How do perceived trust, social value, and pricing fairness influence the adoption and early network effects of an intergenerational two-sided platform (Genly) in a university-town ecosystem?

Details

Supervisors

Belleflamme, Paul

Faculty

Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master [120] : ingénieur de gestion, à finalité spécialisée
Master [120] : ingénieur de gestion, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

In Ottignies–Louvain-la-Neuve, students and seniors share the same geographical space yet rarely interact in any structured or meaningful way. This coordination failure constitutes the starting point of this thesis' question: how do perceived trust, social value, and pricing fairness influence the adoption and early network effects of an intergenerational two-sided platform? Drawing on four theoretical frameworks, Self- Determination Theory, Socioemotional Selectivity Theory, Social Exchange Theory, and Two-Sided Market Theory this research demonstrates that students and seniors share structurally complementary needs: students seek career guidance, experiential knowledge, and meaningful social connection, while seniors seek technological support, purposeful contribution, and continued social engagement. These needs are a form of latent social value. These insights are then translated into Genly’s platform architecture: defining its value proposition, analysing its competitive landscape, and examining how network effects can support a sustainable competitive advantage. To validate this empirically, quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews were conducted with students, seniors, and institutional representatives. The findings confirm openness to intergenerational exchange on both sides, while identifying three key adoption drivers: perceived trust and safety, perceived social value, and pricing fairness. Trust emerges not as a feature but as a prerequisite and one that cannot be self-generated by the platform alone but must be borrowed initially from established institutions. These insights are translated into a concrete platform design, covering Genly's Minimum Viable Platform, its go-to-market strategy, and a monetisation model centred on institutional funding, Genly is a social infrastructure rather than a commercial service. The conclusion to this thesis is that the barrier to intergenerational exchange is structural rather than motivational, and that a well-designed digital platform, based on trust-building mechanisms and institutional partnerships, can activate the existing relational capital within local communities.