Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Business in A Platform-Shaped Society: A Multi-Level Approach

The article introduces this special issue on Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Business in a Platform-Shaped Society by proposing a multilevel framework for studying digital platforms. The framework distinguishes micro, meso and macro levels and identifies five critical variables that can be analysed at each level: perspective, processes, role, value and rules. Furthermore, the paper highlights some essential challenges for digital platforms at each level, which may be relevant topics for future research. At the micro level, the techno- logical change of digital platforms and the evolution of participants’ motiva- tion may represent exciting fields of study. At the meso level, future research could focus on issues related to the distribution of power and value among platform stakeholders and their ability to foster collaborative innovation. At the macro level, regulation, market transformation and sustainability of platform-based ecosystems are relevant topics for future research. The paper concludes with a short presentation of the articles published in the issue.