Platform-based supply chains: A dual-layered framework for digital transformation and ecosystem orchestration

As global supply chains face increasing complexity, disruption, and sustainability pressures, platform-based supply chains have emerged as a new organizational form, digitally enabled, ecosystem-centric, and strategically adaptive. Unlike traditional linear and firm-centric models, these supply chains operate through the integration of advanced technologies, stakeholder collaboration, and dynamic governance. Drawing on platform ecosystem theory and socio-technical systems theory, this study develops a dual-layered framework based on an in-depth case study of a leading Chinese supply chain solutions provider. The framework comprises a digital platform layer that supports real-time data sharing, interoperability, and automation, and a supply chain ecosystem layer that facilitates stakeholder coordination, resource orchestration, and value co-creation. The findings reveal four mechanisms of strategic evolution, ecosystem orchestration, capability co-development, governance innovation, and continuous learning, driven by the alignment between digital infrastructure and social-organizational structure. By reconceptualizing platform-based supply chains as adaptive socio-technical ecosystems, the study advances theoretical understanding of their configuration, operational mechanisms, and strategic evolutions. It also provides practical guidance on platform design, stakeholder onboarding, governance structures, and phased implementation, offering a roadmap for managers and policymakers navigating digital transformation in contemporary supply chain environments.