This paper analyses the performance dynamics of major global digital platforms—Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Netflix, Spotify, and Twitter—over the period 2012–2021. Using a non-parametric frontier approach based on the Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI), the study decomposes total productivity changes into three main components: technical efficiency, technological change, and scale efficiency. The results reveal substantial heterogeneity across platforms. Twitter and Netflix exhibit the highest productivity growth, primarily driven by technological progress, while Spotify records a decline in technical efficiency. Established firms such as Apple, Microsoft, and Alphabet show stable and sustained productivity levels, reflecting mature and diversified business models. Overall, the findings highlight the complementarity between innovation and operational efficiency as a key determinant of long-term competitiveness in the digital economy. The analysis offers valuable insights for both scholars and policymakers seeking to understand the structural evolution of platform-based industries and the role of technology in enhancing firm performance.
THE ECONOMY OF DIGITAL PLATFORMS: A PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS FROM 2012 TO 2021
Massimiliano Agovino;Massimiliano Cerciello;Aniello Ferraro;Antonio Garofalo;Katia Marchesano
2025-01-01
Abstract
This paper analyses the performance dynamics of major global digital platforms—Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Netflix, Spotify, and Twitter—over the period 2012–2021. Using a non-parametric frontier approach based on the Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI), the study decomposes total productivity changes into three main components: technical efficiency, technological change, and scale efficiency. The results reveal substantial heterogeneity across platforms. Twitter and Netflix exhibit the highest productivity growth, primarily driven by technological progress, while Spotify records a decline in technical efficiency. Established firms such as Apple, Microsoft, and Alphabet show stable and sustained productivity levels, reflecting mature and diversified business models. Overall, the findings highlight the complementarity between innovation and operational efficiency as a key determinant of long-term competitiveness in the digital economy. The analysis offers valuable insights for both scholars and policymakers seeking to understand the structural evolution of platform-based industries and the role of technology in enhancing firm performance.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
