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Department of Business and Economics
North Campus with the Mathetower building © Roland Baege​/​TU Dortmund

Publication of a Study on Power Contestation and Regulation in Digital Platform Ecosystems

An isometric vector illustration rendered in monochromatic shades of blue and grey, depicting themes of digital infrastructure and governance. At the top center, the flag of the European Union is clearly displayed with its circle of twelve yellow stars on a blue field. Beneath the flag sits a stylized, complex geometric structure resting on a circular, tiered base. This structure features a central cube surrounded by smaller rectangular blocks and connecting lines, resembling a digital platform, server architecture, or a circuit board. Floating around the structure are small spheres and lines indicating connectivity. In the background, stylized white clouds float above a faint, minimalist city skyline silhouette on the horizon. The image utilizes a flat design aesthetic to symbolize technology under European oversight. © Vincent Heimburg​/​TU Dortmund, AI-generated with ChatGPT
Illustration of a regulated digital platform ecosystem
How is power renegotiated when digital platform ecosystems are regulated? Our new article examines how power dynamics shift once regulatory interventions take effect.

The article "Power contestation and regulation in digital platform ecosystems – The case of the EU’s Digital Markets Act" has been published in Electronic Markets - The International Journal on Networked Business.

Authors: Victorine Verlooy, Vincent Heimburg, Maximilian Schreieck, and Manuel Wiesche.

Link to the article

Dominant platform operators such as Google, Apple, Amazon, and Meta often secure their positions through strong network effects and market power—frequently at the expense of complementors on the supply side. With the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the European Commission is responding to this imbalance to strengthen fairness within and competition between platform ecosystems.

Based on a case study of app store and search platform ecosystems, we demonstrate a continuous cycle of tension in this article:

  • Defense: Platform operators attempt to defend their dominant position.

  • Demand: Complementors demand a redistribution of power.

  • Mediation: The European Commission acts as a mediator between competing interests.

The findings shed light on the complex interactions between regulation and strategic behavior in the digital economy.

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