ZEW Economists Discuss Digital Economy and Platforms Online
Conferences
01.10.2021
ZEW Session at the 2021 Beijing Humboldt Forum
Digital platforms are an essential part of the digital economy. How do they work and which policy measures or interventions are useful and necessary from the point of view of consumers and the state? The online session hosted by ZEW Mannheim on the economics of digital platforms at the Beijing Humboldt Forum (BHF) on 25 September 2021 shed light on these questions from various perspectives.
After a welcome address by ZEW Managing Director Thomas Kohl and Professor Zhao Zhongxiu, president of the Shandong University of Finance and Economics in China and long-standing cooperation partner of ZEW, Professor Irene Bertschek, head of the ZEW Research Department “Digital Economy”, gave an introduction to the topic. She also took over the moderation of the session. Experienced entrepreneur and investment consultant Peter Jungen first gave some practical insights. China’s contribution to global economic growth is immense. The scaling up of digital start-ups there is subject to different dynamics than in the USA or Europe, for example. Here it is important to learn from each other and to overcome challenges jointly.
Active German-Chinese Exchange on Current Research
In the second part of the session, ZEW researchers exchanged views with colleagues from German and Chinese universities on various topics related to the digital economy and digital platforms. The session included presentations on complex pricing and data neutrality, highlighting the impact of possible policy measures to regulate markets and platforms. Presentations on the market development of digital products and their application, for example in digital agriculture, once again underlined the global relevance of the topic.
The Beijing Humboldt Forum – a Well-Established Format
This year, for the ninth time, the Beijing Humboldt Forum brought together researchers, practitioners and decision-makers from a wide range of disciplines, companies and institutions to discuss current issues and global challenges from a European and Chinese perspective. ZEW is a founding member and co-organiser of the Forum, together with the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) in Beijing.
