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4 reviews for:
Matchmakers: The New Economics of Multisided Platforms
David S. Evans, Richard Schmalensee
3.67 AVERAGE
4 reviews for:
Matchmakers: The New Economics of Multisided Platforms
David S. Evans, Richard Schmalensee
3.67 AVERAGE
Matchmakers lies somewhere between being a guide for entrepreneurs to start their own multisided platform and being an introductory, economics handbook on multisided platforms, although Evans and Schmalensee land closer to the former than the latter. As a person with a background in economics, I wish the authors would focus more on the economics and theoretical models behind multisided platforms, but the book features more anecdotal examples of rather than research papers on such platforms. Of course, the reason is that research papers on this topic tend to be rather dense. For more information, see Weyl (2010), White and Weyl (2010), Rochet and Tirole (2003, 2006), and Armstron (2006) just to start.
Still, the authors use examples of existing platforms, such as Open Table, Alibaba, YouTube, Apple, etc. quite nicely to illustrate the qualities that define multisided platforms and the challenges that companies have to overcome to create one. The beginning tends to be a bit repetitive with repeated explanations of "network effects" and "critical mass." However, the authors get the job done. I have a much clearer understanding of multisided platforms than I previously had. I especially like the chapter on Fleet Cards (chapter 6) and the chapter on Kenya's M-PESA (chapter 11).
Overall, a very easy-to-read introduction to multisided platforms.
Still, the authors use examples of existing platforms, such as Open Table, Alibaba, YouTube, Apple, etc. quite nicely to illustrate the qualities that define multisided platforms and the challenges that companies have to overcome to create one. The beginning tends to be a bit repetitive with repeated explanations of "network effects" and "critical mass." However, the authors get the job done. I have a much clearer understanding of multisided platforms than I previously had. I especially like the chapter on Fleet Cards (chapter 6) and the chapter on Kenya's M-PESA (chapter 11).
Overall, a very easy-to-read introduction to multisided platforms.
Solid summary of the frameworks used in platform businesses. The book doesn't try and overdo it, which is unusual for a business book. I don't think it will ever be a go to guide for anyone, but plenty of anecdote mixed with useful definitions and structural ideas.
I like the “ cold start problems” better on explaining network effects
Great overview of how the new breed of matchmakers become successful