Ecosystem, export, go? Potential of forming and exporting government platform ecosystems

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master_Reponen_Julia_2022.pdf (1.51 MB)

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School of Business | Master's thesis
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Date

2022

Department

Tieto- ja palvelujohtamisen laitos

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Mcode

Degree programme

Information and Service Management (ISM)

Language

en

Pages

90

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Abstract

This master’s thesis investigates the internationalization potential of government platforms. The aim of the study is to evaluate the potential of forming a ready-to-export government platform ecosystem. The potential is investigated through two factors: the willingness of organizations to join in the government platform ecosystem and the factors affecting it, and the factors affecting the internationalization of government platforms. The study was conducted through a literature review and qualitative interviews. The literature review focused on government platforms as a concept, their constitutive elements, platform ecosystems, and platform internationalization. The interviews focused on the platform ecosystem and the willingness of organizations to join one, as well as the factors affecting internationalization. The results of the study indicate that there is potential in Finland to form a ready-to-export government platform ecosystem, but there are multiple factors affecting it. The factors affecting organizations’ willingness to join the platform ecosystem were individual benefit, the statutory tasks and duties and the role of the government, the governance of the ecosystem, the level of competition and trust in the ecosystem, the technical aspects of the platform, and the public procurement processes and customs in place. The factors affecting the internationalization of the platform can be divided into three categories: drivers, complications, and barriers. The drivers were a born global mindset of the vendor, a specialized niche offering limiting growth opportunities in the domestic market, modularity, and open-source solutions, and seeking network effects and required critical mass. The complications to internationalization were the statutory tasks of the government, the threat of platform envelopment, and whether internationalization is not in the original scope of the solution. The barriers to internationalization were the buyer favoring domestic solutions which forces vendors to establish a physical presence in the target country, the starting situation in the target country, the solution requiring large degrees of localization and customization, the procurement and tendering processes and customs in place, the lack of knowledge and capabilities in selling and purchasing, and the vendor’s focus on the domestic market. The identified factors affecting organizations’ willingness and the internationalization of the platform contribute to the development and internationalization of government platforms in the future. Additionally, the study provides a thorough summary of the constitutive elements of government platforms, which managers, policy makers and government officials can utilize.

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Thesis advisor

Rossi, Matti

Keywords

platforms, platform ecosystems, ecosystems, government, government platforms, government IT, public sector, internationalization

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https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-202209115518

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[gradu] Kauppakorkeakoulu / BIZ