For platforms, durability is the new strategic imperative

The platform business model has spread rapidly, but many platform firms are rendered obsolete almost as quickly as they achieve initial success. The dynamics by which some platforms persist in the marketplace while others quickly fail are not well understood. David McIntyre, Arati Srinivasan, and Asda Chintakananda suggest at least three approaches that foster more durable platforms: creating stronger ties among users, leveraging cross-platform benefits, and allying with powerful complementors.