Measuring the symbiotic relationship among platform enterprises and its impact on competitive advantage

平台企业共生关系测度及其对竞争优势的影响

Abstract

This paper investigates how symbiotic relationships among platform enterprises shape their competitive advantage in the digital economy. Drawing on symbiosis theory and ecosystem thinking, we conceptualize inter-platform symbiosis as a multi-dimensional construct encompassing traffic sharing, data interoperability, complementary service integration, and co-governance arrangements. On this basis, we develop a measurement framework that combines network analysis with a symbiosis intensity index to capture the structural and relational characteristics of symbiotic ties among platform firms. Using panel data from major digital platforms, we empirically test the impact of symbiotic relationships on competitive advantage in terms of market performance, innovation output, and ecosystem value creation. The results show that moderate-to-high levels of symbiosis significantly enhance competitive advantage, mainly through two mediating mechanisms: improved resource orchestration efficiency and stronger ecosystem co-innovation. However, excessive dependence on a small number of symbiotic partners reduces strategic flexibility and weakens competitive resilience, indicating an inverted U-shaped effect. Further analysis reveals that platform governance quality and environmental dynamism positively moderate the value-creation effect of symbiosis. This study enriches the literature on platform competition and cooperation, and provides managerial implications for platform enterprises seeking to design symbiotic strategies that balance cooperation and independence.