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NTU Management Review Vol. 34 No. 3 Dec. 2024

3. Findings

The findings of this study indicate that a hub firm can employ distinct framing
strategies to engage with the diverse partners at different stages of ecosystem

advancement. First, during the emergence stage, Coursera employs a humanistic
framing strategy to entice prestigious universities to join its platform, encouraging these
universities to contribute to the democratization of educational resources. The involvement
of established entities fosters collective action and generated credibility. Meanwhile, by

enrolling in and obtaining certifications from these reputable higher education institutions,
online learners not only improve their skills but also contribute to the growth of high-
quality human capital. As Coursera progresses into the evolution stage, it transits towards
an empowerment-based framing strategy, collaborating with external industry partners

to develop new opportunities for continuing education. This approach entices industry
partners to participate as content providers, integrating courses from diverse academic and
industrial sectors to cultivate talent that aligns more effectively with the needs of these
industry partners.

Furthermore, a hub firm can convert public resources into economic value through
resource and capability stretching. Firstly, Coursera leverages the scalability and
stackability aspects of MOOC technology to significantly decrease the operational costs

associated with higher education. This approach enables Coursera to generate excess
capacity, enhance the quality of learning experiences, overcome geographical and time
constraints, and grant individuals worldwide the opportunity to access courses from
prestigious universities, thereby democratizing higher education and realizing educational

equity. Further, Coursera facilitates the conversion of social value into economic value
by transforming learners into valuable human capital. This monetization strategy enables
learners, universities and educators, and companies and institutions (who simultaneously
act as educators, clients, and employers of learners) to collaboratively generate and

share economic value, establishing a symbiotic relationship between humanistic value
(Educational Equity) and economic value (Knowledge Monetization) that fosters
ecosystem growth. Lastly, by collaborating and co-creating value with partners, Coursera
expands its services into diverse new markets. By integrating educational resources

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