1. Introduction to core conceptsa. What are business models?b. How are platforms different from pipelines?c. Platforms as networks - different sides to the platformi. Compatibility complementarity and standardsii. Consumption externalitiesiii. Switching costs and lock-iniv. Significant economies of scaled. Simple vs multi-sided platformse. Core conceptsi. Network effectsii. Value architecturesiii. Network mobilizationiv. Pricing and subsidiesv. Winner-takes-all dynamicsvi. Platform envelopment2. Network effectsa. What are network effectsb. Direct (same-side) and indirect (cross-side network effects)c. Positive and negative network effectsd. Leveraging network effects for growthe. Products/ services and platforms3. Value creation - DMTE (cost reduction, choice, community)a. Platform value architecture (cost, choice, community)b. Discoveryc. Matchingd. Transactione. Evaluationf. The DMTE cycle4. Penguin problems and network mobilization issuesa. Introduction to penguin problemsb. Challenges in network mobilizationc. Strategies to resolve penguin problems (10 of them)5. Pricing and subsidiesa. Designing the money and subsidy sidesb. Criteria for subsidiesc. Pricing models (5 of them)d. Pricing and its impact on WTJ, WTP, and WTS6. Platform architecture - open/closed and shared/ proprietary platformsa. Open and closed platformsb. Shared and proprietary platformsc. A matrix of open-closed and shared-proprietary platformsd. The challenges of developing the ecosystem of complementorse. Standards and platform growth7. Winner-takes-all dynamicsa. What are WTA markets?b. Positive and strong network effectsc. Multi-homing costsd. No special preferencese. Implications of WTA markets on complementorsf. Regulatory issues with WTA markets8. Platform envelopmenta. What is the threat of envelopment?b. Evaluating the threat when it is imminentc. Envelopment mitigation strategiesi. Racingii. IP protectioniii. Caging of customersd. Envelopment and diversification9. Complementary business modelsa. Overview of differences across business modelsb. Complementarity across business models, say SaaS and platformsc. Sources of synergies and costsd. Impact of these synergies in platform development and scale/ scope10. Contemporary issues in platformsa. Platforms in contestable marketsb. Multi-point competitionc. Platform governanced. Social impact of platformse. Managing international regulationf. Costs of compliance (issues around privacy and monetization)g. Future of platforms - new technologies (AI/ ML, blockchain)