In one in two companies, managers are expecting losses or already experiencing sharper competition as a result of digital platforms. The focus is less on the big players such as Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple here – even though many entrepreneurs also regard their market behavior as damaging to business. Above all, it is niche platforms and comparison portals that are giving decision-makers cause for concern. This is revealed by the study Potential analysis of digital platforms by the consultancy company Sopra Steria Consulting, for which 355 decision-makers and technical specialists from various industries were surveyed.

For the other half of the managers surveyed, by contrast, the advantages of such platforms outweigh the disadvantages: sales managers, for example, are expecting huge cost savings, among other things because they do not have to open up markets themselves. It is noticeable that banks and insurers feel under the greatest threat and are simultaneously the most active platform participants. However, in Germany, the study says, the platforms do not yet hold a dominant position.