New DFG Project by Dr. Sina Hardaker - The role of digital platforms in the (spatial) (re)configuration of brick-and-mortar retail
06/18/2024Digital platforms are changing and influencing economic and social processes in various ways. Economic geographer Sina Hardaker is researching their impact on the retail sector.
The increasing platformization of retail is most evident in the example of online trading platforms. It has been 30 years since Jeff Bezos founded Amazon. What began as an online bookstore has established itself as the undisputed number one in e-commerce in the USA and Europe. Since then, much has changed for brick-and-mortar retail. The use of online marketplaces and social media platforms such as Meta, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok has become indispensable as communication or even sales channels. This also completely redefines workflows and processes in physical retail.
A research project at Julius Maximilians University of Würzburg (JMU) aims to examine these developments closely. Which platforms play a role? How advanced is the platformization? What legitimizations underlie these processes, and what dependencies might retailers be entering into?
The project titled "The Role of Digital Platforms in the (Spatial) (Re-)Configuration of Brick-and-Mortar Retail" is led by economic geographer Dr. Sina Hardaker.
The entire issue of the online magazine einBLICK from the University of Würzburg can be found here, and the article on the impacts of digital platforms is available here.
