3 Obstacles to Globalizing a Digital Platform

Many platform businesses rely heavily on network effects to drive their growth. But when it comes to international expansion, research suggests that network effects are insufficient to replicate the rapid market penetration these firms may be used to at home. Specifically, there are three critical areas that platform firms should consider when pursuing international growth: user acquisition strategy, organizational structure, and business environment. Through a series of quantitative and qualitative studies, the authors identified the common hurdles that digital platforms face in each of these three areas, as well as strategies that can be effective in addressing those challenges when attempting to enter a foreign market.