China-USA Business Review

It is the purpose of this paper to explore the emergence of a new form of web-based company and how the new organisational form is able to access multiple-markets and industries by exploiting the benefits of a platform ecosystem business model.Internet-based companies such as Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Apple were referred to as the "Gang of Four" in May, 2011, by Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman of Google.These 21st century companies are leading an internet-based consumer revolution which is having a disruptive impact on a broad range of industries and markets.Using their platform-based ecosystems, the internet-based corporations are able to leverage these core competencies and enter industries that appear…