Migration between Platforms
23 Pages Posted: 7 Oct 2013
There are 4 versions of this paper
Migration between Platforms
Should I stay or should I go? Migrating away from an incumbent platform
Should I Stay or Should I Go? Migrating Away from an Incumbent Platform
Date Written: October 1, 2013
Abstract
We develop a model of dynamic platform formation under positive platform externalities. Users can switch between an incumbent and entrant platforms, switching opportunities arise stochastically and users can choose whether to accept or reject an opportunity to switch. For homogeneous users, we characterize the incumbency advantage implied by a given equilibrium realization of the switching process. For linear utility, incumbency advantage increases in the mean and dispersion of the incumbent’s share during the switching process, which captures the momentum and coordination of the process. Heterogeneity in preferences may lead some users to delay their switching or never switch at all. Assuming that switching opportunities arrive according to a Poisson process, users switch to the entrant platform.
Keywords: Platform Formation, Migration, Standardization and Compatibility, Industry
JEL Classification: D85, L14, R23, L15, L16
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