FROM PIPELINE TO PLATFORM A study of eHealth platformization

Abstract

Digital platforms dominate the global, contemporary economy. Therefore, incumbent firms must transform their existing business, often structured as a pipeline, into a platform business. This study investigates the process of platformization and how established firms can leverage their core assets in order to launch a digital platform and grow their installed base. The coring and tipping theory by Gawer and Cusumano (2008) is used as a conceptual framework and is carefully applied during the analysis of results. I conducted a case study at a start-up which operates in the eHealth sector. I analyzed empirical data in form of transaction data, documents, presentations, and interviews in order to make observations on the platformization process. My study resulted in five guidelines on the platformization process: Guarantee a smooth transition for existing customers, Develop a hybrid business model, Reuse the technology, Capture spillover of trust, and Shift to resource orchestration. The finding can guide other firms which find themselves in the platformization process. I further contribute to the theory by expanding the theory of coring and tipping.