The micro-foundations of platform leaders’ dynamic capabilities: an analysis based on the dual perspectives of digital attention allocation and knowledge management

Purpose This study aims to explore the micro-foundations of platform leaders’ dynamic capabilities. Drawing on the dual perspectives of digital attention allocation and knowledge management, it reveals the micro-level mechanisms underlying the transformation from static knowledge capital to dynamic capabilities. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts an exploratory single case study and Gioia coding method, using FANJIA, a platform leader, as the research subject, to explore the action mechanism linking cognitive drive, knowledge accumulation and behavioural transformation. Findings The formation of platform leaders’ dynamic capabilities follows the framework of cognition drive→ knowledge accumulation→ behavioural transformation, where the strategic allocation of top managers’ attention to digital technology, platform construction and ecological coordination guides the organisation’s investment in human, social and organisational capital. At the employee level, knowledge generation, gathering and sharing behaviours serve as micro-mechanisms, transforming knowledge capital into innovation, environmental scanning and sensing and integration capabilities. Research limitations/implications This study adopts a single case design, and the universality of its conclusions requires further validation across diverse contexts. Practical implications Platform leaders should optimise the allocation of digital attention, intensify investment in knowledge capital and reinforce knowledge management, guiding resource allocation, facilitating capital accumulation and enhancing ecosystem adaptability. Originality/value This study reveals the cross-level micro-mechanisms underlying the formation of platform leaders’ dynamic capabilities in platform ecosystems, offering new theoretical perspectives and practical guidance for platform competition in the digital era.