Acquisition · Quantitative empirical study

The entry-deterring effects of synergies in complementor acquisitions: Evidence from Apple’s digital platform market

Strategic Management Journal · 2024

Yongzhi Wang, Lori Qingyuan Yue, Nandini Rajagopalan, Brian Wu

Original paper ↗

Summary

Synergies in complementor acquisitions can deter entry in platform markets.

For your marketing

Possible founder application

Anticipate how acquisitions change future complementor entry and ecosystem variety.

Reported result

What the study found

Synergies in complementor acquisitions can deter entry in platform markets.

Research question

What the authors investigated

How does the study’s stated design explain its reported outcome in this setting?

Design

Quantitative empirical study

Sample and setting

Apple iOS app-market acquisitions

Scope and transfer

Limitations to keep in view

Apple market and acquisition setting.

Research sources

abstract_only

Study strength

3.5/5 Abstract-level evidence is useful for framing questions; verify full methods before transfer.

How this was assessed

The 1–5 evidence-check score is a practical reading aid, not a formal peer review or a probability that a conclusion is true. It combines design strength (2 points), sample reporting (1), comparison/control clarity (1), and how much of the paper could be checked (1). Access affects how confidently this directory can assess a study, not the study's underlying quality. Blinding is reported separately because it is not relevant to every design.

Design transparency · 2/2

Based on the reported study design in the retrieved source.

Sample and setting · 1/1

The sample context is stated; a numerical count is preserved only when reported.

Outcome clarity · 1/1

The finding is summarized from publisher or article metadata.

Access for checking · 0.5/1

Only abstract or bibliographic access was confirmed.

Double-blind? The retrieved publisher record does not establish whether participants or outcome assessors were blinded.