54 In summary, due to the increasing platform competition and the severe platform lock-in technique, an agile and flexible app structure is highly recommended to support a quick and facile exit strategy when and if needed.
55
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58
Appendix
Exhibit 1. (Van Alstyne, 2019)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PgRUYgOXyQ&feature=youtu.be)
59 Exhibit 2. (Cusumano, Gawer and Yoffie, 2018)
60 Exhibit 3. (Cusumano, Gawer and Yoffie, 2018)
61 Exhibit 4. Participants list
Exhibit 5. Platform owners list
Platform owners used by participants
Google Oracle
Amazon Workday
Salesforce SAP
Wavemaker Thinkwise
Spring WEM
Microsoft IBM
DocuSign Betty Blocks
62 Exhibit 6. Semi-structured Interview content
Introduction to the topic
The research is part of a final thesis EPMS - UVA
The research question is: What is the effect of platform performance on theTPA choice to extend, exit or mix several platforms?
Platform focus areas are PAAS or HPaPAAS, such as Salesforce (heroku), Microsoft Power apps, Google app engine, Mendix, Outsystems and Magento. App developers can use homogeneous e.g. Gen25, ComplianceQuest, 4C and Vanenburg Software.
The research goal is to contribute to existing literature by focusing on TPA retention theory and to help TPA to make the right choice.
PAAS / Platform related questions 1 Could you introduce yourself?
2 Could you introduce your business (country, industry, apps ...)?
3 How would you describe your current platform?
The Platform Choice (Context, process of the decision) 1Why did you choose the current platform?
2 When did you make the choice and how?
3 How do you use current platform
Platform performance related questions
1 How would you define Platform Performance in your words?
2 How do you recognize Platform Performance based on Finance (growth)?
3 How would you recognize platform performance based on Architecture?
4 How would you recognize platform performance based on Governance?
-Control mechanism or Price control: Subsidiary of one of the 2 sides.
5 Which other factors could you add to (PP)?
6 Which PP factors are most important to you to make a choice?
63 App developer choice (retention) Extend, Exit and hybrid
1 How would you define retention?
2 What makes you extend the use of current platform 3 When will you choose to leave a platform?
4 What other choices do you have then leave or stay with a platform?
5 Which examples do you have in your mind 6 What do you want to add to TPA retention Relation with Performance
1 Which platform performance factors have an effect on your choice?
2 Why would you choose to leave a platform (in relation to performance)?
3 How does the platform owner motivate you to continue to invest in its technology Other factors
1 How would a competitor platform influence your relationship with your chosen platform?
2 Which other factors could influence your relationship with your chosen platform?
Thank you for your time and for your participation. Do you have any additional information to share or do you want to give your feedback?
64 Exhibit 7. Codebook
Name Groundedness Density Groups
API 15 1 Platform Performance
AppExchange 9 1 Platform Performance
Architecture 14 3 Platform Performance
Autonomy 3 1 Platform Performance
Benchmarking 4 0 Platform Choice
Big Data 3 1 Platform Performance
Commitment 4 0 Engagement
Community & Ecosystem 11 0 Engagement
Competition with Platform 8 0 Retention related
Database 5 1 Platform Performance
Dependency 5 0 Retention related
Ease of Use 4 1 Platform Performance
End-User preferences 27 0 End-User
Engagement 30 0 Engagement
Evolution 12 0 Platform Performance
Exit 52 0 Retention related
Experience with Platform 4 0 Platform Choice
Extend 73 0 Retention related
Financial Performance 28 1 Platform Performance
Global End-Users 4 0 End-User
Google 11 0 Competition
65
Governance 35 1 Platform Performance
Hybrid 26 0 Retention related
Innovation 33 5 Platform Performance
Integration with External Tools 5 1 Platform Performance
Integration with Platform 7 1 Platform Performance
Latency 10 1 Platform Performance
Lock-in & Switching costs 27 0 Retention related
Loyalty 11 0 Engagement
Mass access 18 1 Platform Performance
ML- AI 10 1 Platform Performance
Monopoly 4 0 Retention related
Open Source 10 0 Platform Choice
Performance 57 0 Platform Performance
Platform Choice 39 0 Platform Choice
Platform competition 29 0 Competition
Platform Roadmap 5 0 Retention related
Price Control 8 0 Retention related
Pricing model 5 0 Platform Choice
Quality 4 1 Platform Performance
Quantity apps 5 1 Platform Performance
Salesforce 21 0 Competition
Scalability 7 1 Platform Performance
66
Security 12 1 Platform Performance
Spillover 14 0 Platform Performance
Start-up 1 0 Platform Choice
Status- Partnership 6 0 Engagement
Subsidy 6 1 Platform Performance
Technology 46 8 Platform Performance
Tools-Features-Functionalities 14 1 Platform Performance
TPA competition 5 0 Retention related
TPA Discrimination 5 0 Retention related
TPA Investment 17 0 Platform Choice
TPA NIche 7 0 Retention related
Training and certification 11 0 Engagement
Trust 9 0 Retention related
Updates 6 1 Platform Performance
Value add - Gap 21 0 Retention related