The platform economy is the embodiment of the activities carried out by its influential players, which by their very nature are new markets, facilitating the matching of suppliers and customers. A new market entails access to or even joint use of underused assets, provision of new working places, and simplification of human life with online transactions and services, which serves the assumption that the platform economy is able to undertake sustainable development and may meet a number of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) introduced in 2015. First, this paper aims to study whether the platform business model entails sustainability as its integral core concept. Second, it attempts to assess if platform companies from two selected industries—ride-sharing services and EdTech—meet SDGs comparably better than their predecessor linear companies in transportation and education. The study carries out an empirical analysis of eight companies. The results indicate that platform companies demonstrate a relatively lower commitment to SDGs compared to linear transnational firms, which can be explained by the level of maturity of platform companies and their still mostly non-public nature.

This chapter explores the evolving dynamics of global value chains (GVCs) and their implications for national competitiveness and industrial policy. It begins by tracing the historical emergence of GVCs and their foundational role in globalization, emphasizing the transformation brought by transnational corporations through outsourcing and efficiency-seeking investments. The chapter introduces key theoretical frameworks, particularly Gereffi's GVC model, to analyze the structure, governance, and geographic distribution of GVCs. It then examines the multifaceted drivers of GVC transformation —turbulent (e.g., financial crises, trade wars, pandemics), evolutionary (technological advances in Industry 4.0), and political (changing industrial policies). The discussion highlights how these forces reshape production systems and redefine policy approaches across nations. By integrating empirical data and case studies, the chapter underscores the strategic role of modern industrial policy in adapting to and leveraging GVC transformations for sustainable development and competitiveness.