A trio of experts in high-tech strategy and innovation reveals the principles that have made platform businesses the most valuable companies in the world and the first trillion-dollar entities. Managers and entrepreneurs in the digital age need to learn to live in two worlds—the traditional economy and the platform economy. Platforms that operate for business purposes typically exist at the level of industry or ecosystem, bringing together individuals and organizations so they can innovate and interact in ways not possible with other forms. Platforms create economic value far greater than what we observe in traditional companies.

"The Business of Platforms" is an irreplaceable, in-depth look at platform strategy and digital innovation. Cusumano, Gawer, and Yoffie analyze how a small group of companies has exerted extraordinary influence on every dimension of our personal, professional, and political lives. They explain how these new entities differ from the powerful companies of the past. The book explores the limits of dominance and expansion of these digital giants, as well as the role governments should play in revising data privacy laws, antitrust, and other regulations that could constrain abuses from these powerful businesses.

Their goal is to help managers and entrepreneurs build platform businesses that withstand the test of time and win their share of battles with digital and conventional competitors. As experts who have studied and collaborated with these companies for about thirty years, this book is the most authentic and up-to-date exploration of the robust economic and technological forces that make platform companies, such as Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, and Google, dominant players shaping the global economy, the future of work, and the political world we face today.

Pages: 320, Dimensions: 15.2x15.2cm