Companies whose business models are based on digital business-to-consumer (B2C) platforms, such as Google, Amazon or Alibaba, are currently among the most profitable in the world. Their success is mainly based on the reduction of transaction costs, the scalability of data as well as direct and indirect network effects.
Marina Hoffmann (formerly IfM Bonn), Dr. Christian Schröder and Philipp Pasing examined in their study the question to what extent this development can also be observed for business-to-business platforms. They also assess the prospects for companies in Germany to be successful in this area. Their result: At present, the chances are relatively high that large – but also medium-sized – companies belonging to the industry and the IT sector as well as innovative start-ups and research institutions can play a significant role in the development of B2B platforms and apply them successfully for their business model.
The study "Digitale B2B-Plattformen. Status quo und Perspektiven der Industrie in Deutschland" is published in the series "Wiso Diskurs" of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.
