COVID-19 has accelerated the need for innovation and digitalization in numerous industries as the pandemic has revealed vulnerabilities and gaps in the business models of numerous companies. The emerging of digital technologies such as AI, block chains and digital platforms have shaped business models of global businesses including multinational enterprises and small companies. Specifically, platform business models have driven the emergence of digital multinationals such as Google, Facebook, Netflix etc. Compared to traditional business models, platform business models rely on multisided digital infrastructures to connect multiple buyers and sellers across different countries and industries. Despite increasing growth of platform business models for international business, however, theoretically, there is a significant gaps in terms of logics and strategic thinking between traditional and platform strategies and business models. How to develop platform based strategic thinking and relate and compare it with traditional strategic thinking is critically important for academic and practitioners.

The objective of this course is to explore and introduce platform strategies and understand opportunities and challenges of global platforms and digital multinationals. Through case studies, the main objective is to help students understand related theoretical perspectives and practices of global platforms and digital multinationals.