Online platforms in the system of modern international digital trade

At the present stage of the development of international trade, online platforms have a defining impact on its development, as new business models appear, on the basis of which it becomes possible to significantly reduce marginal costs and increase productivity. The relevance of the problems investigated in the article increases as the format of international trade changes, when in a recession, new tools are needed to raise the efficiency of export-import operations between countries. The theoretical and methodological framework of the considered aspects includes foreign and domestic studies in the field of digitalization and the digital transformation of the world economy.

An attempt of the conceptual justification and typology of online platforms and their significance in the international exchange system has been made in the paper. The main advantages of cross-border transaction platforms have been shown, it has been concluded that the attributes of online platforms may not be unique or specific, but it is their competent combination that often determines the intensive growth of platforms. According to authors, in the current conditions of the pandemic COVID-19, the role of online platforms in international trade is increasing, and this happens both at the national (through, for example, the growing use of delivery services) and at the international level (ensuring the operation of international payment systems, or individual components global value chains). Approaches to the global regulation of online platforms also have been considered. It has been established that the adaptation of trade policy rules developed internationally regarding the activities of online platforms plays a very important role, and one of the key aspects in this regard is the prohibition of tariffs on electronic commerce transactions. At least, this approach is followed by developed countries. However, developing countries often challenge it, pointing to the distortion of fair international competition rules as an argument.

1. Casalini F., López G. J. and Moïsé E. (2019), Approaches to market openness in the digital age, OECD Trade Policy Papers, no. 219, OECD Publishing, Paris.

2. Evans P. and Gawer A. (2016), The rise of the platform enterprise: A global survey, The Centre for Global Enterprise, New York.

3. Ferencz J. (2019), The OECD Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness Index,OECD Trade Policy Paper. no. 221, OECD Publishing, Paris.

4. Kirillov V.N. (2009), “The role of innovative factors in increasing the competitiveness of Russian enterprises” [“Rol’ innovatsionnykh faktorov v povyshenii konkurentosposobnosti rossiiskikh predpriyatii”], Russian Foreign Economic Journal [Rossiiskii vneshneekonomicheskii vestnik], no. 6, pp. 67–71. [In Russian].

5. OECD (2019), An introduction to online platforms and their role in the digital transformation, OECD Publishing, Paris.

6. Rudyak A.S. and Moga I.S. (2020), “The impact of digital workspace organization on the performance of international companies” [“Vliyanie organizatsii tsifrovogo rabochego prostranstva na effektivnost’ deyatel’nosti mezhdunarodnykh kompanii”], Step into future: artificial intelligence and digital economy. Smart Nations: Economics of digital equality: Proceedings of the III International scientific forum [Shag v budushchee: iskusstvennyj intellekt i tsifrovaya ekonomika. Smart Nations: ekonomika tsifrovogo ravenstva: Materialy III Mezhdunarodnogo nauchnogo foruma], Izd. dom GUU, Moscow, pp. 39–46. [In Russian].

7. Schenin R.K. and Polyakov V.V. (2013), World economy and international economic relations [Mirovaya ekonomika i mezhdunarodnye ekonomicheskie otnosheniya], Urait, Moscow. [In Russian].

8. Smirnov E.N. (2018), “Evolution of innovative development and prerequisites for digitalization and digital transformation of the world economy” [“Evolyutsiya innovatsionnogo razvitiya i predposylki tsifrovizatsii i tsifrovykh transformatsii mirovoi ekonomiki”], Russian Journal of Innovation Economics [Voprosy innovatsionnoi ekonomiki], no. 8 (4) pp. 553–564. [In Russian].

9. Smirnov E.N. and Luk’yanov S.A. (2019a), “Assessment of the transformative impact of global value chains on international trade” [“Otsenka transformiruyushchego vozdeistviya global’nykh tsepochek sozdaniya stoimosti na mezhdunarodnuyu torgovlyu”], The Manager [Upravlenets], no. 10 (3), pp. 36–46. [In Russian].

10. Smirnov E.N. and Luk’yanov S.A. (2019b), “Formation and development of the global market of systems and technologies of artificial intelligence” [“Formirovanie i razvitie global’nogo rynka sistem iskusstvennogo intellekta”], Economy of Region [Ekonomika regiona], no. 15 (1), pp. 57–69. [In Russian].

11. Smirnov E.N. and Smagulova S.M. (2011), Introduction to the course of the world economy (economic geography of foreign countries). Workshop: tutorial [Vvedenie v kurs mirovoi ekonomiki (ekonomicheskaya geografiya zarubezhnykh stran). Praktikum: uchebnoe posobie], Knorus, Moscow. [In Russian].