Abstract
Due to their direct and indirect network effects, platform firms play a significant role in the
global economy. These firms have disrupted the innovation value chain by creating and
capturing value from the scaling up of their business activities. Despite the role they play in
disruptive innovation, we know relatively little about the ways in which platform firms engage
with their institutional and other stakeholders through non-market corporate political activities
and social strategies. This special issue on ‘non-market strategies and disruptive innovation in
the platform economy’ aims to contribute to the current literature which has examined the rise
of platform firms and their value creation. It also intends to capture drivers of value creation
by drawing insights from the non-market strategies literature developed in the context of
traditional firms. This introductory article and the papers included in this special issue provide
important insights into non-market strategies and platform firms, and highlight potential topics
suited for future research.