{"title":"An institutional perspective on application programming interface development and integration","authors":"Joshua Ofoeda, R. Boateng, J. Effah","doi":"10.1108/itp-11-2022-0826","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"PurposeDigital platforms increase their function and scope by leveraging boundary resources and complementary add-on products from third-party developers to interact with external entities and producers. Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are essential boundary resources developers use to connect applications, systems and platforms. This notwithstanding, previous API studies tend to focus more on the technical dimensions, with little on the social and cultural contexts underpinning API innovations. This study relies on the new (neo) institutional theory (focusing on regulative, normative and cultural-cognitive pillars) as an analytical lens to understand the institutional forces that affect API integration among digital firms.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts a qualitative case study methodology and relies on phone calls and a semi-structured in-depth interview approach of a Ghanaian digital music platform to uncover the institutional forces affecting API integration.FindingsThe findings reveal that regulative institutions such as excessive tax regimes mostly constrained API development and integration initiatives. However, other regulative institutions like the government digitalization agenda enabled API integration. Normative institutions, such as the growing use of e-payment options, enabled API integration in digital music platforms. Cultural-cognitive institutions like employee ego constrained the API integration process in music digital platforms.Originality/valueThis study primarily contributes to deepening understanding of the relevant literature by exploring the institutional forces that affect API integration among digital firms in a developing economy. The study also uncovered a new form of an institution known as motivational institution as an enabler for API development and integration in digital music platforms.","PeriodicalId":168000,"journal":{"name":"Information Technology & People","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2023-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Information Technology & People","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1108/itp-11-2022-0826","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
PurposeDigital platforms increase their function and scope by leveraging boundary resources and complementary add-on products from third-party developers to interact with external entities and producers. Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are essential boundary resources developers use to connect applications, systems and platforms. This notwithstanding, previous API studies tend to focus more on the technical dimensions, with little on the social and cultural contexts underpinning API innovations. This study relies on the new (neo) institutional theory (focusing on regulative, normative and cultural-cognitive pillars) as an analytical lens to understand the institutional forces that affect API integration among digital firms.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts a qualitative case study methodology and relies on phone calls and a semi-structured in-depth interview approach of a Ghanaian digital music platform to uncover the institutional forces affecting API integration.FindingsThe findings reveal that regulative institutions such as excessive tax regimes mostly constrained API development and integration initiatives. However, other regulative institutions like the government digitalization agenda enabled API integration. Normative institutions, such as the growing use of e-payment options, enabled API integration in digital music platforms. Cultural-cognitive institutions like employee ego constrained the API integration process in music digital platforms.Originality/valueThis study primarily contributes to deepening understanding of the relevant literature by exploring the institutional forces that affect API integration among digital firms in a developing economy. The study also uncovered a new form of an institution known as motivational institution as an enabler for API development and integration in digital music platforms.
目的数字平台通过利用第三方开发商提供的边界资源和补充附加产品,与外部实体和生产商进行交互,从而扩大其功能和范围。应用程序编程接口(API)是开发人员用来连接应用程序、系统和平台的重要边界资源。尽管如此,以往的应用程序接口研究往往更关注技术层面,而对支撑应用程序接口创新的社会和文化背景却知之甚少。本研究以新(新)制度理论(侧重于监管、规范和文化-认知支柱)为分析视角,了解影响数字公司 API 整合的制度力量。研究采用定性案例研究方法,通过对加纳数字音乐平台的电话访问和半结构化深度访谈,揭示影响 API 整合的制度力量。然而,政府的数字化议程等其他监管性制度促进了 API 的整合。规范性制度,如电子支付选项的使用日益增多,促进了数字音乐平台的 API 整合。本研究通过探讨影响发展中经济体数字企业 API 整合的制度力量,加深了对相关文献的理解。研究还发现了一种新的制度形式,即激励制度,它是数字音乐平台 API 开发和整合的推动力。