Abstract
Purpose - The online platform is one of the essential components of the platform economy that is constructed by a large scale of the personal data resource. However, accurate empirical test of the competition structure of the data-driven online platform is still less. This research is trying to reveal market allocation structure of the personal data resource of China's car-hailing platforms competition by the empirical data analysis.
Design/methodology/approach - This research is applying the social network analysis by R packages, which include k-core decomposition and multilevel community detection from the data connectedness via the decompilation and the examination of the application programming interface of terminal applications.
Findings - This research has found that the car-hailing platforms, which establish more constant personal data connectedness and connectivity with social media platforms, are taking the competitive market advantage within the sample network. Data access discrimination is a complementary method of market power in China's car-hailing industry.
Research limitations/implications - This research offers a new perspective on the analysis of the multi-sided market from the personal data resource allocation mechanism of the car-hailing platform. However, the measurement of the data connectedness requires more empirical industry data.
Practical implications - This research reveals the competition structure that relies on personal data resource allocation mechanism. It offers empirical evidence for governance, which is considered as the critical issue of big data research, by reviewing the nature of the data network.
Social implications - It also reveals the data convergence process of the social system and the technological system.
Originality/value - This research offers a new research method for the real-time regulation of the car-hailing platform.
Design/methodology/approach - This research is applying the social network analysis by R packages, which include k-core decomposition and multilevel community detection from the data connectedness via the decompilation and the examination of the application programming interface of terminal applications.
Findings - This research has found that the car-hailing platforms, which establish more constant personal data connectedness and connectivity with social media platforms, are taking the competitive market advantage within the sample network. Data access discrimination is a complementary method of market power in China's car-hailing industry.
Research limitations/implications - This research offers a new perspective on the analysis of the multi-sided market from the personal data resource allocation mechanism of the car-hailing platform. However, the measurement of the data connectedness requires more empirical industry data.
Practical implications - This research reveals the competition structure that relies on personal data resource allocation mechanism. It offers empirical evidence for governance, which is considered as the critical issue of big data research, by reviewing the nature of the data network.
Social implications - It also reveals the data convergence process of the social system and the technological system.
Originality/value - This research offers a new research method for the real-time regulation of the car-hailing platform.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 192-215 |
| Number of pages | 24 |
| Journal | Data Technologies and Applications |
| Volume | 55 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Online published | 17 Nov 2020 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 12 Apr 2021 |
Research Keywords
- Car-hailing
- Competition
- Data access
- Multi-sided market
- Personal data resource
- Platform economy