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Digital platform ecosystems have redefined firm boundaries, transforming competition into coordinated networks of interdependent actors who jointly generate value through platform participation. This conceptual article addresses a critical gap in the literature by developing an integrative framework that explains how firms can strategically engage in these ecosystems while managing complex interdependencies with platform leaders and complementors. By synthesizing foundational insights on ecosystem theory, platform meta-organizations, complementor engagement, governance mechanisms, and value co-creation, we identify the need for a holistic model that goes beyond isolated strategies. We introduce the strategic interdependence orchestration framework (SIOF), a novel architecture comprising five interconnected components—ecosystem role positioning, interdependence mapping, governance mechanism deployment, complementor coordination protocols, and value co-creation pathways—supported by adaptive feedback loops. The SIOF positions ecosystem participation as a core competitive strategy, enabling firms to convert interdependence risks into sustained value advantages within platform-centered networks. By theorizing the relational flows of coordination, governance, and learning, this framework advances platform strategy research and offers actionable guidance for firms navigating digital ecosystems. A detailed conceptual diagram illustrates the architecture, highlighting dynamic relationships and feedback mechanisms essential for long-term ecosystem success.

Platform ecosystems represent a distinctive organizational form in the digital economy, characterized by interdependent actors coordinated through digital infrastructure. This systematic integrative review synthesizes peer-reviewed studies to examine three core themes in management scholarship: governance structures, strategic leadership, and innovation dynamics. Drawing on targeted literature from leading journals, the analysis reveals how platform owners balance openness and control to sustain generativity while mitigating power asymmetries. Strategic leadership emerges as a dynamic capability for ecosystem orchestration, enabling platform firms to align complementor incentives and drive value co-creation. Innovation processes are shown to depend on complementor participation, selective promotion of complements, and evolving coordination mechanisms that address tensions between autonomy and collective performance. The review traces the evolution of research from an early emphasis on governance mechanisms to a later focus on leadership, power dynamics, and the ecosystem lifecycle. An original synthesis model—the Platform Ecosystem Governance-Leadership-Innovation Synthesis Model—is introduced to integrate fragmented insights into five interconnected layers. By classifying the literature thematically and highlighting persistent tensions, this review provides a unified architecture for future platform research and offers actionable insights for ecosystem managers.