IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/orisre/v34y2023i3p961-995.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Positive Demand Spillover of Popular App Adoption: Implications for Platform Owners’ Management of Complements

Author

Listed:
  • Mi Hyun Lee

    (Integrated Marketing Communications, Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208)

  • Sang Pil Han

    (Information Systems, W. P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287)

  • Sungho Park

    (Marketing, Seoul National University Business School, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea)

  • Wonseok Oh

    (Information Systems, College of Business, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02455, Republic of Korea)

Abstract

As platform owners interact with end users and complementors, their demand-side characteristics and performance affect the overall value creation of ecosystems. This research investigated how the emergence of popular complements on a mobile communication platform impacts the usage of other complementary products by the platform’s end users and how platform owners can benefit from such demand spillovers. We identified two different forms of demand spillovers (i.e., backward and forward) and conceptualized how each subsequently affects platform expansion. On the basis of individual user-level app usage data, we empirically demonstrated how the presence of a popular app alters the demand structure of a platform through changes in the usage of other apps operating within it. The findings reveal that popular app adoption by users increases the number of apps used and the duration of app usage, excluding the usage of popular apps, only within the platform offering a popular app. These results support the existence of positive spillovers from popular complement adoption on a platform. Such positive within-platform spillovers are derived from both backward spillovers onto existing apps adopted before popular app adoption and forward spillovers onto new apps to be adopted after the uptake of favored apps. These patterns suggest that positive spillovers of popular app adoption occur through both the increased retrieval of existing apps and reduced uncertainty about newly released apps. Furthermore, forward spillover is considerably stronger than backward spillover, implying that platform owners can reap benefits by coordinating the launch of new complements and the promotion of less-known counterparts to end users with the emergence of a popular app. These results shed light on how platform owners can manage their complements and create value beyond direct contributions from popular complements.

Suggested Citation

  • Mi Hyun Lee & Sang Pil Han & Sungho Park & Wonseok Oh, 2023. "Positive Demand Spillover of Popular App Adoption: Implications for Platform Owners’ Management of Complements," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 34(3), pages 961-995, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orisre:v:34:y:2023:i:3:p:961-995
    DOI: 10.1287/isre.2022.1164
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/isre.2022.1164
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/isre.2022.1164?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dmitri Kuksov, 2007. "Brand Value in Social Interaction," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 53(10), pages 1634-1644, October.
    2. Joseph Farrell & Michael L. Katz, 2000. "Innovation, Rent Extraction, and Integration in Systems Markets," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(4), pages 413-432, December.
    3. Mick, David Glen, 1986. "Consumer Research and Semiotics: Exploring the Morphology of Signs, Symbols, and Significance," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 13(2), pages 196-213, September.
    4. Ron Adner & Rahul Kapoor, 2010. "Value creation in innovation ecosystems: how the structure of technological interdependence affects firm performance in new technology generations," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 306-333, March.
    5. Lee, Lung-Fei, 1983. "Generalized Econometric Models with Selectivity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 51(2), pages 507-512, March.
    6. Alan T. Sorensen, 2007. "Bestseller Lists And Product Variety," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(4), pages 715-738, December.
    7. Sungho Park & Sachin Gupta, 2012. "Handling Endogenous Regressors by Joint Estimation Using Copulas," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 31(4), pages 567-586, July.
    8. Pai-Ling Yin & Jason P. Davis & Yulia Muzyrya, 2014. "Entrepreneurial Innovation: Killer Apps in the iPhone Ecosystem," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 104(5), pages 255-259, May.
    9. Greene, William H, 1981. "Sample Selection Bias as a Specification Error: Comment," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 49(3), pages 795-798, May.
    10. Marianne Bertrand & Esther Duflo & Sendhil Mullainathan, 2004. "How Much Should We Trust Differences-In-Differences Estimates?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 119(1), pages 249-275.
    11. Hyeokkoo Eric Kwon & Hyunji So & Sang Pil Han & Wonseok Oh, 2016. "Excessive Dependence on Mobile Social Apps: A Rational Addiction Perspective," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 27(4), pages 919-939, December.
    12. Peter J. Danaher & Michael S. Smith, 2011. "Modeling Multivariate Distributions Using Copulas: Applications in Marketing," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(1), pages 4-21, 01-02.
    13. Jinyang Zheng & Zhengling Qi & Yifan Dou & Yong Tan, 2019. "How Mega Is the Mega? Exploring the Spillover Effects of WeChat Using Graphical Model," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 30(4), pages 1343-1362, December.
    14. Heckman, James, 2013. "Sample selection bias as a specification error," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 31(3), pages 129-137.
    15. Joost Rietveld & Melissa A. Schilling & Cristiano Bellavitis, 2019. "Platform Strategy: Managing Ecosystem Value Through Selective Promotion of Complements," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(6), pages 1232-1251, November.
    16. Murray D. Smith, 2003. "Modelling sample selection using Archimedean copulas," Econometrics Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 6(1), pages 99-123, June.
    17. Geoffrey G. Parker & Marshall W. Van Alstyne, 2005. "Two-Sided Network Effects: A Theory of Information Product Design," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 51(10), pages 1494-1504, October.
    18. Feng Zhu & Qihong Liu, 2018. "Competing with complementors: An empirical look at Amazon.com," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(10), pages 2618-2642, October.
    19. Kevin Boudreau, 2010. "Open Platform Strategies and Innovation: Granting Access vs. Devolving Control," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 56(10), pages 1849-1872, October.
    20. Annabelle Gawer & Rebecca Henderson, 2007. "Platform Owner Entry and Innovation in Complementary Markets: Evidence from Intel," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(1), pages 1-34, March.
    21. Pai-Ling Yin & Jason P. Davis & Yulia Muzyrua, 2014. "Entrepreneurial Innovation: Killer Apps in the iPhone Ecosystem," Discussion Papers 13-028, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research.
    22. Michael L. Katz & Carl Shapiro, 1994. "Systems Competition and Network Effects," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 8(2), pages 93-115, Spring.
    23. Avery Haviv & Yufeng Huang & Nan Li, 2020. "Intertemporal Demand Spillover Effects on Video Game Platforms," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 66(10), pages 4788-4807, October.
    24. 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.
    25. Kevin J. Boudreau & Lars B. Jeppesen, 2015. "Unpaid crowd complementors: The platform network effect mirage," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(12), pages 1761-1777, December.
    26. Xiao Fang & Paul Jen-Hwa Hu & Zhepeng (Lionel) Li & Weiyu Tsai, 2013. "Predicting Adoption Probabilities in Social Networks," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 24(1), pages 128-145, March.
    27. Craig L. Garthwaite, 2014. "Demand Spillovers, Combative Advertising, and Celebrity Endorsements," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 6(2), pages 76-104, April.
    28. Haris Krijestorac & Rajiv Garg & Vijay Mahajan, 2020. "Cross-Platform Spillover Effects in Consumption of Viral Content: A Quasi-Experimental Analysis Using Synthetic Controls," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 31(2), pages 449-472, June.
    29. 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.
    30. Minha Hwang & Sungho Park, 2016. "The Impact of Walmart Supercenter Conversion on Consumer Shopping Behavior," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 62(3), pages 817-828, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Jens Foerderer & Thomas Kude & Sunil Mithas & Armin Heinzl, 2018. "Does Platform Owner’s Entry Crowd Out Innovation? Evidence from Google Photos," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 29(2), pages 444-460, June.
    2. Jens Foerderer, 2020. "Interfirm Exchange and Innovation in Platform Ecosystems: Evidence from Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 66(10), pages 4772-4787, October.
    3. Joost Rietveld & Melissa A. Schilling & Cristiano Bellavitis, 2019. "Platform Strategy: Managing Ecosystem Value Through Selective Promotion of Complements," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(6), pages 1232-1251, November.
    4. 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).
    5. Cenamor, Javier & Frishammar, Johan, 2021. "Openness in platform ecosystems: Innovation strategies for complementary products," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(1).
    6. Jan Frederic Nerbel & Markus Kreutzer, 2023. "Digital platform ecosystems in flux: From proprietary digital platforms to wide-spanning ecosystems," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 33(1), pages 1-20, December.
    7. Chi, Yunjia & Qing, Ping & Jin, Yong Jimmy & Yu, Jinjun & Dong, Maggie Chuoyan & Huang, Li, 2022. "Competition or spillover? Effects of platform-owner entry on provider commitment," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 627-636.
    8. Jacobides, Michael G. & Cennamo, Carmelo & Gawer, Annabelle, 2024. "Externalities and complementarities in platforms and ecosystems: From structural solutions to endogenous failures," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(1).
    9. Shi, Xianwei & Liang, Xingkun & Luo, Yining, 2023. "Unpacking the intellectual structure of ecosystem research in innovation studies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(6).
    10. Miric, Milan & Boudreau, Kevin J. & Jeppesen, Lars Bo, 2019. "Protecting their digital assets: The use of formal & informal appropriability strategies by App developers," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(8), pages 1-1.
    11. Rodolphe Durand & Robert M. Grant & Tammy L. Madsen & David P. McIntyre & Arati Srinivasan, 2017. "Networks, platforms, and strategy: Emerging views and next steps," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(1), pages 141-160, January.
    12. Tavalaei, M. Mahdi, 2020. "Waiting time in two-sided platforms: The case of the airport industry," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    13. Joost Rietveld & J. P. Eggers, 2018. "Demand Heterogeneity in Platform Markets: Implications for Complementors," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(2), pages 304-322, April.
    14. Miric, Milan & Jeppesen, Lars Bo, 2023. "How does competition influence innovative effort within a platform-based ecosystem? Contrasting paid and unpaid contributors," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(7).
    15. Markus Reisinger & Jens Schmidt & Nils Stieglitz, 2021. "How Complementors Benefit from Taking Competition to the System Level," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(8), pages 5106-5123, August.
    16. Shu He & Jing Peng & Jianbin Li & Liping Xu, 2020. "Impact of Platform Owner’s Entry on Third-Party Stores," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 31(4), pages 1467-1484, December.
    17. Tommy Pan Fang & Andy Wu & David R. Clough, 2021. "Platform diffusion at temporary gatherings: Social coordination and ecosystem emergence," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(2), pages 233-272, February.
    18. Chang Jing & Hou Ke & Zhu Yangpeng, 2023. "Performance investment and price decisions of two‐sided platforms under multiple quality regulation strategies," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(4), pages 2148-2158, June.
    19. Zeng, Jing & Khan, Zaheer & De Silva, Muthu, 2019. "The emergence of multi-sided platform MNEs: Internalization theory and networks," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(6), pages 1-1.
    20. Jingtao Yi & Jinqiu He & Lihong Yang, 2019. "Platform heterogeneity, platform governance and complementors’ product performance: an empirical study of the mobile application industry," Frontiers of Business Research in China, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-20, December.

    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:inm:orisre:v:34:y:2023:i:3:p:961-995. 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: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    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.