Principles of the digital platform economy and municipalities vitality policies

”Principles of the digital platform economy and municipalities’ vitality policies” (DATE) research project investigates how digital platforms could be utilised when the motives and practices of the public and private sector are combined. The project answers the questions such as what kind of characteristics explain successful and unsuccessful platform solutions when public and private sector needs are combined, and what kinds of benefits these platforms could deliver from the municipalities’ perspective.

Japanese “home region donation system” is examined with qualitative case study methods and research materials. Furusato noozei is a web-based digital participatory platform established in 2008. Citizens can utilise this digital platform to contribute voluntary financial donations to a municipality or a prefecture outside one’s municipality of residence.

DATE-project contributes to social scientific research about platform economies, which has recently examined operation logics and value creating processes as well as service and product combinations. The project provides information about relationships between multi-actor platforms and their possible applications in Finnish municipalities. The project seeks to identify the benefits of digital platforms in strengthening local and regional vitality policies.

Results indicate the baseline conditions for a successful hybrid and multi-actor digital platform. In addition, the results show possible problems for implementing digital platforms, how they should be developed effectively and what forms of cooperation advance the adoption of platforms in the public sector. Based on results, the applicability of digital platforms is evaluated from the municipalities’ perspective.

The project is funded by The Foundation for Municipal Development.