Research On Value Co-creation Of Online Q?A Platform ——Taking Zhihu As An Example

Along with the changes in the context of the economic development of the Internet platform,the value creation activities of the online question and answer platform have been reconstructed.The platform builds and operates a multilateral market by creating extensive connections,forming an integrated knowledge ecosystem with diverse participants such as the knowledge creator,resource provider,and end consumer.However,in the face of external high-pressure competition and value conflicts among internal participants,the Q?A(question and answer)platform still faces transformational problems such as lack of commercialization advantages,difficulty in establishing value recognition for users,and increasing operating costs to make ends meet.At present,there is little research on how the online Q?A platform manages and coordinates the distribution of interests among participants and builds a community of value.The platform side plays an important leading role in building an open innovation ecosystem.Following the theoretical perspective of value co-creation,this paper argues that the connotation of Q?A platform value co-creation means that the platform leaders should maintain the consistency of interests of platform participants by formulating appropriate rules and promoting knowledge sharing,cooperation,and innovation among the participants.This stimulates the positive network effects in the multi-sided market.Zhihu,which is the case study of this article,announced a strategy to build a largescale knowledge platform in 2007 in addition to its status as a knowledge Q?A community.In recent years,with the rapid user growth and expansion,accelerated expansion of commercialization strategies,and an increasingly rich membership system,Zhihu has transformed into a comprehensive online Q?A platform at the top in China,with monthly active users reaching 100 million.This paper combines the methods of participatory observation and case analysis during the internship period of Zhihu to analyze the core value interaction process of Zhihu,analyze the knowledge field and value network of Zhihu,and construct the value co-creation system of Zhihu.Based on this analysis,this paper proposes that the online Q?A platform should be guided by user needs,build rich business scenarios around the core of knowledge supply,demand,and transformation,and establish an open content ecosystem for sharing,co-creation,and achieving win-win results.Furthermore,this article puts forward the construction of the future ecological direction of activating user value,establishing a knowledge governance mechanism,and opening up social participation.