grow Your Business

Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- List of figures -- List of tables -- About the authors -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- 1 Introduction to platform businesses -- Platform models have become mainstream -- Why platform models are different -- Notes -- 2 The meteoric rise of platform businesses -- Digital transformation and new platform business models -- Platform growth and market capitalization -- Platforms and brand power -- 'Unicorn' platforms as market disruptors -- Platforms power the sharing economy movement -- Notes -- 3 What is a platform business? -- Narrowing the search: platform definitions -- Economics of platforms and multisided markets -- A review of existing definitions -- Platforms as 'catalysts' -- Platforms compared to other business models -- Platform-powered ecosystems -- Notes -- 4 Economic characteristics of platforms -- Externalities -- Economies of scale -- Networks and network effects -- Critical mass -- Tipping point -- Single homing vs multihoming -- Price elasticity -- Substitutes vs complements -- Notes -- 5 Platforms as business models -- Representation of firm activities -- The linear firm -- Porter's value chain -- The business model canvas -- The rocket model -- Attract -- Match -- Connect -- Transact -- Optimize -- Platform enablers -- Strategic enablers -- Other key enablers -- Strengths and weaknesses of platform business models -- Notes -- 6 Platform-powered ecosystems -- Amazon's ecosystem -- A bit of history -- Amazon's business models -- E-commerce -- Amazon's ecosystem -- Apple's ecosystem -- A bit of history -- Apple's business models -- Google's ecosystem -- A bit of history -- Google's business models -- Other platform-powered ecosystems -- Notes -- 7 Life stages of platforms: design -- The rocket life stages at a glance