Research On The Growth Mechanism Of Platform Ecosystem Based On The Perspective Of Legitimacy

This article uses the case study method to study the growth mechanism of the Hongmeng platform ecosystem from the perspective of organizational legitimacy,taking the Hongmeng system as an example.The establishment and growth process of the Hongmeng platform ecosystem is divided into three stages.A phased study was conducted on how to obtain legitimacy at each stage,and the growth mechanism of the platform ecosystem during its legalization process was explored.This article reveals that the platform ecosystem is a continuous process of gaining legitimacy from establishment to maturity and stability.According to different stages of growth,the emphasis on obtaining legitimacy varies at each stage.Research shows that:(1)During the exploration period of the platform,the leaders of emerging platforms do not want to alienate their partners and customers due to competition with existing platforms.At this stage,the new platform leaders focus on obtaining legitimacy through both institutional legitimacy and cognitive legitimacy,gaining the trust of society and users.(2)During the development period of the platform,due to factors such as innovation needs,the interests of developers,and the market’s recognition of Hongmeng,platform leaders mainly gain regulatory legitimacy by cooperating with industry organizations or companies with regulatory legitimacy to assume social responsibilities,and gain cognitive legitimacy through star brand promotion and new product strategies,thereby further improving the platform ecosystem.(3)During the diffusion period of the platform,the platform ecosystem has basically completed the establishment of the platform ecosystem through the continuous acquisition of normative legitimacy and cognitive legitimacy,and further expanded the scope of the platform ecosystem,ultimately achieving rapid prosperity and stable development of the platform ecosystem.Based on this,we summarize the growth mechanism of the platform ecosystem,and provide corresponding policies and suggestions for the process of continuously obtaining legitimacy during its growth stage.This article explores the process of legalization of the Hongmeng platform ecosystem from a process perspective,filling the gap in research on the growth mechanism of the platform ecosystem.Research on the Hongmeng platform ecosystem can provide a reference platform development model for the same industry,and provide reference for the legalization of emerging platform based enterprises committed to the growth of the platform ecosystem.