Abstract:     The wave of digitization has promoted corporate organizational changes and business model innovation. Platform-based companies have emerged as the most typical organizational form, and have achieved ecological growth through multilateral network effects. While the ecosystem dominated by platform core companies is developing rapidly, as the types of ecosystem members and their derived businesses are becoming more and more complex and diverse, how to effectively govern the platform ecosystem has become the focus of common concern for scholars and the industry. This study adopts a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, through in-depth case studies and semi-structured questionnaire interviews with multiple managers of 12 platform organizations in different fields, and combined with existing literature to extract the impact of platform ecosystem governance antecedent variables; in view of the complexity and dynamics of its influencing path, this paper further uses fsQCA qualitative analysis technology to carry out conditional configuration analysis of these influencing factors. 
    The research found that: (1) This research summarizes five major antecedent variables that affect the internal governance of the platform ecosystem: technology investment, openness, control mechanism, and platform leadership, the degree of competition and cooperation among ecological members. This paper further uses the fuzzy set qualitative comparative research method to carry out configuration analysis on these condition variables, and finds that different combinations of multiple conditions can achieve different governance effects. (2) A single variable is weak in explaining the internal governance effects of the platform. The four configurations of transaction-driven, service-driven, content-driven, and innovation-driven platform ecosystem governance modes formed by coupling of different conditions can all achieve efficient governance. Different types of platform ecosystems have different governance priorities. Platform leaders should make prudent decisions based on their own influence, resources and industry background, choose matching governance models and continue to optimize them, so as to achieve efficient governance. (3) The governance of the non-efficient platform ecosystem includes two configurations: the overall lagging type and the management disorder type. In the absence of the two core conditions of technology investment and control mechanisms, the effectiveness of platform internal governance has been significantly inhibited, which reflects the importance of increasing technology investment and establishing and improving formal and informal control mechanisms for the ecological governance of such platforms.
     This study incorporates multiple conditions into the same research framework, makes up for the shortcomings of traditional methods, provides theoretical support for subsequent large-scale empirical studies of multiple factors affecting platform governance, and provides a more diversified understanding of the dynamics and complexity of platform governance for reference. At the same time, this article also provides effective management enlightenment.
    First of all, in the initial stage of platform development, platform core companies can first build infrastructure through technology investment, attract all members to actively participate in the formation of network effects, and continue to invest in technology research and development in the subsequent development process for big data risk control and platform members continuous upgrading of the governance system such as screening.
    Secondly, in the process of rapid expansion, the platform must pay particular attention to internal ecological governance, and while obtaining economic benefits, it must also shoulder corporate social responsibilities. From the business ecosystem to the social responsibility ecosystem, from the self-development of the platform to the co-existence and win-win situation of members in the system, core enterprises must not only empower, but also responsibilities.
    Finally, the growth of the platform ecology has undergone a process of creation, expansion, and multiple cycles. The quality of its growth depends on the platform′s ecological governance capabilities. In addition to building platforms on their own, some small and medium-sized enterprises can also choose to join the platform, participate in the benign interaction in the existing ecosystem, and create greater value for the platform while obtaining platform resources to achieve self-growth.

Key words:  digital platform, ecosystem, inner governance performance, fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA)