IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i7p4034-d530446.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Sustainability of Superior Performance of Platform Complementor: Evidence from the Effects of Iterative Innovation and Visibility of App in iOS Platform in China

Author

Listed:
  • Na Wang

    (School of Economics and Management, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China)

  • Shuangying Chen

    (School of Economics and Management, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China)

  • Lei Xiao

    (School of Economics and Management, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China)

  • Feng Fu

    (School of Economics and Management, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China)

Abstract

The sustainability of superior performance is a vital goal for complementor in mobile platform ecosystem, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to realize it. The previous literature about the sustainability of superior performance is insufficient and lacks deep research the mechanisms that affect the sustainability of superior performance. Based on user-oriented perspective, this study examines the direct and interactive effects of app’s iterative innovation and visibility on the sustainability of complementor’s superior performance. Using a two-way fixed effect model and monthly panel data, with the final dataset of 4596 observations from 384 apps of top-ranking positions by revenue available from December 2018 to December 2019 on the Apple iOS App Store in China, the results show that a) app’s iterative innovation and visibility (including platform recommendations and download rankings) promote the sustainability of app’s superior performance; b) platform recommendations and iterative innovation have a synergistic effect on the sustainability of app’s superior performance; and c) the download ranking has a substitution effect on iterative innovation to promote the sustainability of app’s superior performance. The findings of this study have theoretical and practical implications for improving the sustainability of app’s superior performance in the digital age.

Suggested Citation

  • Na Wang & Shuangying Chen & Lei Xiao & Feng Fu, 2021. "The Sustainability of Superior Performance of Platform Complementor: Evidence from the Effects of Iterative Innovation and Visibility of App in iOS Platform in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-16, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:7:p:4034-:d:530446
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/7/4034/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/7/4034/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kalcheva, Ivalina & McLemore, Ping & Pant, Shagun, 2018. "Innovation: The interplay between demand-side shock and supply-side environment," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(2), pages 440-461.
    2. Anindya Ghose & Avi Goldfarb & Sang Pil Han, 2013. "How Is the Mobile Internet Different? Search Costs and Local Activities," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 24(3), pages 613-631, September.
    3. Franke, Nikolaus & von Hippel, Eric, 2002. "Satisfying Heterogeneous User Needs via Innovation Toolkits: The Case of Apache Security Software," Working papers 4341-02, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sloan School of Management.
    4. Oliver, Richard L & DeSarbo, Wayne S, 1988. "Response Determinants in Satisfaction Judgments," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 14(4), pages 495-507, March.
    5. Yixin Qiu & Anandasivam Gopal & Il-Horn Hann, 2017. "Logic Pluralism in Mobile Platform Ecosystems: A Study of Indie App Developers on the iOS App Store," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 28(2), pages 225-249, June.
    6. Chen Liang & Zhan (Michael) Shi & T. S. Raghu, 2019. "The Spillover of Spotlight: Platform Recommendation in the Mobile App Market," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 30(4), pages 1296-1318, December.
    7. Camacho, Nuno & De Jong, Martijn & Stremersch, Stefan, 2014. "The effect of customer empowerment on adherence to expert advice," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 293-308.
    8. Katz, Michael L & Shapiro, Carl, 1985. "Network Externalities, Competition, and Compatibility," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 75(3), pages 424-440, June.
    9. Rahul Kapoor & Shiva Agarwal, 2017. "Sustaining Superior Performance in Business Ecosystems: Evidence from Application Software Developers in the iOS and Android Smartphone Ecosystems," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 28(3), pages 531-551, June.
    10. Howard Davies & Peter Walters, 2004. "Emergent patterns of strategy, environment and performance in a transition economy," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(4), pages 347-364, April.
    11. Xiaoying Xu & Kaushik Dutta & Anindya Datta & Chunmian Ge, 2018. "Identifying functional aspects from user reviews for functionality†based mobile app recommendation," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 69(2), pages 242-255, February.
    12. Wen Wen & Feng Zhu, 2019. "Threat of platform‐owner entry and complementor responses: Evidence from the mobile app market," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(9), pages 1336-1367, September.
    13. Clark, Derek J. & Nilssen, Tore, 2018. "Keep on fighting: The dynamics of head starts in all-pay auctions," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 258-272.
    14. Economides, Nicholas, 1996. "Network externalities, complementarities, and invitations to enter," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 211-233, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jiang, Xiaoxian & Jin, Ruijie & Gong, Min & Li, Mingzhu, 2022. "Are heterogeneous customers always good for iterative innovation?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 324-334.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Van Dyck, Marc & Lüttgens, Dirk & Diener, Kathleen & Piller, Frank & Pollok, Patrick, 2024. "From product to platform: How incumbents' assumptions and choices shape their platform strategy," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(1).
    2. Shaheer, Noman Ahmed & Li, Sali, 2020. "The CAGE around cyberspace? How digital innovations internationalize in a virtual world," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(1).
    3. Baldwin, Carliss Y. & Bogers, Marcel L.A.M. & Kapoor, Rahul & West, Joel, 2024. "Focusing the ecosystem lens on innovation studies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(3).
    4. Tsuyoshi Toshimitsu, 2020. "Note on the excess entry theorem in the presence of network externalities," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 47(2), pages 271-282, June.
    5. Zhan (Michael) Shi & T. S. Raghu, 2020. "An Economic Analysis of Product Recommendation in the Presence of Quality and Taste-Match Heterogeneity," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 31(2), pages 399-411, June.
    6. Nicholas Economides & Brian Viard, 2003. "Pricing of Complementary Goods and Network Effects," Working Papers 03-12, New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, Department of Economics.
    7. Cenamor, Javier, 2021. "Complementor competitive advantage: A framework for strategic decisions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 335-343.
    8. Snellman, Heli, 2006. "Automated teller machine network market structure and cash usage," Bank of Finland Scientific Monographs, Bank of Finland, volume 0, number sm2006_038, July.
    9. Kari Kemppainen, 2004. "Competition and regulation in European retail payment systems," Microeconomics 0404008, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Keshab Bhattarai & John Whalley, 2006. "The Division and Size of Gains from Liberalization in Service Networks," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(3), pages 348-361, August.
    11. Corrado Benassi & Marcella Scrimitore, 2017. "Income Distribution in Network Markets," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 251-271, September.
    12. Tsuyoshi Toshimitsu, 2017. "The optimal choice of internal decision-making structures in a network industry," Discussion Paper Series 166, School of Economics, Kwansei Gakuin University, revised Sep 2017.
    13. Pal, Rupayan, 2015. "Cournot vs. Bertrand under relative performance delegation: Implications of positive and negative network externalities," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 94-101.
    14. Hou, Hong & Shi, Yongjiang, 2021. "Ecosystem-as-structure and ecosystem-as-coevolution: A constructive examination," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    15. Persson, Lars & Norbäck, Pehr-Johan & Tåg, Joacim, 2013. "Acquisitions, Entry, and Innovation in Network Industries," CEPR Discussion Papers 9585, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    16. Hess, Mike & Ricart, Joan E., 2002. "Managing customer switching costs: A framework for competing in the networked environment," IESE Research Papers D/472, IESE Business School.
    17. Naskar, Mili & Pal, Rupayan, 2020. "Network externalities and process R&D: A Cournot–Bertrand comparison," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 51-58.
    18. Ajao Qasim & Emad Abu-Shanab, 2016. "Drivers of mobile payment acceptance: The impact of network externalities," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 18(5), pages 1021-1034, October.
    19. Kevin J. Boudreau, 2021. "Promoting Platform Takeoff and Self-Fulfilling Expectations: Field Experimental Evidence," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(9), pages 5953-5967, September.
    20. Matutes, Carmen & Regibeau, Pierre, 1996. "A selective review of the economics of standardization. Entry deterrence, technological progress and international competition," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 183-209, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:7:p:4034-:d:530446. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.