Цифрові платформи як рушійна сила цифрової трансформації економіки

The article deals with the theoretical aspects of structures such as digital platforms, the revelation of the contemporary importance of digital platforms for economic and social development. Digital platforms have been found to be a relatively new phenomenon that has evolved over the last ten years. Approaches of scientists and practitioners to define the definition of «digital platform», their composition, common and distinguishing features between existing types of digital platforms are analyzed. The study found that most scholars are unanimous in identifying the digital platform as a key digital transformation tool that provides information sharing and transactions between a large number of online users. Generalizing scientists’ claims, the author defines an online platform by which we understand bilateral or multilateral markets with an infrastructure that operates online and facilitates transactions between different parties in the process of buying and selling goods and services. It is established that the largest companies in the world by the index of market capitalization now use platform business models. The stages of digital transformation of the market using digital platforms are presented, each of the six stages is characterized. The advantages of enterprises as a result of application of platform business models are highlighted. The strategiesof monetization of digital platforms are considered, the mechanism of realization of each of them is described. Thus, it can be argued that digital platforms are a breakthrough innovation that can radically change the structure of the national market. On the one hand, digital platforms help to avoid the intermediary chain, offering the ultimate consumer the full range of options. On the other hand, in the case of «digital monopoly», the owners of successful platforms receive effective market control levers (including information asymmetries) and can impose their pricing policies on service consumers. In these circumstances, the «traditional» business in strategic terms isthreatened by the risk of loss of distribution channels and full dependence on platform owners.