Type of Publication: Article in Collected Edition

Shaping the Boundaries of a Service Ecosystem: The Case of Udacity

Author(s):

Rothe, Hannes; Steier, Florian

Title of Anthology:

Proceedings of the 50th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences

Location(s):

Waikoloa Village, HI, USA

Publication Date:

2017

Keywords:

massive open online course;MOOC;platform;service ecosystem;service ecosystem design;service-dominant logic

Link to complete version:

http://hdl.handle.net/10125/41799

Citation:

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Abstract

Service-dominant logic highlights the ability of service ecosystems to ’self-adjust’ as a reaction to sys-temic inefficiencies or external changes [1]–[3]. We contribute to the question on how focal actors shape the boundaries of service ecosystems through service innovation. This is a single case study on a digital eco-system focused on a first mover in digital platforms for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs): Udacity. We found two mechanisms, where Udacity shaped the boundaries of its ecosystem: ’user self-service integra-tion’ and ’gradual partner disintegration’. Through-out three phases between 2011 and 2015 they disinte-grated services from higher education, namely offer-ing courses online, designing course, and accredita-tion due to lowly perceived adaptability of universities and external pressures for finding a sustainable busi-ness model. Additionally, they disintegrated self-orga-nized solutions of user needs and re-integrated them with new actors. This led to newly shaped boundaries of the service ecosystem.