How automotive OEMs can lever platform-based ecosystems through the strategic use of boundary resources

While platform-based ecosystems have drawn massive attention, the focus has primarily been on the platform development, architecture and governance of digital native firms. Nonetheless, mainly product-focused industries are suffering severe changes in how value is perceived by consumers. Thus, they sense an urgent need for change toward establishing platform-based ecosystems in order to survive and remain competitive. As recognised in the automotive industry, OEMs miss fruitful guidance on how to make their resources strategically available to external actors and how to manage them to profit from complements and knowledge spill-overs. Once opened, resources are harder to control; thus, automotive OEMs fear hostile misuse. Based on a systematic literature review, we derive state-of-the-art knowledge concerning the strategic use of boundary resources (BRs). Further, we provide insights through interviews with experts on how to cope with the tensions of openness of resources to enhance platform-based ecosystems’ value.