Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship (벤처창업연구)

The Korean Society of Business Venturing (한국벤처창업학회)
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A Study on the Platform Utilization Strategy and Growth of a Start-Up: Focusing the Case Study of 'Genie the Bottle'

신생 기업의 플랫폼 활용 전략과 성장에 관한 연구: '지니더바틀' 사례를 중심으로

  • Juhee Kim (Korea University, Institute for Business Research and Education) ;
  • Minju Shin (Korea University Business School)
  • 김주희 (고려대학교 기업경영연구원 ) ;
  • 신민주 (고려대학교 경영학과)
  • Received : 2023.01.13
  • Accepted : 2023.04.18
  • Published : 2023.04.30
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Abstract

Under the digital economy, companies are facing a new business environment. Previous studies with a traditional perspectives on start-ups explained they are at a disadvantaged compared to large companies in mobilizing resources and building new relationships. However, recent researches on the digital economy and platform ecosystems have suggested that digital platforms can be an efficient means of overcoming the liabilities of smallness and newness for start-up companies. Through platforms start-ups can secure routes to mobilize resources, collect and analyze market information. Especially as various platorms are established within categorized industry or market, unique characteristics and market awareness regarding an individual startup company have been formed. Accordingly there is also an advantage that startup companies have umbrella effect by participating in the platform. From this point of view, this study describes the process by which a start-up company effectively utilizes a platform to overcome the liabilities of newness and smallness through the case the study of 'Genie the Bottle'. The results suggest that platforms play a crucial role for start-ups to secure awareness and legitimacy and grow the market in the beauty industry in which high consumer involvement is dominant.

디지털 경제 아래에서 기업들은 새로운 비즈니스 환경을 맞이하고 있다. 선행 연구에 따르면 신생 기업은 대기업이나 기존 기업에 비해서 자원을 확보하고 새로운 관계를 구축하는 데에 있어서 여러 측면에서 불리한 위치에 놓여져 있다고 설명한다. 하지만 디지털 경제와 플랫폼 생태계를 다루고 있는 최근 연구에서는 디지털 플랫폼이 창업 기업의 규모의 불리함(Liability of smallness)과 신생의 불리함(Liability of newness)를 극복하는 효율적인 수단이 될 수 있음을 시사하고 있다. 이러한 점에 주목하여 본 연구에서는 신생 기업이 플랫폼을 효과적으로 활용하여 신생의 불리함(Liability of newness)과 규모의 불리함(Liability of smallness)이라는 제약적 상황을 효과적으로 극복하고 성장하는 과정을 '지니더바틀' 기업의 사례를 통해 살펴보고자 하였다. 본 연구를 위해 먼저 신생 기업인 지니더바틀이 플랫폼을 통해 자원의 불리함을 극복하고 시장 규모를 확대하는 과정을 분석하였다. 이커머스 시장에서 지배적인 우위를 차지하고 있으며 충성도가 높은 고객을 확보하고 있는 플랫폼에 보완자(complementor)로서 합류하여 신규 고객을 확보하고 시장 내 입지를 다지는 메커니즘을 설명하고자 하였다, 둘째, 소비자의 고관여라는 특성이 지배적인 뷰티 분야에서 신생 기업이 효과적으로 인지도와 정당성을 확보할 수 있는 방안으로 플랫폼 활용 전략이 유용한 선택이 될 수 있음을 살펴보고자 하였다. 특히 이러한 과정들을 기존 조직 이론에서의 논의와 플랫폼 우산효과를 결합하여 설명함으로써 이론적 측면에서 공헌하고자 하였다. 나아가 디지털 플랫폼이 전통적인 시장의 경쟁 구도를 변화시키며 이러한 환경에서 신규 기업들이 경쟁 우위를 확보하는 방안에 대한 향후 연구에 대한 방향성을 제시하고자 하였다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

이 연구는 (주)네이버의 재원으로 국민대학교 플랫폼 SME 연구센터의 지원을 받아 수행된 연구임.

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