Platform ecosystems and organisational capabilities boost competitiveness in volatile markets
en-GBde-DEes-ESfr-FR

Platform ecosystems and organisational capabilities boost competitiveness in volatile markets


Digital platforms and artificial intelligence can enhance the agility, flexibility and resilience of business-to-business (B2B) service companies in volatile markets, a new study from the University of Eastern Finland shows. However, technology alone is not enough, as companies also need capabilities for managing strategic change. Published in Industrial Marketing Management, the qualitative study examined the evolution of capabilities in four service companies that had adopted a digital platform.

Recent market turbulence and crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have highlighted the importance of organisational agility, flexibility and resilience in adapting to and overcoming exceptional situations.

“Although previous studies have highlighted the association of agility, flexibility and resilience, comprehensive understanding of the role of technology in enhancing these competitive factors remains lacking,” Doctoral Researcher and the first author of the study Minna Heikinheimo of the University of Eastern Finland says.

For the study, the researchers conducted 34 interviews with CEOs, directors and managers of B2B service companies. The study shows how companies leverage AI features available on digital platforms and the data they generate to provide more accurate service responses to customer needs, as well as more agility, including expedited service delivery. The network of various service providers and other shared resources available on the digital platform enabled companies to leverage the right kind of expertise according to demand and across national borders. In addition, the new platform-based way of providing expert services and a continuous development approach helped companies build competitiveness in the long run.

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Eastern Finland and LUT University, who developed a model combining strategic management capabilities and platform ecosystems, fostering understanding of the factors contributing to companies’ agility, flexibility and resilience. Furthermore, the study offers concrete advice for business leaders on how to enhance competitiveness by leveraging technology and organisational capabilities.

“It is vital to understand factors affecting companies’ competitiveness and the mechanisms driving their emergence, as market turbulence seems to persist due to, e.g., geopolitical and economic insecurities,” Heikinheimo notes.

Research article:

Minna Heikinheimo, Pia Hautamäki, Saara Julkunen, Jonna Koponen. (2025). Dynamic capabilities and multisided platforms: Fostering organizational agility, flexibility, and resilience in B2B service ecosystems, Industrial Marketing Management, Volume 125, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2025.01.006

Research article:

Minna Heikinheimo, Pia Hautamäki, Saara Julkunen, Jonna Koponen. (2025). Dynamic capabilities and multisided platforms: Fostering organizational agility, flexibility, and resilience in B2B service ecosystems, Industrial Marketing Management, Volume 125, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2025.01.006
Regions: Europe, Finland
Keywords: Applied science, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Society, Economics/Management, Business, Services

Disclaimer: AlphaGalileo is not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to AlphaGalileo by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the AlphaGalileo system.

Témoignages

We have used AlphaGalileo since its foundation but frankly we need it more than ever now to ensure our research news is heard across Europe, Asia and North America. As one of the UK’s leading research universities we want to continue to work with other outstanding researchers in Europe. AlphaGalileo helps us to continue to bring our research story to them and the rest of the world.
Peter Dunn, Director of Press and Media Relations at the University of Warwick
AlphaGalileo has helped us more than double our reach at SciDev.Net. The service has enabled our journalists around the world to reach the mainstream media with articles about the impact of science on people in low- and middle-income countries, leading to big increases in the number of SciDev.Net articles that have been republished.
Ben Deighton, SciDevNet
AlphaGalileo is a great source of global research news. I use it regularly.
Robert Lee Hotz, LA Times

Nous travaillons en étroite collaboration avec...


  • BBC
  • The Times
  • National Geographic
  • The University of Edinburgh
  • University of Cambridge
  • iesResearch
Copyright 2025 by DNN Corp Terms Of Use Privacy Statement