Is There an Effective Tool for Crafting Strong Value Propositions for Two-Sided Platforms? An empirical study of the Multisided Value Proposition Canvas

Details

Supervisors

Belleflamme, Paul

Faculty

Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master [120] : ingénieur de gestion, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

In today’s business landscape, numerous frameworks exist to help companies visualize their business plans and strategies. However, many authors and researchers agree that the most well-known frameworks, such as the Business Model Canvas and the Value Proposition Canvas (Osterwalder et al., 2015), are not suitable for the specific needs of two-sided platforms. These platforms, which facilitate interactions and co-create value among distinct user groups, require a different approach to design value propositions that can capture the complex dynamics and interdependencies between these groups. This master's thesis investigates the effectiveness of the Multisided Value Proposition Canvas (Belleflamme & Neysen, 2021) in crafting strong value propositions for two- sided platforms by answering the research question: How do Belgian entrepreneurs operating two-sided platforms assess the MVPC's effectiveness in designing successful value propositions? Through this empirical study, including semi-structured interviews, we find that the MVPC shows potential in enhancing the visualization of what constitutes the value proposition of platform businesses compared to existing tools, thus representing a potentially valuable framework for the future.