Sustaining complementor communities: A resourcing perspective on platform-dependent entrepreneurs

The sustainability of digital platforms depends on the active engagement of complementor communities in contributing resources, knowledge, and collective innovation to promote economic as well as social and environmental sustainability. However, research has largely overlooked the proactive role of complementors, particularly platform-dependent entrepreneurs (PDEs), who rely on platform-provided resources but lack ownership of these assets. Using a resourcing perspective, this study examines how PDEs contribute to sustainable complementor communities through resource searching, accessing, and mobilizing processes. Based on data from 44 interviews with PDEs on Taobao, Alibaba, and Amazon, the research identifies a process model across resource searching, accessing, and mobilizing activities, which highlights the iterative, emergent nature of resourcing activities that PDEs employ to contribute to sustainable complementor communities. This study advances understanding of the dynamic capabilities and social practices underpinning the contributions of PDEs, shifting focus from platform owners to complementors’ proactive roles and offering insights into the “low-tech” related features in platform dependence research.