3 Emergent Approaches to Ecosystem Governance

Dr. Gayan Benedict, CTO at Salesforce and former CIO at RBA shares insights from MIT research, focusing on the complexities of governance within digital ecosystems. The research highlights that while ecosystems can create significant value, collaboration and trust between participants are critical for success. Failed examples, like Maersk’s blockchain initiative, emphasise that the breakdown often stems from governance and trust issues rather than technological flaws. As ecosystems become central to solving complex problems like cyber threats and supply chain frictions, effective governance models—whether led by a dominant party, a representative body, or more decentralised structures—are key to fostering collaboration and long-term success.

Gayan discusses several case studies highlighting the importance of governance models in creating sustainable ecosystems. He explains how Salesforce’s AppExchange, launched in 2005, predated Apple’s App Store and now plays a crucial role in generating billions in economic value for participants. The success of Australia’s New Payments Platform…