Digital Platform Tactics: How to Implement Platform Strategy Over Time

Platform-based business models are increasingly relevant. Scholars mainly focus on the strategic dimension, but what are the tactics to build and evolve digital platforms? This article proposes a novel framework, which assists in subdividing the scope of possible activities of digital platform sponsors in a temporal and contextual manner. The framework comprises four context dimensions (platform attributes, core product, governance, ecosystem) and four lifecycle phases (birth, expan- sion, leadership, renewal). In particular, three key insights emerge regarding the critical role of the leadership phase (in terms of institutional and regulatory influence and the need to build a defense) as well as a lack of studies in the renewal phase.