Ecosystem Emergence: How Automakers Transform Through Platform Regeneration

Abstract

This thesis theorises an unexplored yet significant phenomenon, ecosystem-driven firm transformation, by cross-fertilising system transition theory, corporate behaviour, and the ecosystem view. It explains incumbent firms’ proactive responses during technological transitions through ecosystem resilience, empirically examining the managerial processes (organisational adaptation, asymmetric uncertainty management, and platform transformation) required to sustain the automaker's identity as a system integrator. The research posits that a firm's endogenous enactment enables multiple interconnected adaptation dimensions to co-evolve with the environment, driving ecosystem emergence and supporting firm resilience. This emergence drives firm transformation by facilitating a virtuous cycle between the ecosystem and internal adaptations. Addressing the gap left by prevailing structural and outside-in ecosystem perspectives motivates the present theory development.
An embedded multiple case study of Chinese automakers, including state-owned enterprises (Firm A, Firm C) and private firms (Firm B), during the technological transition towards connectivity, automated driving, shared mobility, and electrification (CASE) is conducted to verify this emergent theory. It reveals a three-pillar framework of ecosystem-based firm transformation embedded within a socio-technical environment. Firstly, firm responses to technological transitions are attributed to multi-level factors that remain unique within the same socio-technical context. Secondly, organisational adaptation aligns emerging layered modular product architectures with competitive strategies, with effectiveness moderated by institutional context. Thirdly, automakers maintain power as system integrators by strategically managing asymmetric technological uncertainties and establishing transitional 'bound relationships' with suppliers. Fourthly, successful hybrid platform transformation depends on fostering unique, platform-dependent innovations and achieving independent governance.
The ecosystem emergence framework contributes to understanding real-asset industries during technological transitions by infusing ecosystem mechanisms into the ‘platform grafting’ metaphor. Furthermore, it cross-fertilises endogenous enactment from system transitions literature, helping establish the ecosystem concept within dynamic views of firm transformation. Practical implications for transformation managers are systematically discussed.

Date of Award	Mar 2026
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Aston University
Supervisor	Brian Price (Supervisor), Christos Papanagnou (Supervisor) & Evanthia Thanou (Supervisor)