Discovering Core Modules of Platform-based Software Ecosystems for Non-Profit Sport Organizations

Non-profit sport organizations fulfill an important role in society but face various problems regarding the attraction, retention and management of members and volunteers. Digitalization in the form of platform-based software ecosystems is a promising alternative to costly tailor-made or inflexible standard-software. Such ecosystems for sport organizations are challenging to build, mainly since research and knowledge is sparse regarding which core modules and functionalities are important as well as the influence of organizational characteristics, such as size or setup, on platform requirements. In this study, we present relevant modules and functionalities derived from literature and available standard software. Subsequently, we conducted an in-depth Kano analysis with 532 participants from non-profit sport organizations in order to evaluate the identified modules and functionalities. Our research helps to understand the relevance of individual modules and functionalities for platform-based software ecosystems and outlines how organizational characteristics influence the results.