“Distinctiveness–Conformity” Paradox: How to Leverage Digital Platform Capabilities to Enhance SMEs Ecological Niches

Abstract

The construction and enhancement of ecological niches are essential for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with digital platforms serving as key carriers for achieving niche improvement. However, SMEs encounter a “distinctiveness–conformity” paradox when leveraging digital platforms: they are expected to sustain differentiation to attract resource tilt while simultaneously integrating into the platform ecosystem to obtain a sense of belonging and complementary resources. Grounded in optimal distinctiveness theory, this study analyzes questionnaire data from 383 Chinese SMEs embedded in digital platforms. Results show that digital platform capabilities (integration and reconfiguration) enhance SMEs ecological niches through organizational agility and platform eco-embeddedness. Polynomial regression and response surface analyses reveal that balanced improvement in organizational agility and eco-embeddedness significantly strengthens niche enhancement, whereas imbalance between the two weakens it. This research clarifies how SMEs leverage digital platform capabilities to advance their ecological niches, offering theoretical and practical insights for achieving strategic balance between distinctiveness and conformity in digital platform ecosystems.

1. Introduction

SMEs are recognized as a critical engine of economic growth in various countries, owing to their large numbers, strong job creation capacity, agile business strategies, and exceptional export competitiveness [1,2]. However, SMEs face internal constraints—such as limited resource endowments, weak innovation capacity, and low environmental adaptability [3]—as well as external challenges, including rapid technological shifts, ongoing reconfiguration of value networks, and the dynamic evolution of competitive and cooperative relationships [4]. Consequently, close to 40% of SMEs reportedly cease operations within their initial two years [5]. The enhancement of the ecological niches is regarded as a critical proposition for SMEs to overcome their survival challenges [6,7,8]. As a cutting-edge concept at the intersection of organizational ecology and strategic management, the ecological niche captures not only firms’ short-term growth performance but also their long-term development potential, market adaptability, and innovation capabilities, thereby serving as a comprehensive indicator of firm viability and competitiveness [7]. Specifically, ecological niche refers to the unique position of an enterprise in its platform or industrial ecosystem, which not only reflects the enterprise’s ability to acquire and efficiently allocate resources, but also profoundly depicts its intricate and complex interactions with the external environment (including the broader customer base, suppliers and other enterprises) [6]. Notably, the enhancement of the ecological niches is characterized as a dynamic and complex evolutionary process [8]. Therefore, the deliberate construction and continuous optimization of ecological niches are recognized as urgent imperatives for SMEs to secure competitive advantage and achieve sustainable development.

Digital platforms provide a novel pathway for SMEs to overcome resource constraints and enhance their ecological niches [5,6,9,10,11]. As a critical infrastructure for enterprise operations and innovation, digital platforms standardize technological interfaces, facilitate resource sharing, and generate spillover network effects, thereby significantly lowering the digital entry threshold for firms [12] and attracting numerous SMEs [13]. However, the effectiveness of ecological niches enhancement among SMEs embedded in digital platforms varies significantly. For instance, Anta Sports leverages Tmall Data Bank to construct consumer profiles, accurately identify market gaps, and simultaneously integrate with the Cainiao supply chain to improve inventory turnover, thereby markedly enhancing its ecological niches. In contrast, the renowned women’s fashion brand La Chapelle, often dubbed the “Chinese version of Zara,” is unable to effectively leverage platform resources for supply chain optimization and consumer insight; its indiscriminate expansion ultimately leads to a contraction of its ecological niche and potential marginalization. This phenomenon of “same platform, divergent outcomes” highlights the differences in how enterprises transform the inherent value of digital platforms into organizational capabilities—a process commonly defined in the academic literature as “digital platform capabilities” [9]. Existing studies primarily focus on the impact of digital platform capabilities on organizational performance, such as competitive advantage [14], innovation performance [15,16], and sustainable innovation performance [17]. While existing research acknowledges digital platform capabilities as a crucial driver of SMEs’ competitiveness, the underlying processes by which they shape enterprise ecological niches remain insufficiently explored and lack a coherent theoretical framework. To address this gap, the first research question is proposed:

RQ1: Does digital platform capabilities help improve SMEs ecological niches?

In the process of leveraging digital platform capabilities to enhance their ecological niches, SMEs often face the distinctiveness–conformity paradox [18,19]. From one perspective, they seek to maintain their distinctiveness to avoid homogeneous competition and secure resource tilt from the platform; From another perspective, they need to achieve conformity by collaborating and interacting with other platform members to gain a sense of belonging and access to complementary resources. To resolve this paradox, this study adopts optimal distinctiveness theory (ODT) as its theoretical foundation [20]. Unlike the Resource-based View, which highlights distinctiveness by focusing exclusively on firms’ internal resource endowments and capability differences, or Institutional Theory, which emphasizes conformity by stressing firms’ adaptation to institutional environments, norms, and cognitive pressures, ODT centers on how organizations pursue a dynamic balance between distinctiveness and conformity. This makes it particularly well-suited to addressing the dual pressures and strategic challenges faced by SMEs in digital platform ecosystems. ODT not only illuminates how organizations can preserve their uniqueness while integrating into broader platform environments, but also offers a distinctive lens for understanding how SMEs enhance their ecological niches through digital platforms. However, existing research mainly focuses on the theoretical level [21] and lacks insights into specific application scenarios that address which dimensions enterprises should maintain conformity and which dimensions they should pursue distinctiveness. This gap prevents enterprises from translating the theory into actionable practical pathways [22]. In the context of digital platforms, this study proposes that distinctiveness is primarily manifested in firms’ dynamic adaptability and innovation capabilities, i.e., organizational agility (OA) [23,24]. Conformity is mainly reflected in firms’ degree of integration into the platform ecosystem, i.e., platform eco-embeddedness (PE) [25,26]. Therefore, this study suggests that digital platform capabilities may affect SMEs ecological niches through the dual mediating roles of OA and PE, leading to the second research question:

RQ2: Do “platform eco-embeddedness” and “organizational agility” mediate the relationship between digital platform capabilities and SMEs ecological niches?

Moreover, existing studies mainly adopt a binary perspective, treating conformity and distinctiveness as mutually exclusive choices [27,28,29,30]. These studies often focus on a single characteristic of enterprises, such as OA [23,24] or PE [25,26], while neglecting a systematic exploration of both within a unified framework. In particular, little is known about how OA and PE, under different matching conditions (e.g., high-high, low-low, high-low), jointly influence the ecological niches. These limitations not only restrict the strategy formulation for SMEs on how to leverage digital platform capabilities to enhance their ecological niches, but also hinder the possibility of achieving optimal distinctiveness within the digital platform ecosystem, thereby exacerbating the distinctiveness–conformity paradox to some extent. Accordingly, this study further proposes the third research question:

RQ3: Is there a difference in the impact of balanced and unbalanced “platform eco-embeddedness” and “organizational agility” on SMEs ecological niches?

In summary, three critical research gaps remain. First, despite the widespread recognition of digital platforms as key enablers of SME competitiveness, a systematic theoretical framework is still lacking to explain how digital platform capabilities—arising from the interplay between external platforms and internal firm capabilities—translate into ecological niche enhancement. Second, although ODT offers a robust lens for resolving the distinctiveness–conformity paradox, prior research has yet to clarify—within specific application contexts—which dimensions firms should conform to and which they should differentiate themselves on, thereby limiting the theory’s practical applicability. Third, existing studies have primarily adopted a dichotomous perspective, treating conformity and distinctiveness as mutually exclusive choices, thereby overlooking their systematic integration within a unified analytical framework. In particular, little attention has been paid to how different alignment patterns—such as high-high, low-low, or asymmetrical combinations of OA and PE—jointly influence SMEs ecological niches.

To address these gaps, this study draws on ODT to develop and empirically validate a comprehensive model that explores the impact of digital platform capabilities on the enhancement of SMEs ecological niches. A mediating effect model is employed to examine the roles of OA and PE as mediators. Furthermore, from the perspective of organizational fit, the study investigates how different alignment configurations of OA and PE influence SMEs ecological niches. The research findings not only uncover the underlying mechanisms through which SMEs enhance their ecological niches via digital platform capabilities, but also offer theoretical and empirical support for resolving the “distinctiveness–conformity” paradox within digital platform ecosystems.

2. Theoretical Background and Literature Review

2.1. SMEs Ecological Niches

Ecological niches originated in the field of ecology, describing the survival space of biological populations, their resource utilization patterns, and their relationships with other populations in a specific environment. This concept was later introduced into management and organizational theory to study the positioning and competitive strategies of enterprises within ecosystems [31,32]. An enterprise’s niche primarily reflects its ability to acquire resources, its market positioning, and its competitive and cooperative relationships with other firms in the industry environment. Compared to large enterprises, SMEs, due to their limited resource endowment, must find an appropriate niche in a competitive market environment to survive and achieve growth [8]. The SMEs ecological niche is defined as the competitive positioning and survival space of SMEs within the platform ecosystem, based on their resources and capabilities, including multiple dimensions such as the resources they utilize, the products or services they offer, their competitors, and potential partners [6].

Existing research views ecological niches as a comprehensive measure of enterprise survival and development and explores the antecedent factors influencing enterprise ecological niches (see Table 1). Overall, the research perspectives can be divided into two categories: one emphasizes the role of the external environment in shaping enterprise ecological niches, suggesting that it is influenced by external platform empowerment, market environment, competitive pressure, and legitimacy [6,7,33,34,35]; the other provides supplementation and extension to this viewpoint, arguing that enterprise ecological niches are not passively constrained by the environment, but are actively optimized through internal capabilities [8,36]. Despite offering distinct explanatory frameworks for the drivers of ecological niche development, these two perspectives fall short in fully accounting for the phenomenon of “blurred internal and external boundaries” emerging from the accelerated advancement of digital technologies. This not only weakens the interpretive power of traditional ecological niches theory in the context of digital platforms but also hinders the exploration of practical pathways for enterprises to enhance their ecological niches through digital platform capabilities. In the digital era, digital platforms both provide resources and opportunities for enterprises as an external environment and are transformed into endogenous capabilities of enterprises through technological embedding, becoming an important source of enterprise ecological niches enhancement. Therefore, within the digital platform context, this study focuses on digital platform capabilities formed through the interaction between external platforms and internal capabilities, exploring their mechanisms of influence on SMEs ecological niches.

Table 1. Relevant studies on ecological niches.

Research Perspective	Research Method	Antecedents	Dependent Variables	Reference
External environment	Quantitative research	Platform empowerment	SMEs niches	[6]
	Literature review	Organizational inertia, resource heterogeneity	Ecological niches	[33]
	Quantitative research	Digital Technology Types, Environmental factors	Ecological niches	[34]
	Quantitative research	Legitimacy, Environmental dynamism	Ecological niches	[7]
	Literature review	Environmental ambiguity, existing institutional pressure, organizational resources	niches construction	[35]
Internal capability	Case studies	Multi-dimensional dynamic capability	niches expansion, dislocation, construction	[8]
	Quantitative research	Knowledge flow, knowledge stock, absorptive capacity	Technology niches	[36]

Table 1. Relevant studies on ecological niches.

Research Perspective	Research Method	Antecedents	Dependent Variables	Reference
External environment	Quantitative research	Platform empowerment	SMEs niches	[6]
	Literature review	Organizational inertia, resource heterogeneity	Ecological niches	[33]
	Quantitative research	Digital Technology Types, Environmental factors	Ecological niches	[34]
	Quantitative research	Legitimacy, Environmental dynamism	Ecological niches	[7]
	Literature review	Environmental ambiguity, existing institutional pressure, organizational resources	niches construction	[35]
Internal capability	Case studies	Multi-dimensional dynamic capability	niches expansion, dislocation, construction	[8]
	Quantitative research	Knowledge flow, knowledge stock, absorptive capacity	Technology niches	[36]

2.2. Digital Platform Capabilities

A digital platform refers to a collection of common, standardized services and system architectures distinguished by attributes like layered modularity, openness, and technological affordances [37]. The potential value of digital platforms can only be fully exploited if they are embedded in organizational capabilities [17]. Cenamor et al. define digital platform capabilities as a firm’s ability to integrate and reconfigure internal and external resources through digital platforms [9]. Ahmed et al. define digital platform capabilities as a firm’s ability to leverage digital platforms to integrate strategic knowledge resources, aggregate information, understand and match customer needs, and respond to dynamic environments [23]. Drawing on a synthesis of existing studies, this study argues that digital platform capabilities refer to an enterprise’s ability to utilize digital platforms to integrate and reconfigure internal and external resources to cope with dynamic environments.

Existing studies generally categorize digital platform capabilities into two core dimensions [9,15]. Specifically, integration capability refers to an enterprise’s ability to efficiently exchange information with partners to integrate and consolidate platform resources, emphasizing the capacity to transcend organizational boundaries and coordinate resources from multiple parties. Reconfiguration capability denotes the ability to rearrange platform resources through modular design in applications and processes, as well as standardized interfaces. Consistent with prior research, this study adopts this classification.

3. Conceptual Model and Hypotheses Development

ODT originated from sociology, which advocates that organizational identity should be optimally differentiated between the dual needs of conformity and distinctiveness in order to gain recognition from stakeholders [38]. Subsequent studies have further emphasized the need for firms to balance the need for conformity and distinctiveness in the strategic positioning process [18,19]. Regarding how to reconcile conformity and distinctiveness, early research incorporates the strategic balance view, which views conformity and distinctiveness as two ends of a unified continuum, and argues that an enterprise should seek a tense balance between the two in order to optimize performance [20]. Further, the strategic concordance view states that enterprise strategies have multidimensional characteristics, and their distinctiveness/conformity characteristics in one dimension can maximize enterprise performance by synergizing with conformity/distinctiveness characteristics in another dimension [21,22]. Thus, ODT offers a solution to the distinctiveness–conformity paradox faced by SMEs embedded in digital platforms.

In the context of digital platforms, this study suggests that the key to enhancing the ecological niches of SMEs lies in how to achieve the optimal distinction between distinctiveness and conformity. From one perspective, enterprises embedded in digital platforms need to demonstrate sufficient distinctiveness to avoid homogeneous competition and gain competitive advantages and platform resource tilts. From another perspective, they need to co-operate and interact with other platform members to gain complementary resources and a sense of belonging. Based on this, this paper classifies the strategic behaviors of SMEs in digital platforms into two dimensions: the distinctiveness dimension mainly reflects the dynamic adaptability of the enterprise, i.e., “OA”, which reflects how the enterprise perceives innovation opportunities and pressures, and how it efficiently acquires, pools and redeploys resources to seize opportunities and cope with pressures. The conformity dimension mainly reflects the degree of integration of the enterprise into the platform ecosystem, i.e., “PE”, which reflects how the enterprise is highly connected and synergistic with other members of the ecosystem, and how it achieves resource sharing and utilization and maximizes the ecological effect through complementary strengths and reciprocal symbiosis. When SMEs enhance their ecological niches with the help of digital platform capabilities, they should strengthen OA and PE at the same time and dynamically grasp the balance between the two. To illustrate this theoretical logic more intuitively, this paper constructs the following conceptual model (Figure 1).

3.1. Digital Platform Capabilities and SMEs Ecological Niches

Digital platform integration capability and reconfiguration capability promote the enhancement of SMEs ecological niches through two distinct dimensions: the “static resource base” and “dynamic capability building.” The former focuses on the stable integration of internal and external resources, providing a solid resource foundation for the development of SMEs ecological niches. This perspective aligns with ODT, which emphasizes gaining resource advantages by maintaining conformity. The latter equips enterprises with strong innovation capabilities, enabling continuous optimization and expansion of their ecological niches, aligning with the theory’s focus on achieving differentiation through building distinctiveness.

Digital platform integration capability supports the advancement of SMEs ecological niches through three key mechanisms: developing reliable data integration systems, enhancing access to and use of internal and external resources, and fostering strong collaborative networks. These elements collectively offer a stable resource base essential for shaping the enterprise ecological niches. First, with integration capability, firms can efficiently and reliably access and connect to partners’ IT systems and databases, ensuring the timeliness and stability of information and data flows [13]. The continuous flow of information and data supports long-term accumulation of resources in areas such as capital, technology, and talent. Second, stable resource integration enables enterprises to effectively acquire the resources they need from both internal and external environments. Internally, firms can leverage digital platforms to comprehensively organize and integrate various resources, thereby improving resource utilization efficiency and fostering knowledge accumulation and capability development [39]. Externally, digital platforms allow firms to widely access market resources, reduce the cost of resource acquisition, and significantly improve resource allocation efficiency [40]. Lastly, integration capability is also reflected in cross-organizational information interconnectivity and collaboration. Through information exchange and system integration with partners, enterprises can build a stable and trustworthy cooperative network [41]. Within such networks, firms can share information, co-develop and co-produce with partners, enhance product quality and market competitiveness, and thereby further consolidate their enterprise ecological niches. Accordingly, we propose the hypothesis:

H1a. 

Digital platform integration capabilities positively affect SMEs ecological niches.

Digital platform reconfiguration capability acts as a crucial enabler for enterprises seeking to refine and broaden their ecological niches. It empowers SMEs to respond nimbly to market dynamics, drive ongoing innovation, and facilitate the reallocation of resources alongside strategic realignment. First, reconfiguration capability emphasizes the adaptability and scalability of platforms, which provide SMEs with a high degree of flexibility [42]. This enables SMEs to rapidly realign resource distribution, reconfigure operational processes, and reshape collaborative relationships in response to evolving market conditions and technological progress, thereby generating internal impetus for the ongoing refinement and expansion of their ecological niches. Second, reconfiguration capability underscores both modular and standardized platform design [43]. This dual design approach stimulates innovation in business models and technological pathways [44], laying both technological and institutional foundations for niches expansion. Modular design reduces the cost of introducing new technologies and functions, enabling independent upgrading and replacement of business modules. Standardized design ensures compatibility and synergy among different modules, facilitating the integration of external technologies and supporting continuous optimization of internal business processes. Finally, reconfiguration capability enables enterprises to reallocate resources and adjust strategies. On the technological and informational level, the integration and efficient flow of internal and external data enhance information value and utilization efficiency [45]. On the strategic level, firms can dynamically adjust their strategic layout according to market changes and development goals [46]. On the operational level, through optimized supply chain management and production processes, firms can improve operational efficiency and explore new business domains [47], thereby driving the continuous expansion of their enterprise ecological niches. Accordingly, we propose the hypothesis:

H1b. 

Digital platform reconfiguration capabilities positively affect SMEs ecological niches.

3.2. The Mediating Effect of Organizational Agility and Platform Eco-Embeddedness

ODT advocates that organizational identity should demonstrate “distinctiveness” relative to similar organizations. Accordingly, SMEs ecological niches within digital platforms must exhibit sufficient distinctiveness to avoid homogeneous competition and thereby attract a favorable tilt of platform resources. This distinctiveness is primarily reflected in the enterprise’s dynamic adaptability, i.e., “OA” [23,24].

Both aspects of digital platform capabilities exert a positive influence on the degree of OA. First, digital platform integration capability enhances OA through the creation of knowledge repositories and the anticipation of market demands [13,48]. From one perspective, SMEs rely on integration capability to build knowledge repositories [13], redeploying knowledge into relevant business processes or value-creation activities [49], thereby offering multiple alternative solutions and enhancing agility and risk resilience. From another perspective, digital platforms enable SMEs to establish connections with various external actors [48], allowing them to sense market trends in a timely manner and respond to customer needs. Second, digital platform reconfiguration capability impacts OA through the streamlining of organizational structures and the design of standardized interfaces. From one perspective, SMEs utilize modular designs supported by digital platforms to create flatter organizational structures, reducing hierarchical levels and shortening communication chains [50], which facilitates faster strategic decision-making and execution, thereby improving agility. From another perspective, the standardization of interfaces between platform modules not only enhances internal and external information exchange, but also enables enterprises to quickly capture and respond to changes in the external environment [50], further enhancing OA.

OA facilitates the improvement of SMEs ecological niches through two main pathways: by enabling rapid responses to external market changes and by allowing flexible adaptation to evolving platform rules. First, agile organizations can swiftly transmit information and efficiently execute decisions, thereby responding promptly to changes in the external market [51]. This responsiveness helps firms mitigate risks associated with homogeneous competition and identify new value creation opportunities amid transformation, allowing them to establish unique and hard-to-replicate competitive advantages on the platform. Second, the rules and operational mechanisms of digital platforms are constantly evolving. Enterprises with high levels of OA are better positioned to interpret and adapt to these changes, making timely adjustments to internal processes and business models [24]. This adaptability not only enables firms to maintain their current market position but also facilitates optimal resource allocation, thereby enhancing their influence and competitive standing within the digital platform ecosystem.

To sum up, SMEs embedded in digital platforms that lack sufficient OA are prone to intense homogeneous competition. Therefore, improving OA is crucial for SMEs. SMEs with high agility are better able to respond swiftly to market changes and the evolution of platform rules, achieve strategic reconfiguration and optimal resource allocation, and ultimately enhance their ecological niches. Accordingly, we propose the hypothesis:

H2a. 

Organizational agility mediates the relationship between digital platform capabilities (integration and reconfiguration) and SMEs ecological niches.

ODT further advocates that organizational identity should align with similar organizations. Accordingly, SMEs embedded in digital platforms need to actively cooperate and interact with other platform members to obtain complementary resources and a sense of belonging, thereby enhancing their ecological niches. This “conformity” is primarily reflected in the degree of enterprise integration into the platform ecosystem, i.e., “PE” [25,26].

Both aspects of digital platform capabilities exert a positive influence on the level of PE. First, digital platform integration capability enhances PE by building cross-level data networks and strengthening ecological trust relationships. On one hand, SMEs with digital platform integration capability can move beyond traditional linear collaboration models to establish cross-level data networks, facilitating data interaction and resource sharing among diverse ecosystem actors [52]. On the other hand, trust is the cornerstone of ecosystem stability. Integration capability reduces trust costs and cooperation risks among platform members by improving data transparency, stability, and security, thereby strengthening trust relationships among ecological partners [53] and increasing firms’ dependence on and integration within the platform ecosystem. Second, digital platform reconfiguration capability influences PE in two ways: reshaping the value network and fostering collaborative innovation mechanisms. First, through modular architecture design and open resource interfaces, reconfiguration capability enables SMEs to transform from isolated value nodes into networked value co-creators [54]. For example, enterprises can embed their business systems into the platform ecosystem via APIs, data sharing protocols, and other methods to achieve cross-industry and cross-domain value connections, thereby enhancing adaptability and integration within the platform. Second, collaborative innovation is a fundamental attribute of digital platform ecosystems. Reconfiguration capability promotes knowledge exchange and technological interaction among firms by leveraging intelligent matching algorithms and streamlined collaboration mechanisms [55], thus improving the efficiency of innovation partnerships.

The positive effect of PE on SMEs ecological niches is mainly manifested in two ways: absorbing complementary resources and enhancing ecological legitimacy. First, SMEs with higher PE engage in more cooperation and interaction with other platform members, enabling them to absorb and integrate complementary resources from diverse members more efficiently. This facilitates complementary resource advantages, strengthens innovation capabilities and competitiveness, and supports the migration of their ecological niches from the periphery to the core of the value network [26]. Second, integration into a well-known platform ecosystem not only provides SMEs with strong brand endorsement but also enhances their ecological legitimacy through established ecosystem rules and culture within the platform [56]. The trust that consumers and other partners place in the platform naturally transfers to the enterprises within the ecosystem, reducing transaction costs and trust barriers, and improving the enterprises’ market recognition, thereby further optimizing and stabilizing their ecological niches.

In conclusion, SMEs embedded in digital platforms with low levels of PE face obstacles such as limited access to complementary resources and reduced collaboration effectiveness within the ecosystem. Therefore, enhancing PE is critical for SMEs. Those with high PE can overcome traditional constraints on complementary resources and strengthen their ecosystem legitimacy, ultimately consolidating and enhancing their ecological niches. Accordingly, we propose the hypothesis:

H2b. 

Platform eco-embeddedness mediates the relationship between digital platform capabilities (integration and reconfiguration) and SMEs ecological niches.

3.3. The Consistency and Variability in the Impact of Organizational Agility and Platform Eco-Embeddedness on SMEs Ecological Niches

Both OA and PE exert significant positive influences on the development of SMEs ecological niches. However, it remains unclear whether an SME embedded in a digital platform experiences trade-offs or synergies when pursuing OA and PE simultaneously to enhance its ecological niches. From the perspective of organizational fit, how does the alignment between OA and PE levels affect SMEs ecological niches? Is a balanced configuration more advantageous than an imbalanced one (i.e., one high and the other low)? To address this question, the present study examines how various configurations of OA and PE interact to shape the development of SMEs ecological niches.

Existing research has emphasized the importance of OA and PE [23,24,25,26], suggesting that these two factors may complement each other in enhancing SMEs ecological niches. From one perspective, SMEs exhibiting high OA can swiftly detect shifts in the external platform environment [51], capitalize on emerging market opportunities, and promptly realign internal resources and strategic orientation [24]. This enhances enterprises’ adaptability and innovation capacity, enabling flexible operation within the platform ecosystem and occupation of more favorable positions. From another perspective, PE refers to the extent of an enterprise’s integration with the platform and its participants, influencing access to resources, information exchange, and network connections within the ecosystem [26]. The higher the embeddedness, the easier it becomes for the enterprise to access core platform resources as well as complementary resources from other participants. This access allows the enterprise to benefit from legitimacy and other positive externalities generated by the collaborative network [56], thereby strengthening its ecological niches. Therefore, the enhancement of SMEs ecological niches through digital platform capabilities does not rely solely on internal consistency (PE) or distinctive traits (OA) functioning in isolation, but results from their synergistic interaction. When OA and PE are both high and balanced, enterprises are more likely to efficiently integrate resources from inside and outside the platform and respond swiftly to market changes, thereby promoting niche enhancement. This perspective aligns with ODT, which suggests that organizations achieving an optimal balance of distinctiveness and conformity are more likely to secure priority in resource allocation. Accordingly, we propose the hypothesis:

H3a. 

A balanced increase in organizational agility and platform eco-embeddedness will facilitate SMEs ecological niches.

In practice, however, many SMEs do not exhibit a well-balanced alignment of OA and PE. Accordingly, it is essential to investigate how mismatches between OA and PE influence the development of SMEs ecological niches. Such imbalance typically manifests in two forms: one scenario involves high OA combined with low PE, while the other involves low OA combined with high PE.

On one hand, SMEs embedded in digital platforms with high OA but low PE may become isolated due to lack of support from other platform members and the breakdown of trust networks. Although high OA enables firms to quickly sense market changes [24], the absence of complementary resources within the platform ecosystem makes it difficult to convert agility into actual competitive advantage. Agile actions may lack legitimacy due to insufficient ecosystem endorsement [56]. Conversely, SMEs with high PE but low OA are prone to intense homogeneous competition and may miss opportunities for enhancement of ecological niches. Although these highly embedded firms can access abundant complementary resources [6,25], they may fail to respond timely to market changes and platform rule adjustments due to insufficient agility-driven strategic flexibility [23], resulting in their ecological niches being encroached upon by more agile competitors. Therefore, only when OA and PE are both high and relatively balanced can SMEs efficiently move from opportunity recognition to effective resource integration, thereby enhancing their ecological niches. Accordingly, we propose the hypothesis:

H3b. 

An imbalanced increase in organizational agility and platform eco-embeddedness in either direction will hinder SMEs ecological niches.

4. Methods

4.1. Measures

The measurement items were adapted from validated scales widely recognized in the existing literature. However, since the survey respondents were Chinese SMEs, the Chinese translation required careful attention to maintain semantic accuracy. The back-translation method was employed, whereby the Chinese scale was back-translated into English by English-speaking scholars or experienced researchers in the same field based in China. Inconsistencies arising from cultural differences and comprehension biases were resolved by comparing the back-translated and original scales, followed by necessary adjustments. This process yielded the finalized Chinese measurement items. Subsequently, we refined the items through interviews with 10 managers from different SMEs operating on Chinese digital platforms. Additionally, 5 academics with expertise in digital platform management were invited to evaluate the updated measurement instrument. All items were measured using a 7-point Likert scale (see Appendix A).

Digital platform capabilities (DPC): We adapted the measurement items from [9] and categorized digital platform capabilities into digital platform integration capability (DPIC) and digital platform reconfiguration capability (DPRC), each including 4 items.

SMEs ecological niches (SEN): We adapted the measurement items of SMEs ecological niches from [6], using niches width as the indicator. The construct was measured using 5 items.

Organizational agility (OA): We adapted the measurement items of OA for SMEs from [24], using a total of 6 items.

Platform eco-embeddedness (PE): We adapted the measurement items on innovation eco-embeddedness from [26], and revised them to fit the context of digital platform ecosystems, including 10 items.

Control variables: The ecological niches of SMEs is often influenced by their core organizational attributes. Following prior studies ([6]; [7]), this research includes four control variables: firm age, staff numbers, annual revenue, and industry type.

4.2. Sampling and Data Collection

Based on China’s “Classification Standards for Large, Medium, Small, and Micro Enterprises (2017)”, firms with fewer than 1000 employees and annual revenue below 400 million RMB are classified as SMEs. Chinese SMEs serve as suitable samples for this study: First, China hosts the largest number of SMEs globally, spanning diverse sectors such as manufacturing (approximately 30–40% (Source: Report on High Quality Development of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology)), services (approximately 40–50% (Source: Report on High Quality Development of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology)), and cross-border e-commerce (approximately 2–5% (Source: China E-Commerce Report 2023, Department of Commerce)). This scale and industrial heterogeneity provide a broad and diverse empirical foundation for research on digital platforms. Second, China’s 14th Five-Year Plan has explicitly prioritized digital transformation, with policies such as the “Digital China” strategy and the cultivation of “specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative” enterprises systematically promoting cloud adoption and data-driven intelligence among SMEs. Third,, China’s digital platform economy has developed rapidly, forming globally influential platform ecosystems represented by Alibaba, Tencent, JD.com, and TikTok. As a result, Chinese SMEs face both strong incentives and external pressures to join digital platforms to enhance their ecological niches, making them an ideal context for this study.

To provide further contextual clarity, the participating SMEs primarily operated on a variety of digital platforms, including comprehensive e-commerce platforms (e.g., Alibaba, JD.com), social commerce platforms (e.g., TikTok), and industry-specific platforms (e.g., 1688.com). These platforms differ in how they support value co-creation and ecological niche formation. For instance, comprehensive e-commerce platforms emphasize transactional efficiency and large-scale exposure, while social commerce platforms foster personalized engagement and user-driven innovation. In contrast, industry-specific platforms provide tailored services and vertical integration opportunities for SMEs in particular sectors. Such distinctions influence SMEs’ strategic positioning—either by leveraging platform scale for broader market access or by exploiting niche advantages within specialized ecosystems.

We initially conducted a pre-survey of 45 SMEs in Shaanxi Province. Drawing on the feedback obtained, we revised the questionnaire to ensure the content validity of the measurement scales. To address potential common method bias arising from respondent homogeneity, data collection was carried out in three waves based on the geographical distribution of eastern, central, and western China. Each wave lasted four months, spanning a total of 12 months from January to December 2024. The survey targeted SMEs located in various regions across China, including Shaanxi, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Beijing, and Henan. Respondents were mid- to senior-level managers. To ensure the relevance of the responses, we included a filter question—e.g., “Has your enterprise joined a digital platform?”—to confirm that participating firms had actual experience using digital platforms. After a series of reminders, we collected a total of 383 usable and complete questionnaires, representing a response rate of 44.6%. The feature distribution of the final sample is shown in

Table 2. Distribution of sample characteristics (N = 383).

Characteristic	Item	N	%
Firm age	<2	74	19.3
	3–8	112	29.3
	9–15	117	30.6
	>15	80	20.8
Staff numbers	<50	66	17.2
	50–299	132	34.4
	300–599	113	29.6
	600–1000	72	18.8
Annual revenue	<10 million	84	21.9
	l0 million–l00 million	123	32.1
	100 million–200 million	118	30.8
	200 million–400 million	58	15.2
Industry type	Cross-border e-commerce	75	19.6
	Services sector	106	27.7
	Manufacturing	124	32.4
	Others	78	20.3

.

4.3. Non-Response and Common Method Bias

First, we used the Harman one-factor test to detect CMB. The total explanation of the five factors extracted was 61.575%, of which the largest single factor explained 36.597% of the variance, which did not exceed 40% and was within the acceptable range. Next, we included CMB factors in the validated factor analysis model (see

Table 3. Result of the unmeasured latent method factor test.

Model	χ2	df	χ2/df	CFI	TLI	IFI	RMESA
Five-factor model	415.427	367	1.132	0.993	0.990	0.991	0.019
Model including the five factors and the method factor	359.685	338	1.064	0.996	0.995	0.996	0.013

). The results have demonstrated that there is no remarkable difference between the two models. Based on the combined evidence of the two methods, it is concluded that there is no significant CMB problem.

4.4. Reliability and Validity

First, the CA and CR for the five variables exceeded 0.70 (see

Table 4. Reliability and convergent validity.

Variables	Items	Loadings	Cronbach’s α	CR	AVE
DPIC	DPIC1	0.797	0.837	0.838	0.564
	DPIC2	0.782
	DPIC3	0.814
	DPIC4	0.782
DPRC	DPRC1	0.763	0.812	0.814	0.524
	DPRC2	0.786
	DPRC3	0.767
	DPRC4	0.740
OA	OA1	0.835	0.860	0.860	0.507
	OA2	0.835
	OA3	0.836
	OA4	0.835
	OA5	0.839
	OA6	0.839
PE	PE1	0.908	0.916	0.916	0.522
	PE2	0.908
	PE3	0.906
	PE4	0.907
	PE5	0.907
	PE6	0.907
	PE7	0.906
	PE8	0.910
	PE9	0.909
	PE10	0.905
SEN	SEN1	0.827	0.861	0.862	0.556
	SEN2	0.831
	SEN3	0.823
	SEN4	0.842
	SEN5	0.836

), which is highly reliable. This indicates the stability and high reliability of the scale’s measurements. Second, we assessed the validity of the scale. AVEs of the five variables exceeded 0.5 (see Table 4), the square root of the AVE of each variable was greater than 0.7, and the correlation coefficients between the variables ranged from 0.409~0.544, none of which exceeded the square root of the AVE (see

Table 5. Descriptive statistics and discriminant validity.

Variables	1	2	3	4	5
1. DPIC	0.751
2. DPRC	0.491 **	0.724
3. OA	0.442 **	0.530 **	0.712
4. PE	0.457 **	0.544 **	0.409 **	0.722
5. SEN	0.468 **	0.492 **	0.444 **	0.543 **	0.745
M	4.554	4.846	4.976	4.923	4.557
SD	1.511	1.377	1.281	1.188	1.513
VIF	1.535	1.826	1.539	1.709	1.664

Notes: Diagonal entries (in bold) are the square root of the AVE (average variances extracted). Entries below the diagonal are correlations. ** p < 0.01; * p < 0.05.

), and HTMT values are less than 0.85 (see

Table 6. Heterotrait–Monotrait (HTMT) ratio of correlations.

Variables	1	2	3	4	5
1. DPIC	0.562
2. DPRC	0.595	0.522
3. OA	0.520	0.635	0.507
4. PE	0.522	0.632	0.460	0.521
5. SEN	0.551	0.590	0.516	0.611	0.554

). In addition, the VIF values are much less than 10, indicating that the regression model does not suffer from serious multicollinearity problems. In conclusion, the five variables of DPIC, DPRC, SEN, OA, and PE showed high reliability and validity and met the research criteria.

5. Data Analysis and Results Discussion

5.1. Hypothesis Tests

In

Table 7. Polynomial regression and response surface analysis.

Variables	OA		PE		SEN
	M1	M2	M3	M4	M5	M6	M7	M8
Constant	4.107 ***	1.888 ***	4.212 ***	2.072 ***	3.562 ***	0.983 **	−0.170	4.464 ***
Age	0.102	0.034	0.138 *	0.072	0.109	0.032	−0.002	−0.005
Staff	0.099	0.063	0.033	−0.002	0.070	0.032	0.022	0.019
Annual revenue	0.193 *	0.117	0.136	0.063	0.174	0.094	0.048	0.051
Industry	−0.039	−0.044	−0.018	−0.022	0.050	0.038	0.055	0.065
DPIC		0.204 ***		0.196 ***		0.297 ***	0.183 ***
DPRC		0.360 ***		0.348 ***		0.359 ***	0.158 **
OA							0.175 **	0.260 ***
PE							0.397 ***	0.475 ***
OA*OA								−0.124 ***
OA*PE								0.196 ***
PE*PE								−0.106 ***
R2	0.051	0.338	0.041	0.351	0.041	0.319	0.403	0.409
Adj-R2	0.041	0.327	0.031	0.341	0.031	0.308	0.390	0.395
F-value	5.104 ***	31.997 ***	4.008 ***	33.905 ***	4.015 ***	29.365 ***	31.529 ***	28.676 ***
consistency line
Slope								0.735 ***
Curvature								−0.033
inconsistency line
Slope								−0.216 *
Curvature								−0.425 ***

Note: *** p < 0.001, ** p < 0.01,* p < 0.05.

, M6 shows that both DPIC and DPRC have a positive effect on SEN (β = 0.297, p < 0.001; β = 0.359; p < 0.001). Therefore, H1a and H1b are supported.

M2 and M4 showed that DPIC and DPRC have a positive effect on both OA and PE (β = 0.204, p < 0.001; β = 0.360, p < 0.001; β = 0.196, p < 0.001; β = 0.348, p < 0.001). M7 showed that OA and PE each have a significant positive effect on SEN (β = 0.175, p < 0.01; β = 0.397, p < 0.001), DPIC and DPRC remained positively correlated with SEN. Therefore, H2a and H2b are supported.

We used the Bootstrap method for further testing [57], and the results are shown in

Table 8. Bootstrap test results for OA and PE.

Indirect Effects Paths	Effect Value	Deviation Correction 95% Confidence Interval
		LLCL	ULCL
DPIC → OA → SEN	0.116	0.065	0.167
DPIC → PE → SEN	0.177	0.115	0.240
DPRC → OA → SEN	0.136	0.065	0.188
DPRC → PE → SEN	0.223	0.128	0.280

. The indirect effects of DPIC on SEN through OA and PE have Bootstrap bias-corrected confidence intervals at the 95% confidence level of [0.065, 0.167] and [0.115, 0.240] with non-zero intervals. OA and PE have significant mediating roles between DPIC and SEN in support of H2a and H2b. The indirect effects of DPRC on SEN via OA and PE have Bootstrap bias-corrected confidence intervals at the 95% confidence level of [0.065, 0.188] and [0.128, 0.280], again with intervals excluding 0. This indicates that the mediating effects of OA and PE between DPRC and SEN are also significant, supporting H2a and H2b.

In addition, to validate H3a and H3b, we performed response surface analysis. The results, as shown in M8, show that the slope along the line of conformity (OA = PE) is significantly greater than 0 (a1 = 0.735, p < 0.001) and the curvature is insignificant (a2 = −0.033, p > 0.05), suggesting that when the OA and PE are in agreement, “high OA—high PE” is more favorable to SEN than “low OA—low PE”, thus supporting H3a. The slope and curvature of the response surface along the incongruent line (OA = −PE) were significantly negatively correlated (a3 = −0.216, p < 0.05; a4 = −0.425, p < 0.001), suggesting that SEN decreases as OA and PE shift from balanced to unbalanced matching, thus supporting H3b. The results of the response surface analysis are shown in Figure 2.

5.2. Robustness Tests

To verify the reliability of the hypothesis test, the sample of SMEs is divided into “manufacturing” and “non-manufacturing” two sub-samples. Through the grouping test, it is found that the basic conclusion of the whole sample is still supported in general. Therefore, the results of the study are highly robust.

5.3. Empirical Findings

First, both DPIC and DPRC are found to significantly enhance SEN, thereby supporting H1a and H1b. This finding indicates that SMEs can improve their ecological niche positioning by developing strong DPIC and DPRC, which enable them to better access, adapt, and reconfigure resources in dynamic environments.

Second, both OA and PE serve as significant mediators in the relationships between DPIC/DPRC and SEN, thus supporting H2a and H2b. This implies that SMEs can strengthen the positive effects of digital platform capabilities on their SEN by simultaneously enhancing their internal agility and external alignment with the platform ecosystem. In other words, the ability to respond quickly to change (OA) and to conform to platform norms and standards (PE) jointly explain how platform capabilities translate into ecological advantages.

Finally, H3a and H3b are also supported. The results show that a highly balanced configuration of OA and PE leads to better SEN outcomes than a low-balanced configuration, and that imbalances between the two dimensions weaken SEN. This suggests that SMEs embedded in digital platforms should pursue the dynamic co-development of OA and PE. Failing to maintain this balance—by overemphasizing either distinctiveness or conformity—may result in suboptimal adaptation and reduced competitiveness within the platform ecosystem.

6. Discussion

First, our study finds that both DPIC and DPRC significantly enhance SMEs ecological niches. This finding is expected and aligns well with previous studies, which have consistently highlighted the strategic value of digital platform capabilities in driving superior business outcomes. For example, [14] emphasized their role in gaining competitive advantage, [15,16] demonstrated their positive impact on innovation performance, and [17] further confirmed their contribution to sustainable innovation. Collectively, these studies suggest that digital platform capabilities enable firms to orchestrate and utilize internal and external resources more efficiently, thus improving their strategic positioning in dynamic environments. Furthermore, beyond confirming the applicability of this mechanism in the context of platform-embedded SMEs, our study advances the theoretical understanding by moving beyond the traditional ecological niche perspective that focuses solely on either external environments or internal capabilities. Existing literature has often treated ecological niche enhancement as a result of firms adapting to external environments or cultivating internal capabilities, with little attention paid to how these two forces interact. By conceptualizing digital platform capabilities as a hybrid construct emerging from the interplay between external platform empowerment and internal organizational adaptation, this study responds to the call by [6] to integrate both external and internal perspectives for a more holistic understanding of ecological niche enhancement.

Second, our study finds that OA and PE play a dual mediating role in the impact of DPIC/DPRC on SMEs ecological niches. This finding deepens our understanding of how digital platform capabilities function by unpacking the dual pathways through which they influence ecological niche positioning. It echoes [21], who emphasize the need to balance distinctiveness and conformity in dynamic environments, and directly responds to [22]’s call to contextualize ODT by clarifying which dimensions firms should conform to and which they should differentiate on. By operationalizing “conformity” as PE and “distinctiveness” as OA, our study advances the theoretical application of ODT in digital platform contexts. This dual-mediation model not only provides empirical support for the coexistence of conformity and distinctiveness in strategic positioning, but also offers a more granular mechanism through which digital platform capabilities shape SMEs ecological niches.

Finally, our study further reveals that when OA and PE are balanced at high levels, they have a stronger positive effect on the ecological niche of SMEs compared to when both are balanced at low levels. At the same time, increasing imbalance in either direction weakens the ecological niche enhancement. This finding both responds to and challenges the traditional binary logic in strategic paradox research, as highlighted by [27], [28], [29], and [30]. While [20] has long viewed distinctiveness and conformity as a trade-off, our results indicate that a high–high configuration between OA and PE significantly enhances ecological positioning compared to low–low or mismatched patterns. This supports the emerging orchestration perspective that emphasizes capability synergy rather than compromise, as argued by [22]. It also suggests that the “optimal” state in ODT does not imply a midpoint compromise, but rather a dynamic configuration characterized by high-level synergy between distinctiveness and conformity.

7. Conclusions

Our study investigated the impact of digital platform capabilities on SMEs ecological niches and the dual mediating roles of OA and PE. We tested our hypothesized model using data from 383 Chinese SMEs embedded in digital platforms. Results show that both DPIC/DPRC significantly enhance SMEs ecological niches, and that OA and PE each partially mediate these effects. Notably, polynomial regression and response surface analyses reveal that a high-level, balanced alignment of OA and PE produces a stronger niche-enhancement effect than a low-level balance, whereas any increase in imbalance between these two factors diminishes this effect. The following sections elaborate on the theoretical contributions and practical implications of these findings.

7.1. Theoretical Contributions

Firstly, this study elucidates how digital platform capabilities drive the enhancement of SMEs ecological niches, broadens the theoretical application and explanatory reach of ecological niche theory within the digital economy, and fills a research gap concerning its relevance in digital platform environments. While prior studies have highlighted the significant role of digital platform capabilities in driving improved performance [9,14,15,16,17], there remains a lack of empirical study examining how these capabilities contribute specifically to the enhancement of SMEs ecological niches. This paper verifies through empirical research that DPIC/DPRC have a positive effect on SEMs ecological niches, providing a new theoretical explanatory path for how SMEs can achieve ecological niches in digital platform ecosystems. On the other side, this study overcomes the limitations of existing niches theory, which often fails to integrate the two perspectives of external environment and internal capabilities effectively. Existing niches theory primarily focuses on either the external environment [6,7,33,34,35] or internal capabilities [9,36] but does not delve into the effects of the “blurring internal and external boundaries” phenomenon in the digital age on enterprise ecological niches. By validating digital platform capabilities as a product of the interaction between external digital platforms and internal enterprise capabilities, this study deepens our understanding of the antecedents of enterprise ecological niches within digital platform ecosystems.

Secondly, this paper constructs and verifies a dual-mediation mechanism involving OA and PE between digital platform capabilities and SMEs ecological niches. This mechanism is developed to address the “distinctiveness–conformity” paradox, thereby extending the boundaries of ODT in the digital platform context. From one perspective, we respond to the existing scholarly call to move beyond theoretical abstraction [21] and to clarify, in specific application contexts, the dimensions in which firms should pursue consistency and those in which they should seek uniqueness [22]. By introducing ODT into the digital platform context for the first time, and tailoring it to the practical characteristics of SMEs, this study conceptualizes “distinctiveness” and “conformity” as two operable capability dimensions—OA and PE—thereby enhancing the contextual applicability and explanatory power of the theory. From another perspective, OA and PE mediate the relationship between DPIC/DPRC and SMEs ecological niches [23,24,25,26]. These findings illustrate the role of digital platform capabilities in strengthening SMEs ecological niches by balancing distinctiveness and consistency, thereby offering insight into the underlying mechanism through which such capabilities exert their impact.

Finally, from an organizational alignment standpoint, the research systematically examines the synergistic relationship between PE and OA, as well as their influence on SMEs ecological niches. While both OA and PE have been identified as critical variables influencing SMEs ecological niches, limited attention has been paid in the existing literature to how the balance between the two affects ecological niches outcomes. This paper reveals that when OA and PE are balanced at high levels, their positive effect on SMEs ecological niches is significantly stronger than when they are balanced at low levels. Moreover, increasing imbalance in either direction weakens the enhancement of ecological niches. This finding challenges the traditional binary logic of “either consistency or uniqueness” [27,28,29,30], emphasizing the importance for SMEs to strategically combine flexibility and innovation with integration into the platform ecosystem by utilizing digital platform capabilities—ultimately achieving optimal enhancement of their ecological niches.

7.2. Managerial Implications

First, SMEs should place the development of digital platform capabilities at the strategic core of their operations. From one perspective, firms should increase investments in digital technology integration by actively adopting advanced technologies encompassing big data analytics, AI, and cloud computing [58]. These efforts facilitate the elimination of internal data silos, enable digital and intelligent integration of business processes, and ultimately improve operational efficiency and decision-making accuracy. From another perspective, cultivating DPRC is equally essential. This involves continuously optimizing platform architecture and functions to respond to the fast-evolving market demands and competitive dynamics. Additionally, SMEs can deepen collaborations with external technology providers and platform operators to explore business model innovation and process reengineering. By doing so, they can secure a favorable position within the platform ecosystem and enhance their competitive advantage.

Second, SMEs should adopt a collaborative cultivation strategy to foster positive interaction and mutual enhancement between OA and PE. In terms of OA, firms should build flexible organizational structures that break down departmental silos and promote information flow and team collaboration. This can be achieved by forming cross-functional project teams and implementing agile development models to improve the organization’s ability to perceive external changes. Additionally, sustained staff upskilling and professional growth initiatives are essential for bolstering individual learning, creativity, and problem-solving skills, thereby supplying the internal drive required for continuous adaptation and organizational transformation. Regarding PE, SMEs should actively integrate into digital platform ecosystems by building close cooperative relationships with other participants—such as suppliers, partners, and users—and participating in the co-creation of platform rules and ecosystem governance. Through deep collaboration with other actors in the ecosystem, SMEs can jointly develop new products and services, realize resource sharing and complementary advantages, and enhance their voice and influence within the platform.

Finally, the level of dynamic match between OA and PE is key to the effectiveness of SMEs ecological niches. When both factors are maintained at a high and balanced level, their synergistic effect on ecological niches enhancement is most significant. Conversely, an imbalance between the two tends to weaken their positive impact. Therefore, enterprise management should establish a routine assessment mechanism to continuously monitor the alignment between OA and PE. This involves identifying potential structural mismatches in a timely manner and formulating targeted intervention strategies. For instance, if OA significantly outweighs PE, the firm should prioritize strengthening cooperation and interaction with platform partners. Conversely, if PE surpasses OA, the enterprise should focus on optimizing internal processes and decision-making mechanisms to improve responsiveness and flexibility. It is important to note that this dynamic balance is not a one-time achievement but rather a continuously evolving process. Enterprises must regularly adjust their management strategies in accordance with shifts in the external environment and their internal development stage. Only through such adaptive alignment can SMEs achieve long-term ecological niches optimization.

7.3. Limitations and Future Research

This study has several limitations that should be acknowledged. First, the research is based on data collected exclusively from Chinese SMEs, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other countries or regions with different cultural, policy, and market environments. Future research could conduct cross-country comparative analyses to explore how cultural and institutional differences shape the relationship between digital platforms and SME ecological niches. Second, this study does not differentiate among SMEs at various developmental stages, which may influence how digital platform capabilities affect ecological niche evolution. Future studies could adopt mixed-method designs that incorporate the developmental stages of SMEs to more comprehensively capture the dynamic evolution between digital platform capabilities and ecological niches. Third, while this study considers a variety of digital platforms, the platform types are not exhaustively represented, and the findings may not fully capture the nuances of other emerging or niche platforms. Future research could investigate additional or emerging platform types to provide a more nuanced understanding of their impact on SME ecological niches. Furthermore, drawing on ODT, this study empirically examines the mediating roles of OA and PE; however, ecological niche enhancement may also be influenced by various external factors. Future studies may explore moderating variables such as environmental dynamism to reveal the mechanisms and marginal effects of these relationships under different contextual conditions.