Platform Enterprises: Rethinking The Role Of Digital Platforms As Quasi-Governmental Institutions In The Age Of Digital Governance

Authors : Kaan Yiğenoğlu, Celal Kızıldere

Pages : 473-482

View : 64 | Download : 322

Publication Date : 2025-12-19

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :As digital platforms increasingly mediate the provision of basic public services, their role is transforming from commercial intermediaries to semi-public infrastructures. This paper examines this transformation through the case of Alipay in China. Although Alipay is a privately owned platform, it is now widely used in many areas such as social security payments, access to healthcare, legal transactions and public services. In this context, a key question is whether such platforms should still be regulated according to traditional private enterprise frameworks or whether their public functions require a new regulatory approach. Drawing on the framework of governance theory, public value theory and infrastructure studies, this paper develops the Digital Semi-Publicity Model, which positions platforms such as Alipay as semi-public enterprises that are privately owned but functionally public. The findings reveal an urgent need for hybrid regulatory models that combine market-based oversight and public accountability principles. This study contributes to current debates on platform governance, digital sovereignty and the restructuring of state capacity in the digital age.
Keywords : Dijital yönetişim, Dijital altyapı, Yarı kamusal girişimler, Alipay

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