TechTarget’s SearchCIO online magazine highlighted the recent Insights@Questrom Live event “Should We Regulate Platforms? How?”, co-sponsored by the Questrom School of Business Digital Business Institute. The event featured a high-powered panel of 13 experts, including Andrei Hagiu, Associate Professor of Information Systems, and moderated by Marshall Van Alstyne, Questrom Professor of Management. The discussion highlighted some of the more recent business and societal challenges that have put platforms in the spotlight. One such issue is the dual role that some platforms play. For example, Amazon both owns and operates the platform, but also are a retailer themselves on the platform. Panelists debated the potential consequences of breaking-up or regulating digital platform companies and potential remedies to the recent challenges.
Unfortunately, one of the most prominent policy remedies that has been advanced [is that] you have to choose: either you’re a pure marketplace or you’re a pure retailer. I think this is one of the most misguided policy approaches to platforms.
Andrei Hagiu
Associate Professor of Informations Systems
Boston University Questrom School of Business
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