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Kontrollmechanismen auf Software-Plattformen

Control Mechanisms on Software Platforms

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Zusammenfassung

Software-Plattformen, wie Apple App Store oder Google Play, sind stark von externen App-Entwicklern abhängig, die für Nutzer der Plattformen regelmäßig Apps erstellen und weiterentwickeln. Um die Koordination zwischen Plattformbetreiber und App-Entwickler zu beschreiben und zu analysieren, kann die Kontrolltheorie als Teil der Plattform-Governance herangezogen werden. In diesem Artikel werden eingesetzte Kontrollmechanismen auf Software-Plattformen zusammengetragen und klassifiziert. Wir legen dar, dass Apple und Google verstärkt auf informale Kontrollmechanismen (d. h. Selbst- und Klankontrolle) setzen und weniger auf formale Mechanismen (d. h. Zugangs-, Prozess- und Ergebniskontrolle). In einem Laborexperiment konnten wir außerdem aufzeigen, dass Selbstkontrolle im Vergleich zu formaler Kontrolle in Bezug auf die Qualität der entwickelten Apps und die Loyalität der Entwickler gegenüber der Plattform einen starken positiven Effekt ausüben kann. Der Artikel zeigt, dass Plattformbetreiber vermehrt informale Kontrollmechanismen einsetzen und einsetzen sollten.

Summary

Software platforms, like the Apple App Store or Google Play, depend heavily on external app-developers who regularly develop and update apps for the platform. As part of platform governance, control theory can be invoked in order to describe and analyse the coordination between a platform vendor and app-developers. In this article we describe and categorize existing control mechanisms on software platforms and point out that Apple and Google largely exercise informal control (i.e., self- and clan control) and less formal control (i.e., input, process and output control). Additionally, in a lab experiment, we found evidence that self-control has more positive effects on the quality of developed apps and on developers’ loyalty to the platform compared to formal control. The article demonstrates and suggests that platform vendors should increasingly focus on implementing informal control mechanisms.

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Danksagung

Die Autoren danken dem House of IT e. V. und der Software AG Darmstadt für die Unterstützung des Forschungsbeitrags mittels eines Stipendiums für den Erstautor.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Technische Universität Darmstadt, Hochschulstr. 1, 64289, Darmstadt, Deutschland

    Tobias Goldbach & Alexander Benlian

Authors
  1. Tobias Goldbach
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  2. Alexander Benlian
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Correspondence to Tobias Goldbach.

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Goldbach, T., Benlian, A. Kontrollmechanismen auf Software-Plattformen. HMD 52, 347–357 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1365/s40702-015-0119-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1365/s40702-015-0119-3

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