Digital Platforms: Mechanisms of Functioning and Impact on the Economy

The article examines the platform economy from the point of view of the characteristics that distinguish it from traditional forms of relations and its influence on economic processes. It is shown that, although the formation of the platform economy is predetermined by technical progress, it is characterized by fundamentally new mechanisms based on the platform business model and network effects. The specific consequences of the spread of platforms for the cost structure of economic sectors were analyzed. These consequences were assessed using a static input–output model. Our calculations show that, given the relatively high direct contribution of the platform economy to the GDP and employment of the Russian population (about 3–5%), the final impact of the development of the platform economy, taking into account structural shifts and the reduction in gross added value in traditional sectors, is relatively modest—less than 1% of GDP growth in the scenarios considered.