{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,11]],"date-time":"2026-05-11T20:25:07Z","timestamp":1778531107080,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":55,"publisher":"MIS Quarterly","issue":"1","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2020,3,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>We study digital multisided platforms as complex adaptive business systems (CABS) where multiple sides have different and evolving objectives, preferences, and constraints. CABS are characterized by irreducible uncertainty, which cannot be reduced by the traditional approaches of collecting and processing data. Irreducible uncertainty in the system gives rise to a complex search matching problem between agents and value enhancing transactions. This paper presents a recommender systems-based approach for taming the complexity by allowing agents to coevolve and learn in the system. We propose a novel two-sided recommender system framework, which considers emergence on both sides of the platform and adapts to the changing environment to influence agents. An agent-based simulation model is developed based on popular internet-based educational platforms to study this complex system and test our hypotheses. Our results show the value of a two-sided recommender system to tame complex search matching in platforms. We discuss implications for information systems and complexity science research.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.25300\/misq\/2020\/14424","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,3,4]],"date-time":"2020-03-04T16:13:37Z","timestamp":1583338417000},"page":"49-84","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":54,"title":["Taming Complexity in Search Matching: Two-Sided Recommender Systems on Digital Platforms"],"prefix":"10.25300","volume":"44","author":[{"given":"Onkar","family":"Malgonde","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Operations Management and Information Systems, College of Business, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115 U.S.A."}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"He","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Information Systems and Decision Sciences, Muma College of Business, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620 U.S.A."}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Balaji","family":"Padmanabhan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Information Systems and Decision Sciences, Muma College of Business, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620 U.S.A."}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Moez","family":"Limayem","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Information Systems and Decision Sciences, Muma College of Business, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620 U.S.A."}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"10933","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,3,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025090915505569300_b1-03_14424_si_cis_malgonde","article-title":"Are MOOCs Really A Failure?","author":"Adams","year":"2013","journal-title":"Forbes"},{"issue":"5","key":"2025090915505569300_b2-03_14424_si_cis_malgonde","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"896","DOI":"10.1109\/TKDE.2011.15","article-title":"Improving Aggregate Recommendation Diversity Using Ranking-Based Techniques","volume":"24","author":"Adomavicius","year":"2012","journal-title":"IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering"},{"issue":"6","key":"2025090915505569300_b3-03_14424_si_cis_malgonde","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"734","DOI":"10.1109\/TKDE.2005.99","article-title":"Toward the Next Generation of Recommender Systems: A Survey of the State-of-the-Art and Possible Extensions","volume":"17","author":"Adomavicius","year":"2005","journal-title":"IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering"},{"key":"2025090915505569300_b4-03_14424_si_cis_malgonde","unstructured":"Agrawal, A., Venkatraman, J., Leonard, S., and Paepcke, A.\u20082015. \u201cYouEDU: Addressing Confusion in MOOC Discussion Forums by Recommending Instructional Video Clips,\u201d National Science Foundation (https:\/\/ilpubs.stanford.edu:8090\/1125\/)."},{"issue":"10","key":"2025090915505569300_b5-03_14424_si_cis_malgonde","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1854","DOI":"10.1287\/mnsc.1120.1533","article-title":"Large-Scale Service Marketplaces: The Role of the Moderating Firm","volume":"58","author":"Allon","year":"2012","journal-title":"Management Science"},{"issue":"7","key":"2025090915505569300_b6-03_14424_si_cis_malgonde","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1033","DOI":"10.1287\/mnsc.1060.0696","article-title":"Complex Systems\u2014A New Paradigm for the Integrative Study of Management, Physical, and Technological Systems","volume":"53","author":"Amaral","year":"2007","journal-title":"Management Science"},{"key":"2025090915505569300_b7-03_14424_si_cis_malgonde","article-title":"Clearing Matching Markets Efficiently: Informative Signals and Match Recommendations","author":"Ashlagi","year":"2019","journal-title":"Management Science"},{"issue":"2","key":"2025090915505569300_b8-03_14424_si_cis_malgonde","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1287\/isre.1040.0020","article-title":"An Empirical Analysis of Network Externalities in Peer-to-Peer Music-Sharing Networks","volume":"15","author":"Asvanund","year":"2004","journal-title":"Information Systems Research"},{"key":"2025090915505569300_b9-03_14424_si_cis_malgonde","article-title":"Secrets of Better Uber and Lyft Rides","author":"Bindley","year":"2018","journal-title":"The Wall Street Journal, Personal Technology: Review section"},{"issue":"5","key":"2025090915505569300_b10-03_14424_si_cis_malgonde","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1409","DOI":"10.1287\/orsc.1110.0678","article-title":"Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom? 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