IMCA research seminar: Daniel Trabucchi, Politecnico di Milano: "Platform thinking: using platforms as a tool to foster innovation"

For this IMCA seminar, Daniel Trabucchi will present his research entitled: "Platform thinking: using platforms as a tool to foster innovation"

Abstract

Over the last two decades, platforms have transformed the way, we search for information (e.g., Google), buy goods (e.g., Amazon), consume news and media (e.g., Facebook and Twitter) and travel and move around (e.g., Airbnb, Booking.com<http://Booking.com>, Uber and TripAdvisor). This phenomenon is known as 'the power of platforms', defined as an innovative business model that relies on digital technologies to assemble people, knowledge and companies in an interactive ecosystem where value can be created, captured and shared. These platforms have a great ability to attract funds and grow rapidly, relying on external resources (e.g. private houses for Airbnb or private cars for Uber), with a significant impact on the market. These companies act as intermediaries, attempting to reduce frictions in the market and helping the supply and demand sides of a product or service to find each other. As such, existing companies may be inspired by these fast-growing companies to at least partially capture the opportunities underpinning the model. Most of them are digital companies mainly focusing on the service field; nevertheless, recent cases show how platforms are having an impact in many different industries with the spread of the sharing economy and implications in the brick and mortar industries. Our research aims to identify the elements that make platforms such a relevant and interesting business model defining the concept of "Platform thinking", defined as the ability to see the potentialities derived from platform-based models while fostering innovation in the digital world but also in traditional and established businesses.

Daniel Trabucchi is Assistant Professor at the School of Management, Politecnico di Milano. He also serves as a senior researcher in the LEADIN’Lab, the Laboratory for LEAdership, Design, and INnovation. His research interests are focused on innovation management, especially digital two-sided platforms and digital services.
He co-founded Symplatform in 2018, the international conference on digital platforms that aims to match scholars and practitioners in the field.
He is on the scientific board of IDeaLs, the global research platform founded by Politecnico di Milano aiming to develop innovative ways to engage people in transformation processes.
He is co-director of the International Part-Time MBA of the MIP Politecnico di Milano Graduate School of Business.
He authored more than 70 scientific articles, considering peer-reviewed journal articles, conference proceedings, and book chapters.  His research has been published in relevant and recognized peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Product Innovation Management, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, R&D Management, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, Internet Research, Research-Technology Management, Creativity and Innovation Management, Technology Analysis and Strategic Management, and European Journal of Innovation Management; he is also a reviewer for many of these journals.
On top of the academic research side, he teaches Innovation and Project Management at various levels, from bachelor's to masters, MBAs, Executive MBAs, and corporate classes. Moreover, he is often involved in advisory projects with small and multinational organizations in innovation and transformation management.