The Role of the Platform Economy in Transforming Automotive Suppliers: A Case Study of the Northern Black Forest

The European automotive industry, particularly in Germany, faces a significant crisis, heavily impacting suppliers reliant on OEMs. To enhance resilience, participation in the platform economy has been proposed as a solution. This study employs a qualitative research approach by conducting 18 expert...

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Main Authors: Bernhard Kölmel, Rebecca Bulander, Lukas Waidelich, Luc Schmerber, Luca Fischer, Abderrahim Moussaref
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Platforms
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2813-4176/3/2/9
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author Bernhard Kölmel
Rebecca Bulander
Lukas Waidelich
Luc Schmerber
Luca Fischer
Abderrahim Moussaref
author_facet Bernhard Kölmel
Rebecca Bulander
Lukas Waidelich
Luc Schmerber
Luca Fischer
Abderrahim Moussaref
author_sort Bernhard Kölmel
collection DOAJ
description The European automotive industry, particularly in Germany, faces a significant crisis, heavily impacting suppliers reliant on OEMs. To enhance resilience, participation in the platform economy has been proposed as a solution. This study employs a qualitative research approach by conducting 18 expert interviews with automotive companies in the Northern Black Forest region to assess their awareness, perceived potential, and support needs regarding platform-based business models. The findings reveal diverse perspectives: smaller firms perceive higher risks, while larger companies recognize potential but struggle with limited expertise. The results highlight the novelty of the platform economy within the supplier industry and the need for increased awareness, strategic guidance, and tailored support measures. This study provides original insights into regional supplier engagement with platform ecosystems, contributing to the limited research on this topic and offering a foundation for future industry adaptation strategies.
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series Platforms
spelling doaj-art-16bc8f81c47644119007d045bf89e8482025-08-20T02:21:57ZengMDPI AGPlatforms2813-41762025-05-0132910.3390/platforms3020009The Role of the Platform Economy in Transforming Automotive Suppliers: A Case Study of the Northern Black ForestBernhard Kölmel0Rebecca Bulander1Lukas Waidelich2Luc Schmerber3Luca Fischer4Abderrahim Moussaref5Institute of Smart Systems and Services, Pforzheim University, 75175 Pforzheim, GermanyInstitute of Smart Systems and Services, Pforzheim University, 75175 Pforzheim, GermanyInstitute of Smart Systems and Services, Pforzheim University, 75175 Pforzheim, GermanyInstitute of Smart Systems and Services, Pforzheim University, 75175 Pforzheim, GermanyInstitute of Smart Systems and Services, Pforzheim University, 75175 Pforzheim, GermanyInstitute of Smart Systems and Services, Pforzheim University, 75175 Pforzheim, GermanyThe European automotive industry, particularly in Germany, faces a significant crisis, heavily impacting suppliers reliant on OEMs. To enhance resilience, participation in the platform economy has been proposed as a solution. This study employs a qualitative research approach by conducting 18 expert interviews with automotive companies in the Northern Black Forest region to assess their awareness, perceived potential, and support needs regarding platform-based business models. The findings reveal diverse perspectives: smaller firms perceive higher risks, while larger companies recognize potential but struggle with limited expertise. The results highlight the novelty of the platform economy within the supplier industry and the need for increased awareness, strategic guidance, and tailored support measures. This study provides original insights into regional supplier engagement with platform ecosystems, contributing to the limited research on this topic and offering a foundation for future industry adaptation strategies.https://www.mdpi.com/2813-4176/3/2/9platform economyautomotive supplierscommoditizationSMENorthern Black Forest
spellingShingle Bernhard Kölmel
Rebecca Bulander
Lukas Waidelich
Luc Schmerber
Luca Fischer
Abderrahim Moussaref
The Role of the Platform Economy in Transforming Automotive Suppliers: A Case Study of the Northern Black Forest
Platforms
platform economy
automotive suppliers
commoditization
SME
Northern Black Forest
title The Role of the Platform Economy in Transforming Automotive Suppliers: A Case Study of the Northern Black Forest
title_full The Role of the Platform Economy in Transforming Automotive Suppliers: A Case Study of the Northern Black Forest
title_fullStr The Role of the Platform Economy in Transforming Automotive Suppliers: A Case Study of the Northern Black Forest
title_full_unstemmed The Role of the Platform Economy in Transforming Automotive Suppliers: A Case Study of the Northern Black Forest
title_short The Role of the Platform Economy in Transforming Automotive Suppliers: A Case Study of the Northern Black Forest
title_sort role of the platform economy in transforming automotive suppliers a case study of the northern black forest
topic platform economy
automotive suppliers
commoditization
SME
Northern Black Forest
url https://www.mdpi.com/2813-4176/3/2/9
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