Network Effects in B2B SaaS: Why Winner-Take-Most Dynamics Differ from Consumer Platforms

B2B software-as-a-service markets exhibit network effects distinct from consumer platforms, yet existing literature predominantly applies frameworks derived from social networks and marketplaces. Through an analysis of 47 enterprise SaaS categories, this paper identifies three mechanisms—workflow lock-in, data network effects, and ecosystem complementarity—that drive winner-take-most outcomes in B2B contexts. Our empirical findings challenge the assumption that B2B markets naturally tend toward fragmentation.