Electronic Markets - The International Journal on Networked Business

02/12/2025

We have published new research: "Enhancing gamified experiences in online service platforms: Exploring the impact of extrinsic gamification design elements" by Yimei Zhou, Zhanhe Zang, Keyi Wang & Yu Gu.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00852-1

In the experience economy, bridging the gap between digital engagement and physical service consumption remains a critical objective. In our latest Electronic Markets publication, we investigate how specific extrinsic gamification elements—ranging from reward giving and badge upgrading to team tasks and meaningful stories—influence customer engagement and psychological needs.

Using Self-Determination Theory as a framework, the study analyzes data from a gamified tourism assistant app to determine its impact on revisit and word-of-mouth intentions. The authors also examine how environmental factors, such as perceived susceptibility to public health crises, moderate these effects. The findings have valuable implications for designing platforms that effectively integrate online and offline experiences.

We invite you to read the full article to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanics of extrinsic motivation in service platforms.

01/12/2025

New research has been published: "Orchestrating role-specific capabilities in SaaS platform innovation: A mixed-methods study of digital solution designers" by Zhi Yang, Yuanhan Gu & Sai Xie.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00854-z

The success of SaaS platform innovation increasingly depends on the effectiveness of intermediary roles. Our latest paper investigates the specific capabilities that drive the performance of Digital Solution Designers (DSDs) operating in these ecosystems.

Using a rigorous mixed-methods approach involving Grounded Theory, Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), the authors conceptualize and validate a framework comprising four core capabilities: cross-domain requirement analysis, low-code platform application development, understanding of value co-creation, and data-driven decision-making. The research reveals that, although all four positively influence development performance, data-driven decision-making is the strongest determinant of success.

This study clarifies the microfoundations of hybrid digital roles, enriching the literature on platform orchestration and providing clear guidance for talent development in platform-centric digital transformation.

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27/11/2025

We have published a position paper: "A revised framework for digital transformation strategies: Contemporary insights and future research pathways" by Bastian Wurm, Christian Matt, Alexander Benlian & Thomas Hess.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00838-z

As organizations accumulate a decade of experience in digital transformation, the strategic landscape continues to evolve rapidly. In light of recent technological advancements, such as artificial intelligence, and the growing importance of organizational identity, this new study revisits the widely cited framework by Matt et al. (2015).

Through an analysis of three successful transformation cases, the authors propose a revised framework for digital transformation strategies. Notably, the updated model integrates digital innovation logic and establishes identity as a central dimension. This article provides valuable insights for scholars and corporate decision-makers navigating complex digital initiatives.

25/11/2025

New research has been published: "Automation and augmentation in professional services: Exploring the impact of financial self-service technology" by Sophie Altrock, Anne-Laure Mention & Tor Helge Aas.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00835-2

We are pleased to announce a new publication addressing the strategic integration of smart technologies within professional services. As firms increasingly adopt robo-advisors, the challenge lies in balancing automation with augmenting human workers.

This qualitative study demonstrates that self-service technology (SST) can drive automation and enhance human capabilities simultaneously through hybrid service models. The authors identify six pivotal factors across technical, organizational, and external dimensions to guide firms in effectively adopting RAs. By offering specific, firm-level actions, this research provides a comprehensive framework for navigating digital transformation in the financial sector.

21/11/2025

We have published new research: "Enable and orchestrate—How keystone actors shape institutions for smart service innovation in ecosystems" by Nina Lugmair, Tim Posselt, Julian Kurtz, Lena Ries & Angela Roth.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00834-3

A successful transition to smart services in B2B industrial settings requires effective collaboration within ecosystems. Our latest publication, Enable and Orchestrate: How Keystone Actors Shape Institutions for Smart Service Innovation in Ecosystems, investigates this crucial dynamic.

Moving beyond the mere identification of keystone actors in service ecosystems, this study explores how these actors actively shape the institutions necessary for driving smart service innovation. The research reveals two types of keystone actors: the Orchestrator and the Enabler. The findings offer practitioners a valuable framework for managing collaborative innovation and enhancing competitive advantage in the digital era. They detail the distinct roles these actors play in aligning participants and fostering shared goals.

Learn how organizations can leverage these roles to facilitate smart service adoption.

20/11/2025

We have published new research: "Tracing the trajectory of avatar marketing: An academic exploration through bibliometric analysis and the six-markets stakeholder model" by Ankit Kumar Sinha & Subhro Sarkar, IIM Ranchi
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00826-3

Virtual environments and digital identity are changing marketing strategy. This paper looks at how avatar marketing is changing and provides an important academic exploration of this area.

The research team used a thorough review of 232 publications (2005–2024) that were reviewed by other experts to study important publication trends, common themes, and how often the publications were cited. This study uses a special model to show how different markets are affecting the growth of avatar-based technologies.

The findings provide important, data-driven information for managers in charge of planning and using avatar technologies. They show how these technologies can help improve customer connections and the user experience. If you're a researcher looking to understand the main ideas and future gaps in the literature, this is a must-read.

19/11/2025

New research: "How hedonic strategies bring about customer engagement and value for e-retailers—A blended PLS-ANN analysis of the mediating effect of experiential value-in-use" by Inma Rodríguez-Ardura, Antoni Meseguer-Artola & María-Ángeles García-Haro, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00827-2

E-retailers are always looking for ways to create engaging online environments. Our latest paper investigates how hedonic strategies focused on recreation, escapism, and local presence translate into customer value and business engagement in e-commerce.

Drawing on value-in-use experience theory, the research develops a model that links these strategies to customer engagement value. Using a sophisticated, blended PLS-ANN analytical approach, the authors examined a large sample of 625 online customers to capture potential nonlinear dynamics.

The findings confirm that successfully integrating these hedonic elements enhances experiential customer value, a powerful driver of engagement and ultimately, value for e-retailers. This work offers crucial guidance for practitioners designing impactful customer journeys.

18/11/2025

We have published new research: "Beyond disintermediation: A multiple case study of emerging intermediary roles in blockchain applications" by Simon Feulner, Tobias Guggenberger, Jens-Christian Stoetzer & Nils Urbach.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00832-5

The debate surrounding blockchain's impact on market structure often centers on disintermediation. However, our latest research article explores a more nuanced reality: the emergence of new intermediary roles within these decentralized systems.

This multiple-case study moves "beyond disintermediation" to explore how and why re-intermediation occurs in blockchain applications. Our findings reveal that three key drivers necessitate new coordination layers: system integrity and resilience, boundary and interface management, and governance efficiency.

The paper offers a refined conceptualization of these complex intermediation dynamics, shifting the focus from simple elimination to the essential functions of compliance, governance, and technical integration that these emerging roles fulfill.

Understanding these roles is essential for researchers and practitioners who design and manage distributed systems.

17/11/2025

We have published new research: "Extending business model development tools with design-integrated assessment: An illustration using service business models" by Jürgen Anke & Thorsten Schoormann.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00839-y

Designing novel business models, particularly for service systems, requires continuous assessment to guide design decisions. However, effectively integrating design and assessment remains a significant challenge, even with the rise of business model development tools (BMDTs).

This paper addresses this gap by proposing "factor refinement" as a mechanism to formally link business model designs with essential assessment information within BMDTs. Developed using design science research, this approach enables users to quickly explore new BM ideas and make more informed design decisions.

The solution is demonstrated in a software prototype for service business models and was successfully evaluated through expert workshops and think-aloud sessions. The findings provide practical guidelines for using factor refinement and integrating it into future BMDTs. This approach promises to significantly shorten feedback cycles and improve the quality of business model innovation.

14/11/2025

We have published new research: "Understanding data collaboratives ten years after their definition: Distinctive features, impacts and research priorities" by Federico Bartolomucci & Gianluca Bresolin, Politecnico di Milano.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00831-6

Ten years after their initial definition, data collaboratives—cross-sector partnerships that leverage data for the greater good—continue to grow in importance. However, their rapidly evolving nature has led to conceptual ambiguity.

Our new paper published in Electronic Markets addresses this issue by refining the concept of data collaboratives and clearly distinguishing them from related initiatives, such as open platforms and data ecosystems. Using a dataset of 171 data collaboratives, the authors categorize them into five distinct clusters.

This study provides valuable, comprehensive insights into the scope, domains, and potential impact of these partnerships, emphasizing the significant heterogeneity within the field. The findings inform future research directions, advocating for focused or comparative studies to address development challenges and establish clearer benchmarks. This work is essential for academics and practitioners navigating the landscape of data sharing for social impact.

12/11/2025

We have published new research: "From sharing to profiting: Exploring the interplay between value creation and strategic appropriation in data ecosystems" by Jonas Nienstedt & Manuel Trenz, -August-Universität Göttingen.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00823-6

Data ecosystems offer the promise of shared value creation. But how can organizations ensure they profit fairly from their contributions?

Our new research paper explores the critical interplay between collaborative value creation and strategic value appropriation within data ecosystems. Through a qualitative analysis of a healthcare data ecosystem, the study identifies the main factors that determine an actor's ability to create value from shared data. The authors outline four central elements of Value Appropriation Strategies (VAS): Selective Partnering, Data Tailoring, Benefit Safeguarding, and Control Enforcement.

The findings reveal the dynamic interaction between data's latent potential, an actor's capacity, and the strategies used to secure a fair share of the mutual benefits created.

Understand the conditions and mechanisms necessary for balancing sharing and profiting in complex data partnerships. Read the full paper now! Link in comments.

This study explores the interdependency between collaborative value creation and value appropriation within data ecosystems, focusing on how organizations can effectively share and utilize data for mutual benefits. It examines the factors that influence the capacity to create value from shared data....

11/11/2025

We have published a new research paper: "Assessing the economic value of reducing perceived risk in ride-hailing: Evidence from US cities" by Soo Jeong Hong & Kwangjin Lee.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-025-00850-3

How can ride-hailing platforms maximize adoption and consumer value? Our latest research paper addresses this important question by quantifying the economic value of reducing risk in ride-hailing services.

Using a discrete choice experiment, this research investigates the types of perceived risks that influence consumers’ willingness to pay for specific service attributes. Our findings show that consumer utility increases significantly when platforms implement features such as driver tracking, commercial driver's licenses, and comprehensive incident compensation. The study also introduces perceived fairness risk as a new theoretical dimension, which enriches our understanding of adoption barriers in the sharing economy. These results offer actionable insights for platforms and policymakers seeking to increase trust in and growth of their services.

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The new forms of service provision in ride-hailing raise multiple issues that influence consumer decisions about adopting such services. Empirical data reveal mixed responses: some individuals embrace these services, whereas others remain hesitant during the growth phase. Using a discrete choice exp...