PLATFORM BUSINESS MODELS: ADDRESSING ORGANIZATIONAL, SECTORAL AND SOCIETAL DIMENSIONS IN AN AZERBAIJANI CONTEXT

Abstract

Digital technology platforms - “DTP“s are increasingly central to business model innovation, yet existing research has mainly focused on single-country cases and positive effects, overlooking contextual, organizational and societal downsides. Building on Bartczak’s work on Polish firms, this article examines how DTPs influence business model innovation in Azerbaijani small and medium-sized enterprises - “SME“s in the traditional stationery sector. The study addresses gaps related to cross-country generalisability, firm size and internal capabilities, sector-specific dynamics, negative impacts and regulatory environment. In this article, a mixed-methods design was applied. A structured survey of 50 stationery SMEs captured adoption patterns, perceived impacts, success factors and barriers, while ten semi-structured interviews provided qualitative insights into organizational culture, consumer involvement, risks and long-term strategic issues. The findings confirm that DTPs enhance competitiveness, market reach and customer engagement even in a developing economy and traditional industry. At the same time, SMEs face significant constraints related to skills, infrastructure, financial resources and platform dependency, and consumer co-creation remains limited. The article contributes a more balanced view of platform business models in an emerging market, and offers implications for SME managers, policymakers and platform operators.