Two-sided markets and the utility of the future: how services and transactions can shape the utility platform

Platform business models are fundamentally different from traditional 'linear' business models in that they derive their revenues and profits primarily from intermediating transactions between buyers and sellers. In order for it to present a sustainable alternative to the traditional model, a utility platform will need to produce market growth, as benchmark platform businesses have. Getting there is a tall order for businesses that have focused on cost reduction as their primary value proposition.