As part of our profiles of TIM people, let us introduce Joey van Angeren of VU Amsterdam, which is, perhaps not surprisingly, in Amsterdam! Joey, you recently were nominated for an award at the 2020 virtual conference. Congratulations! So…
What are your research interests right now?
Most of my research focuses on product outcomes in the context of platform ecosystems. Within this broad area, I mainly adopt the perspective of the complementors that make up the vast majority of the platform ecosystem and ask what the implications are of the strategic choices that they make as they navigate this challenging competitive environment. I examine classic issues such as product positioning or business model choice, as well as strategic choices that may be viewed as more specific to a platforms or digital context. Moreover, I also investigate how complementors and their choices are affected by their complex relationship with the platform provider.
Owing to my background (I received part of my education in computer science), I am also intrigued by the implications of artificial intelligence. Specifically, I am interested in how the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence affects firms’ strategies, business models, and organizing.
What do you think is your most exciting contribution to academia?
I am not sure whether I would call it exciting per se, but I like to think that there is added value in my interdisciplinary focus, in the broadest sense of the term. I have a combined background in information systems, computer science, and innovation management, and have been trained in and perform both quantitative and qualitative research. It is therefore not entirely surprising that I have so far only worked at multidisciplinary departments and research groups. I enjoy reading, bringing together, and contributing to, research across different fields, using and combining different research methods, and leveraging approaches from computer science in case the project calls for it.
At the 2020 Conference you were runner-up for an award from TIM. Tell us about your dissertation and why you think its findings are important.
In my dissertation I examine the implications of positioning and business model design for the performance of complementary products in platform ecosystems. I do this in the context of the iOS App Store, adopting theoretical lenses from organization theory, information systems and marketing, and strategy. When I initially started working on this back in 2014, there was very little research that focused on the perspective of complementors in platform ecosystems. This was surprising to me, given that complementors are so central to the creation and capture of value from platforms. Hence, I thought their perspective and the challenges they face were worthy of greater scholarly attention. The findings from my dissertation advance product positioning and business model design as two crucial antecedents of complementary product performance. For example, in one of the chapters in my dissertation I theorize and find that the legitimacy of products’ business model designs (i.e., different combinations of revenue streams) directly affect performance. I also highlight the complex ways in which product positioning and business model design interact.
Tell us something personal about yourself.
When I introduce myself to students or at conferences I usually start with the fact that I am visually impaired. I was born with Peter’s Anomaly, a rare eye condition. It defines me one way or another, so I chose to do the same in this personal section of my TIM-troduction.
While I had set out to move abroad at several points in my life, I never actually lived outside of The Netherlands (yet), or at least not officially. I enjoy soccer (nowadays only watching), craft beer, video games, and a good conversation, among others. I have been a supporter of FC Utrecht for as long as I can remember. The combination of some of my hobbies mean that city trips often turn into a combination of attending soccer games and hunting for good local beers.
Thanks Joey!
If you (the reader) would like to be profiled for a TIM-troduction, or would like to nominate someone else, please contact us at: tim@aom.org.