A Primer on Digital Markets and Platforms

Was erwartet Sie in diesem Kurs?

In the modern digital economy, platforms like Booking.com, Amazon, iOS, and Tinder are ubiquitous, reshaping industries from social media to e-commerce and beyond. These platforms facilitate complex interactions across various business environments and are driven by network effects, technological advances, and user dynamics. They also introduce innovative business models and pricing strategies, fundamentally changing competitive dynamics and relationships between firms and consumers. This course provides a focused exploration of these critical issues, combining theoretical knowledge with practical insights to equip students with the skills needed to navigate and impact the evolving landscape of digital markets.

Competencies to be acquired

After completing the course, students will have acquired a set of competencies to analyze and manage digital markets and platforms effectively. Specifically, students will have developed the following skills:

• Analytical Skills: The ability to analyze digital markets from the perspective of incumbent firms, digital entrants, and policymakers, understanding the unique challenges and opportunities each faces.
• Strategic Thinking: The ability to evaluate strategies in digital markets and platforms from the perspective of platform owners and complementors, assessing their impact on competition and market dynamics.
• Academic Proficiency: The ability to understand and critically evaluate current state-of-the-art academic literature on digitization and platforms, staying informed of the latest research and developments in the field.

These competencies will enable students to navigate and influence the rapidly evolving landscape of digital markets and platform business models.

Course structure

The course is divided into three major blocks that lay the foundation for understanding digital markets and platforms: “Foundational”, “Platform and Ecosystems Dynamics” and “Digital markets”. Adopting a 'Mix and Match' approach, the course is structured around self-contained videos that allow students unparalleled flexibility in how they engage with the material. This format supports personalized learning journeys, enabling students to navigate through the content at their own pace and according to their individual learning needs. Each module is designed to be comprehensive on its own while also fitting seamlessly into the broader curriculum for those who follow the suggested sequence.

Students enrolled in this course will have access to a comprehensive suite of learning materials designed to support both the theoretical and practical understanding of digital markets and platforms:

• Short Instructional Videos: A series of concise videos, each ranging from 6-10 minutes, provide focused discussions on key topics. These videos are supplemented with references to academic papers and studies that are detailed in an accompanying reading list for deeper exploration.
• Lecture Slides: All presentations used in the videos are available for download in PDF format, allowing students to review content at their own pace and use them as a study aid.
• Interactive Quizzes: To reinforce learning and facilitate self-assessment, the course includes a series of interactive quizzes. These are designed to test knowledge incrementally and ensure mastery of course content through immediate feedback.