Platform Entrepreneurship: An Interpretative Structural Modeling

Abstract

Purpose: Popularity of social media and their power to connect media enterprises to wide range of audiences have made platforms as a popular business models for media entrepreneurs’ activities. Due to increasing number of entrepreneurial activities in platforms, this study aims to identify the critical factors of platform entrepreneurship.

Methodology: This study followed a qualitative approach and used ISM methodology for comparing the variables that are extracted from the literature and confirmed by the experts. A questionnaire developed and distributed to a limited sample of experts in platform business and social networks to compare nine identified factors.

Findings/Contribution: The findings showed that eight factors of opportunity, influencers, UX/UI, Strategic partners, resource control, platform governance, technical features and target audiences are the strategic factors in development of media entrepreneurship. Regulatory environment recognized as dependent variable that determine the success of media entrepreneurship in platforms.

Implications: This study provides a foundation for future research in the subject of media entrepreneurship on social media as well as media platform businesses. Policy makers can use the results of this study to understand the determining role of regulatory environment in promotion of media entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs and owners of platform can use this research to use the identified factors in design and development of their media platform businesses.