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This chapter focuses on the emerging topic of business model innovation. The concept has already been mentioned in the previous chapters, and specifically in Chap. 1, during a preliminary discussion on different types of innovations, and then in Chap. 6, when introducing the concept of “Blue Ocean” strategy. Nevertheless, given its growing relevance in the field of innovation strategy, it is appropriate to dedicate a separate chapter to the topic. The subject will be discussed at first by providing some basic information and definitions, and then by exploring in depth two approaches that can be practically used to analyze and design business models.

Business process management (BPM) has emerged as a prominent information management approach focusing on the design, execution and governance of organizational business processes. The ability to deal with both foreseen and unforeseen changes in business processes is considered critical for contemporary business process management systems. This paper proposes an approach that couples an event-driven framework for detecting and reasoning in situations that pose the need for process adaptations with MCDM methods for selecting adaptations. The proposed approach has been implemented in an aspect-oriented extension of a BPMN2.0 engine in order to enact adaptations of business processes in real-time.

A number of significant problems face small business enterprises (SBEs) in terms of their ability to source financing in the current economic, business and organizational environment in Nigeria. This chapter investigates various financing difficulties facing SBEs, and from the findings makes recommendations for future support initiatives which will be of considerable interest to academics, policy makers and practitioners. The chapter explores problems involved in the financing of SBEs in terms of global dynamics investigating financial bodies, enterprises and the funding of SBEs. Secondary data sources are used to assess the existing financial environment which exists in Nigeria and from this identify the main financial drawbacks facing SBEs.

There has been an unexpected wave of growth in social entrepreneurship globally (Bornstein, 2004). This growth is followed by the number of research in the field. Academic research has been mainly ...

There is a preponderance of research documenting the benefits associated with adopting a relationship marketing (RM) strategy. However, there is a nascent stream of literature which suggests the adoption of an RM strategy may actually diminish organizational performance. In this chapter, the authors introduce and operationalize a set of dark side constructs. The goal is to examine the influence that relational constructs such as trust, commitment, and satisfaction have on the emergence of this dark side. The influence the dark side has on performance is also tested. The results of the study (N = 309) support the premise of positive relationships between relational constructs and the dark side. Although time was thought to moderate these relationships only the main effects between the relational constructs and the dark side were significant. Performance is found to be negatively influenced by the dark side. The authors discuss the theoretical and managerial implications of these findings.

Few resources or published studies exist identifying the informational needs or motivational factors that would assist small businesses wishing to develop, follow, or institute a business model using sustainable and triple bottom line, TBL practices in the U.S. Further, little was known in this mid-western State about the depth of green business practices or the desire of business owners to learn more. A cross-sectional, convenience sample was surveyed to define the needs and interest of the small business enterprises. Only 10 ( n = 31) percent of the 319 companies contacted completed the short survey. However, for that 10%, a strong interest in gaining knowledge in this area was expressed. Findings indicated that many smaller businesses may not have the efficacy base of knowledge, skills, and resources whereby they can operationalize sustainable or green business practices. Coding the responses in the areas of green business motivation, learning, and hoped for benefits according to the TBL of community, profit, and environment illustrated that profit was a motivator overall 2:1 compared to environment and community. For the small business community, much of the literature, technical expertise and sustainability assessment models remain beyond their resources and time reach. The challenge becomes one of finding ways to broaden the appeal of sustainability and TBL practices and establish a means of peer to peer sharing and benchmarking efficacy and progress in sustainable business practices.

Although research into the business model has received increasing attention, few studies have so far been conducted on business model innovation in an international context. The purpose of the study is to identify different patterns of business model innovation which enables international retailers to rebuild their core business logic in new host countries. On the basis of comparing and contrasting the business model changes of 15 international retailers from various home countries to one single host country (China), our study provides an in-depth understanding of business model innovation in the context of international business. By looking at the firms’ capabilities in rebuilding their core logic in the setting of a host country, we reveal six routes of retail business model innovation. Utilizing the lens of organizational learning theory and internationalization, we identify three patterns of resource deployment by international companies in the process of developing business model innovations. Our study, therefore, provides insights and guidance for multinational companies in general, international retailers in particular, as for how to successfully adapt their business model from home country to host country.

Change in business reality can be understood by adopting the perspective of IMP approach that is based on the assumption that business entities are interrelated. It highlights interaction processes as the underlying mechanism of change in business relationships and networks – their processes, atmosphere and structure. According to this perspective, the focus of attention shifts away from ways of managing a company to ways of managing business interactions between companies which contribute to change. The paper presents different aspects of the process of change affecting business relationship, with particular emphasis on changes in the relationship (its processes and atmosphere) and the reconfiguration of business network.

A sustainable business ecosystem is a source of competitiveness for firms as well as a manageable resource for gaining a competitive advantage. Strategy from the perspective of business ecosystems is particularly critical for the conglomerate or government-driven Asia pacific business environment. Among members of business ecosystems, this study focuses on customers, whose roles are overlooked in existing studies as an agent of building a sustainable business ecosystem. This study examines effects of customer participation on creating economic value and social value within the business ecosystem by conducting in-depth interviews with multiple firms in South Korea. Based on the interview data, this study develops seven propositions for the relationships between customer participation and a sustainable business ecosystem. Then, the study proposes alignment, systemization, socialization, and coevolution as four strategic actions for building sustainable business ecosystems. Also, this study offers result area of the strategic actions as the accumulation of both economic value and social value for both firms and the society. Implications based on these strategic actions and the result areas are suggested for academics and practitioners.

The subjectivity, complexity, and often competing interests of sustainable development have limited the effectiveness of integrating these important ideas into mainstream business strategy. With the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in January 2016, there are now global sustainability benchmarks that apply across diverse sectors and national contexts, allowing public and private organizations to orient and evaluate their activities, strategies, and business outcomes. However, it is not directly apparent where the advantage for business lies in pursuit of these actions within the prevailing economic paradigm, highlighting the need for new analytical frameworks and tools. Industrial ecology (IE) has been successfully used in engineering practice for decades and has been suggested as a method that can provide the concepts and methods necessary to bridge the gap between traditional business practice and sustainable development. To test this, literature bridging the fields of industrial ecology, business strategy, and sustainable development was collected and analyzed using the textual analysis software Leximancer™. The analysis showed that while the SDGs are primarily aimed at the national level, they also hold relevance for business through innovation, partnerships, and strategic positioning, inter alia. The analysis found that the integration of IE and business strategy is highly relevant for three of the SDGs, but captures elements of all 17 to varying degrees. IE has a strong focus on innovation and its potential in new markets, products, and business models. IE is also consciously aimed at the efficient use of energy and resources, ideas that are relevant to mitigating, adapting, and building resilience in a changing future, but are also relevant to traditional concepts of business strategy and competitive advantage. This paper shows that through the combination of IE and strategic management theory, commercial organizations can positively contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals while building competitive advantage.

Motivated by the growth and internationalization of business groups, this paper reviews the business group literature and presents a future research agenda, highlighting their implications for international strategy. The paper identifies theoretical tensions and empirical ambiguities around three key business group features—corporate governance, internal markets, and corporate strategy—and three key outcome variables—performance, economic impact, and innovation—that have generated significant debate. We conclude with three methodological concerns relevant to these debates: generalizing business group research across countries, endogeneity in business group research, and performance measurement in business groups.

This article introduces an ecosystemic framework to foster innovation for business sustainability. We emphasize the idea of systemic thinking in which the business operates as a system similar to a living organism. In this framework, businesses impact the environment in which they operate in a fluid, dynamic, and interdependent way. This approach contrasts with the linear approach commonly used in business and other disciplines, which tries to explain what might cause an action or reaction but ignores any feedback effect between the subsequent action and its cause. This article offers practical solutions and guidance for business leaders to incorporate complexity science into creating sustainable businesses.

As companies and other organizations increasingly recognize society’s demand for greater social and environmental sustainability, university and college business schools have responded with new pedagogic approaches. Business schools have begun to offer courses in business models and business model innovation that focus not only on profit-normative goals but also on social and environmental goals. This paper describes an Experiential Workshop for university undergraduates in which the Service-Learning pedagogic approach is taken and Flourishing Business Canvas is applied as a tool for collaborative visual business modelling. In the Workshop, the students work with business model innovation for a biogas production cooperative of farmer-members in southern Sweden. The students take the role of problem-owners and problem-solvers as they co-create new business models ideas for the cooperative. The paper presents the students’ achievement of three Learning Objectives as they engage in meaningful, “real-world” simulations with a high degree of autonomy that allows them to combine their theoretical knowledge with practice. Implications for educators who wish to test the Experiential Workshop in their classrooms are proposed. The paper concludes with the suggestion that Education for Flourishing is a useful expansion of Education for Sustainable Development.

Purpose of the paper : This study aims to contribute to the literature on business model by providing some fresh insights about collaborative business models for SMEs. Specifically, the paper describes and analyzes the business model set up by an Italian start up, Formabilio, which is built up on both network and digital technologies. Methodology : An explorative, qualitative research design (Burr, 2003; Colurcio et al., 2012) has been employed. Data have been collected through the analysis of documents and texts, non-participant observations, an online semi-structured questionnaire and in-depth interviews. Findings : The study suggests an holistic and strategic approach to renew the business model. It identifies the foundational elements of a collaboration-based business model to sustain the SMEs competitiveness in a complex and increasingly digital-based ecosystem. Specifically, the analysis of the Formabilio network discloses new possible business configurations that a company can adopt to create value for all the actors engaged in the business ecosystem. Research limits : The main limitation of the empirical study relates to its explorative nature and the analysis of a single collaborative network. Practical implications : The study discloses possible business configurations as the pivotal factors for designing value co-creation business models. It offers an opportunity to reflect on the effects of collaboration and networking on a traditional business context as the Italian manufacturing ecosystem. Originality of the paper : The paper adds value to the existing literature by providing a broader perspective of analysis that merges the managerial perspective on the business model and the marketing perspective of interaction and resources integration, to understand and to guide the managerial behaviour.

Scholars and practitioners in the fields of Business Process Management (BPM), performance measurement and business information systems tend to use different approaches for implementing BPM Programs without arguing about the quality strategy set to ensure successful implementation and adoption. This lack of quality standards makes it difficult for researchers and practitioners to build on each other's work. The purpose of this article is to present a model for a BPM Program implementation in the banking sector. The authors' four steps implementation model is based on a quality strategy monitoring the different phases of the entire procedure. Through this work, they aim to identify the key characteristics of a BPM system as well as open a debate on what are the necessary and sufficient conditions for the full implementation of a BPM Program. The authors review the relevant literature and present their BPM implementation approach. Based on their research, they presented a case study on the implementation of a BPM program in a Greek bank. Some of the subjects discussed included the integration plans for the projects, Human Resources management issues, and other concepts for the improvement of the bank's processes. The main part of the case study was the integration themes that the bank in question had identified and separated in order to produce a viable and continuous plan for the full implementation of the projects. The analysis in this paper provides an approach that researchers could use as a reference framework in their efforts for implementing BPM Programs in general and more specifically in banking sector.

Businesses will play a key role in helping the transition towards greater sustainability. To maximise business sustainability performance, sustainability characteristics must be integrated at the business model level, creating business models for sustainability. Creating a business model for sustainability, or transitioning from a traditional business model, is likely to be a complicated and challenging process. Previous research has identified a range of barriers, such as low financial reward or little legislative support. The aim of this research is to explore and identify critical success factors and barriers for the transition from traditional business models to business models for sustainability. Previous research provides indications as to the barriers faced when attempting to develop business models for sustainability, but does so using conceptual lenses that emphasise external influences and factors. We seek to explore the process of business model innovation for sustainability from a perspective that pays greater attention to internal processes and from a management perspective, building on concepts of organisational change management. The research focuses on start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SME's) in the Dutch food and beverage industry. This is an interesting empirical context, as this is a dynamic, economically significant sector in the Netherlands, and is under pressure to improve its environmental performance. Data is collected from 14 cases, using semi-structured interviews, and is then analysed to identify a range of critical success factors and barriers. We find that collaboration, a clear narrative and vision, continual innovation, a sustainable foundation, profitability, and serendipitous external events are all critical success factors for the transition to business models for sustainability. Barriers include external events, principle-agent issues as well as a lack of support from wider actors and systems. The results highlight that businesses wishing to develop a business model for sustainability must make sustainability the key principle upon which the firm is founded. Continual development and improvement is required in addition to the support of a range of different actor's external to the firm, such as suppliers, customers, and government.

This special issue addresses sustainable consumption and production (SCP) in business decision-making model by examining novel methods, practices, and opportunities. The articles present and analyze top-down sustainability efforts as well as bottom-up efforts on the models, customer perceptions, business decision-making models and proposed solution methods This editorial note summarizes the discussions on the business decision-making operational attributes, sustainable consumption and production practices, and on evaluation and practical methods A dominant finding is that the issues of SCP in business decision-making model should be explored in different business contexts.

The exhibition is related to the review and analysis for the last years of the development of two vital ideas for the Bulgarian society - small business and social programming. The increasing capacity of social programming and the proven viability of small businesses create conditions, even in crisis situations, for successful ideas to generate many tangible and intangible goods that society needs for its existence and perfection. The symbiosis of these two socio-economic phenomena forms the conditions in which a number of initiatives find way for realization. Indeed, in the established economic situation, a number of sectors continue to exist precisely through the presence of small business entities who successfully and actively participate in the implementation of social programs and declare their expectations for the structuring of program frameworks.

The emergence of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) poses a large impact on established business models of manufacturing companies. This study aims at analyzing the influence of the IIoT on these business models from a business level perspective. In particular, it focuses on the interrelationships between business model component changes. While the sparse body of extant management literature examines just a subset of business model elements as affected by the IIoT, a framework comprising an entire set of elements is provided. Besides, their direct and indirect interrelationships, and the most important changes in each of the elements, are investigated. For this purpose, an exploratory multiple case study approach is employed, which is based on relevant IIoT-related experiences of 76 German manufacturing companies. By triangulating data from semi-structured expert interviews and archival company material, the study provides in-depth insights and a better understanding of IIoT-driven effects on manufacturing business models. It contributes to extant management literature by revealing the value proposition, internal infrastructure management, and customer relationships predominantly influenced by the IIoT. Moreover, it is shown that IIoT-triggered business model changes are offer-driven, particularly by production and process optimization within customers' production systems. These value proposition changes result in subsequent modifications of the remaining business model elements.

Purpose Business models and the business model concept have become a fixture of scholarly and managerial attention. With a focus on how actors create, capture and disseminate value, business model research holds the promise to inform the tourism sector’s search for ways to innovate and change outdated business practices. Yet, the concept has inspired little research tackling the contingencies of the tourism context. The purpose of this paper is to address this gap in this review and research agenda on business models in tourism. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, the authors review and synthesize contributions from publications in EBSCO, Emerald Insight, ProQuest and Science Direct databases, that make explicit use of the business model concept in tourism (anytime up to September 2016). We conceptualize the identified articles as a coherent body of knowledge on business models in tourism with the objective of identifying common themes that characterize existing contributions. Findings From the review of 28 qualified articles, the authors identify four emergent themes: sector-specific configurations, the role of different value types, design themes for consistency and regulatory contingencies. These themes inform three domains in which the authors present avenues for tourism-specific studies on business models, as well as their management and innovation that the authors position in relation to the general business model literature. Originality/value This review details how researchers across disciplines conceptualize the business model. Together with the identified directions for further research, this literature review thus establishes a common conceptual basis and stock of knowledge for the study of business models in tourism research.

© 2017 Elsevier Ltd This experiential paper is written to provoke debate amongst deanly colleagues around the world-our location is the 130 business schools in the UK (and the 3500 plus in the world!) about how to ‘flip’ the academic model of their business schools. We make a case for this flipping by revisiting Henry Mintzberg's thesis presented in ‘Managers not MBA's in its tenth anniversary year. Ten years on we argue the case for the ‘flip’ is stronger than ever yet our progress toward it disappointing. The criticism of business schools is ever persistent and the argument for their irrelevancy seems to be strengthening. Our paper seeks to argue that much of business school practice and pedagogy is still rooted in content rather than context, where priority is given to academic knowledge in favour of practice intelligence. The ‘flip’ as we define it shifts the emphasis to the latter and helps restore business schools to the status of being relevant to business. Within this context, we provide key features of the flipped business school model for curriculum design and delivery and introduce key enablers of the flip, and we argue that deans are well placed to take this agenda forward.

This article introduces the Special Issue of Managing Business and Innovation Networks and makes an independent contribution to the advancement of network management research. The study has three ambitious goals. First, it evaluates the main developments in network management research from 2000 to 2016, focusing on disciplinary openings. Second, it specifies the contributions of recent domain extensions (business fields, ecosystems, platform networks) to network management, and clarifies the role of networks and network management in these domains. Third, it proposes a general theory of network management based on the past 20 years of research in the field and the contributions of SI articles. The theory explains how the factors at three contextual levels – environment, network and actor – influence network management activities, forming patterns of management based on activity configurations. The framework consolidates our fragmented knowledge on network management and paves the way for more advanced research and management. We conclude with suggestions for future research.

Purpose The expanding body of research on business models generally assumes that firms operate in a “transactional” context. Several recent studies suggest that the concept of business models in contexts where relationships matter, such as business markets, involves issues that the transactional microeconomic perspective is ill suited to capture. In the expanding literature on business models, the role of context in how business models emerge and evolve is a topic that appears under researched. The purpose of this paper is to review the findings of these studies and explore how “relational context” affects the emergence and evolution of business models. Design/methodology/approach The authors review the literature on business models in business markets where high-involvement relationships with customers and suppliers are common, and report a case to illustrate the critical issues involved. Findings The authors find that context where high-involvement relationships are common implies that business models are relationship specific and tend to be different across key relationships of a business; the involvement of others limits the autonomy of a single business in developing its business model; business models are continuously emergent and transient. Originality/value This study is among the few that examine the emergence and evolution of business model in business network in a longitudinal perspective. The value of the study also lies in the implications of the relationship-centric business model for management practice and research.

Purpose Sustainable development comprises three bottom line concepts, i.e. protect environment, improve economic performance, and social performance. Business organization with only profitability as the primary objective may lead to a highly competitive market which mainly focuses on financial performance and pay less attention to environmental and social performance. Companies that adopt the product recovery activities also select economic performance as the prime priority of their business objectives. The purpose of this paper is to give a brief idea about a different kind of business model other than conventional business models. Here, the authors aim to represent collaboration among firms, companies, and players within a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) to build a leading business model that establishes three basic concepts of sustainability. Design/methodology/approach From literature the authors identified that the primary objective of establishing a sustainable business model is environmental issues but achieving economic performance and gaining market share increase competition among companies. The authors also identified that increasing financial performance results in the development of a competitive business model. This literature review helps to represent the concept of collaborative business model, its benefit, and its mechanism and also helps to compare it with competitive business model in terms of sustainability. Findings In case of the collaborative business model, the authors found that collaboration is better than competition to sustain in the market. The authors described the collaborative business model and mechanism of both competitive and collaborative business strategies in a CLSC. The authors gave an idea to adopt some well-known business model and pricing policies for the collaborating firms. The authors presented a comparison between the collaborative and competitive business model and also identified different types of collaborative and completive relationship among the players within a CLSC. Originality/value Government legislations, e-waste rules, and environmental rules involve original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for taking back its end-of-life (EOL)/end-of-use products. A collaborative business model helps OEM to manage those huge amounts of used products by involving third parties within the supply chain. Here, in this paper the authors represent different collaborative parties and their purpose for collaboration, and also represent a strong belief that collaborative business model is the recent trend for establishing sustainability than competitive business model.

Purpose This study aims to construct mechanisms of big data-driven business model innovation from the market, strategic and economic perspectives and core logic of business model innovation. Design/methodology/approach The authors applied deductive reasoning and case analysis method on manufacturing firms in China to validate the mechanisms. Findings The authors have developed an integrated framework to deduce the elements of big data-driven business model innovation. The framework comprises three elements: perspectives, business model processes and big data-driven business model innovations. As we apply the framework on to three Chinese companies, it is evident that the mechanisms of business model innovation based on big data is a progressive and dynamic process. Research limitations/implications The case sample is relatively small, which is a typical trade-off in qualitative research. Practical implications A robust infrastructure that seamlessly integrates internet of things, front-end customer systems and back-end production systems is pivotal for companies. The management has to ensure its organization structure, climate and human resources are well prepared for the transformation. Social implications When provided with a convenient crowdsourcing platform to provide feedback and witness their suggestions being implemented, users are more likely to share insights about their use experience. Originality/value Extant studies of big data and business model innovation remain disparate. By adding a new dimension of intellectual and economic resource to the resource-based view, this paper posits an important link between big data and business model innovation. In addition, this study has contributed to the theoretical lens of value by contextualizing the value components of a business model and providing an integrated framework.

Business models change as managers not only innovate business models, but also engage in more mundane adaptation in response to external changes, such as changes in the level or composition of demand. However, little is known about what causes such business model adaptation. We employ threat-rigidity as well as prospect theory to examine business model adaptation in response to external threats and opportunities. Additionally, drawing on the behavioural theory of the firm, we argue that the past strategic orientation of a firm creates path dependencies that influence the propensity of the firm to adapt its business model. We test our hypotheses on a sample of 1196 Norwegian companies, and find that firms are more likely to adapt their business model under conditions of perceived threats than opportunities, and that strategic orientation geared towards market development is more conducive to business model adaptation than an orientation geared towards defending an existing market position.\ud \ud

This paper explores the role of business cases as a tool for supporting decision-making processes regarding water management. Based on an analysis of survey and interview data from 300+ organisations within the European food sector, it is concluded that the relative emphasis on business cases and payback times influences the average level of water management engagement. However, the findings from the analysis also indicate that use of business cases are not set in stone but can be adapted and changed through ongoing dialogue and negotiations. The paper contributes to the existing academic literature by moving beyond generic discussions of the business case for corporate sustainability to exploring the concrete use of business cases as a decision-making tool for managers.

Purpose: This paper introduces and analyses the Business Model Prism (BMP) for the arts and cultural organizations as multidimensional framework to map the 'as is' structure and the logic of their business model as well as to drive the design of innovation initiatives, i.e. the 'as should be' business model. The framework can be used both for descriptive and normative purposes and comprises seven facets organized and represented with a tri-dimensional prism which defines the key business components of arts and cultural organisations. Design/methodology/approach: The research design and methodology are based on a literature review on the themes of business models and business models innovation with a focus on the characteristics and features of the arts and cultural organisations. This paper has a conceptual nature and it is based on a literature review. This includes also a desk research investigation of some key examples of arts and cultural organisations that have adopted innovations to transform the way how they work and deliver value to audience. The development of the novel framework builds the foundation for applying operatively and testing it in arts and cultural organisations and supports them in mapping and transforming effectively their business model. Originality/value: Traditionally great attention the studies on business model innovation have been focused on businesses and public organisations, while rather limited attention has been paid to the investigation of how arts and cultural organisations can develop and manage their business models. Most of the attempts in this direction are aimed at contextualising, in the cultural sector, frameworks that have been devised for the business sector. Although acknowledging the relevance of these contributions, they present weaknesses related to the capacity to take into account the specific characteristics and features of the arts and cultural organisations. The originality and the value of this paper resides, then, in the attempt to fill this gap, providing a new and industry-specific framework able to effectively support the management and the innovation of the business models in the arts and cultural sector. Practical implications: The proposed framework can support arts and cultural managers to understand the key dimensions characterising the business model of their organizations. In addition, it provides guidelines to map and design managerial initiatives to develop and transform the business model of arts and cultural organisations.

Research Summary: Multinational enterprises create and capture value through appropriate business models that fit both distinctive capabilities and dynamic markets. The key elements of a global business model include propositions for adding customer value and capturing a share of that value, methods to control, deploy, and utilize critical resources, and integrated processes that deliver value to target global customers. These factors explain the diversity in business models, with international competition in geographically dispersed markets further fortifying this diversity and complexity. This article demonstrates ways forward in theorizing about business models, applying these models in the global context, discussing capabilities and strategies necessary for value generation from a global business model, and relating the choice of model to the strategic context of the modern multinational firm. Managerial Summary: MNEs seek value in the global marketplace through distinctive business models, as is the case in other markets. Global markets add layers of complication, as the MNE needs both a global umbrella business model and a local business model for each product and international host market. Because the global business environment is highly dynamic and each host market offers unique contextual characteristics, simple and fixed business models are not feasible. This article offers insights into how aspects of the business model and the multinational firm must be adapted to locational characteristics.

The main responsibility of Information Technology (IT) in business is to acquire, implement and maintain technology investments, which belonged within the Information Systems. In order to achieve successful IT planning and implementation, shared knowledge becomes an important enabler of the alignment of business and IT objectives. This research evaluates how cross-functional competence in business and IT people provides the basis for effective partnership to develop. The objective is to conceptually define and empirically measure the variables of IT competence in business managers and of business competence in IT professionals, and test the measurements for validity and reliability. A Simple Percentage Method, chi-square tests, Tables and weighted average were used to get clear picture of analysis with results showing how both IT knowledge and IT experience are instrumental in defining IT competence of business people. The results of these showed that IT service delivery dimensions, IT system dimensions (quality, delivery, trustworthy and management) and IT core characteristics have statistical significant influence on effective IT competences among IT business people and IT cognitive dimensions which included knowledge, skills and experience.

This contribution addresses the impact of disruptive technologies on business model innovation. While such technologies have the potential to significantly alter the way in which businesses operate, business model inertia hinders companies from adopting the new technological possibilities. Little research has focused on the difficulties incumbents face when innovating their business models. By reviewing current literature on business model innovation, this paper summarizes challenges companies face when dealing with potential disruptive technologies and creating viable business models.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of analysts in providing information to support business model innovation. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on initial research by two of the co-authors on business models (Stott et al., 2016), to which is added the experience of members of the team in working in strategic analyst firms or in working closely with clients of business analyst firms and further secondary data. Findings The findings of this paper show that analysts could do more to help their clients capture the opportunities and meet the threats of business model innovation, but this may require business leaders and analyst firms to think differently about their mutual relationship, particularly the briefs that clients provide analysts and how analysts aggregate information to provide a clearer picture of business model choices and their likely consequences. Research limitations/implications This paper needs confirmation of views by primary empirical research. Practical implications This study identifies the need for firms to brief their analysts to provide much enhanced information concerning business model opportunities and threats, and for teachers and researchers in marketing to become more closely acquainted with the business model literature and analyst reports and processes. Social implications As the idea of business model change becomes a more acceptable part of the strategic armoury of firms, the understanding of the information requirements to support such change to become more widely understood, and business model change to be consequently more common can be expected. This paper contributes to the understanding of the information requirements involved in such changes. Originality/value This study highlights the gap in the discussion of information provision to business leaders concerning business model innovation requirements and threats.

Purpose The case aims around transition and threats to survival in a brick kiln family business. Second, it stimulates an understanding on the need toward collective decision making by the family during the maturity stage of the family business. The purpose of this paper besides addressing entrepreneurship is to examine the “family-ness” in a family business and its benefits, the transition management issues and to understand the difficulties in handling conflicts during succession and transition cycle in a closely held family business. Design/methodology/approach The case is based on primary research, which is exploratory and secondary information followed by testing the case several times. To authenticate information, multiple sources of information with individual interviews both structured and unstructured at different levels have been used in a time frame of over one year. Findings The competency of the business purely lies in the quality of the product, utilization of market opportunity, harnessing capability, honesty and complete involvement in business. Undoubtedly, the family business has reflected growth but its existence in near future is doubtful due to certain exogenous uncontrollable factors, such as restriction by government regulation. The subsequent generation desires to actively participate in the family business. However, it is constrained by the new government regulations and the business life cycle. Thus, the family is reluctantly compelled to start focusing on newer alternatives or business ideas. Transitions, both in business and in family, have posed a challenge to the founder. Should the family continue in the same business with added constraints or the next generation starts building on a new idea as an option and spin-off from existing family business? These are scenarios for trade-offs. Research limitations/implications The case is restricted to transition in business and in family, within a traditional family business of brick kilns. It is about a strategic choice impending with the founder and his siblings. Interpretations may be connected with related family businesses; however, riders exist, as different firms falling under different industry verticals undergo unique scenarios. Practical implications The outcome of the research-based case study shall assist entrepreneurs in the brick kiln industry to understand transition issues and challenges imposed upon due to changing government regulations. Social implications Implications exist for practitioners who may like to anticipate conflict arising due to transition and have mitigation techniques in place. Originality/value The case is original, while the new generation is looking to switch or diversify the business.

Purpose This paper aims to clarify how to start up and establish a new business by developing, combining and utilizing strategic resources and capabilities. Design/methodology/approach The paper studies the case of Park24 by examining how it created a market, changed the way to compete in the market and utilized its business model effectively to enter a new business. Findings The paper finds that Park24 has become a leading company in its core business by developing its new development staff, its parking sites nationwide, its brand and its IT system, and that it has built a profitable business model and successfully entered the car sharing business by making good use of that business model. Originality/value The case study suggests that Park24 started and developed its core business by accumulating strategic resources and capabilities and establishing a profitable business model, and that it utilized this business model effectively to dominate the market shortly after entering.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to suggest that today’s libraries function using business practices in its management of the library to ensure that its service-based mission is respected. Design/methodology/approach Literature review and commentary on this topic that has been addressed by professionals, researchers and practitioners. Findings Libraries have learned from business the importance of using not only the business practice of using a vigorous level of data-driven decision-making, but data-driven reporting as well to a public that expects a higher level of scrutiny, clarity and precision. Paired with evidence from those who have benefitted from the library’s programs and services most visibly, this combination of data and human-driven anecdotes can serve as the optimum marriage of business and service-based confirmation of library success. Originality/value The value in exploring this topic is to make the distinction between libraries whose supporters expect it to be formally managed like a business as opposed to those who suggest that business practices be used in library operations to ensure its mission as a service-based entity is maintained.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to position the business apprenticeship model (a work-based learning model where student managers alternate between academic and workplace learning) at a political, institutional and student level in order to explain how it fits within the French business education landscape and how it is considered as a viable business model in management education. Design/methodology/approach Business apprenticeship is analysed through the prism of Osterwalder and Pigneur’s (2010) Business Model Canvas to evaluate the nine dimensions of the business model: customer segments, value proposition, customer channels, customer relationships, revenue streams, key resources, key activities, key partners and cost structure. Findings Two major advantages of the model are identified, namely, the potential for widening participation and affordability and three concerns are outlined: the corporate vision of the apprentice, the recent governmental reforms on funding this model, and the potential synergies between theory and practice. Research limitations/implications This paper is useful for all those who wish to develop an apprenticeship track within their business schools and for employers who are considering the development of apprenticeship partnerships with business schools. Originality/value This paper provides insight into business apprenticeship as a work-based learning model.

Recently, the implementation of innovation, scientific achievements and new technologies in business, has obtained a global nature, and is becoming one of the factors strengthening the competitiveness of business. However, innovation in the agricultural business, has carried out carefully and only in short-term prospects in the context of economic development. The aim – to explore the theoretical assumptions of business development in implementation of innovation and to define the opportunities for innovation development in agricultural business. The research methodology consists of: the theoretical analysis of assumptions about innovation in business development; and empirical analysis of the potentials of agriculture development and case study analysis of agricultural business. The investigation using the scientific literature and documentary sources; content analysis; participatory approach; and diagnostic methods of interconnections were carried out. The assumptions for the development of innovation in business and opportunities for innovation in agriculture development were defined. JEL Codes: M21, O13, O32, Q13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15544/mts.2017.18

Despite the growing popularity of self-service business intelligence (SSBI) tools, empirical research that investigates their acceptance by business professionals is still scarce. This paper presents and tests an integrated model of the antecedents of users' acceptance of SSBI tools in business enterprises. The proposed model is developed based on the technology acceptance model (TAM) and incorporating information and system quality from DeLone and McLean IS success model. It also includes an important factor from the business intelligence literature called analysis quality. To test the model, data were collected through a questionnaire survey from 331 business users working in a variety of industries in Jordan. Data were analysed using structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques. The results demonstrated that the three quality factors– information quality, system quality and analysis quality – are key antecedents of perceived usefulness and ease of use, which in turn were found to be strong predictors of users' intention to use SSBI tools. The findings of this study provide several implications for research and practice, and thus should help in the design and deployment of more user-accepted SSBI tools.

Many ideas flow into the innovation funnel but only 1 out 3000 becomes a successful new product. There are many variables that interact in this complex process and investors decisions are often based on experience and feeling rather than a comprehensive evaluation of the social, economic and technological factors. The innovation potential, the innovator capability, the accessibility of the technology as well as the social acceptance and the chosen business model are the some of the critical factors of a successful innovation strategy. In the broad sense, a business model is the approach of doing business through which a company can sustain itself and generate profits in the long term. Digital platforms can help manage and facilitate the complexity of value propositions and provide an immediate feedback to the entrepreneur. Creating value is necessary, but not sufficient, for an organization to profit from its business model. It is important to see the whole picture of the business that is why the business models are so important for a good start of the business. However, innovation assessment and business model development sometimes are not an easy task and ICT can make this process easier. Then, the aim of this paper is to explore the role of digital platforms as facilitators for the techno-socio-economic impact assessment and the development of sustainable business models through the analysis of a case study from the EU Horizon 2020 “i3 project”.

Defining the concept of family business is an ongoing challenge. The debate around it is here discussed from the point of view of business history and family business theories as developed in the last fifteen years. Historians are interested in reflecting changes in family businesses at different periods and within different societies, and focus their research work on ownership and control within family firms. For their part, family business theorists still understand the concept as a compound or a circular scheme consisting of elements such as business, family and owners or power (governance and management participation), experience (generation in charge) and culture (family and business values).

This research, based on the analysis of social business models’ concepts, aims to identify tendencies of social business models implementation in Lithuania. The theoretical part of the article highlights the main features of a pure social business model and a hybrid social business model, as well as discusses their differences. Having evaluated the implementation state of social business models, the authors reveal that the existing practice of public enterprises restricts development of social business potential, mainly accountability and transparency of social business. Therefore, transition of public enterprises to other forms of social business models should be promoted so that to ensure competitiveness in the market and continuous pursuit of social objectives. The findings revealed that the most popular forms of social business in Lithuania are volunteering, charitable activities, and sponsorship. However, despite the fact that some practices of social business are applied, development of social business models is a little-known phenomenon to the public thus might be confused with the definition of a social enterprise.

The development and innovation of Business models to a Future teleinfrastructure for multi-sensory devices—is a complex venture related to adaptability in especially for the business research and praxis community. As numerous types of sensor and wireless technologies are these days being embedded both external and internal human beings, things and business models the business community are still lacking behind and challenge because they still not have agree to standards of Business Model language and are dealing with Business Model Innovation as if it was simple product- or service innovation. Research shows that Business Model Innovation are different and when it becomes embedded with persuasive technologies it requires advanced business model innovation approach and mindset. A conceptual outlook to advanced Business model innovation embedded with persuasive technologies is the aim of this paper. The paper discuss on behalf of inputs from Strategic Workshop 2016, IEE workshop at NJIT 2016, lab experiments in the MBIT Lab–our findings and understanding of advanced business model innovation of tomorrow.

The aim of the article is to find solutions for assessing the benevolence of business conditions in existing circumstances. The business situation in the area of occupational safety and health (OSH) services was investigated in order to assess possibilities to start up this kind of commercial activity. The proposed methodology of assessment is tested only on the basis of occupational safety and health services, but the sequence and the content of the provided actions for assessment may be also used for initiating any other kinds of business. Systematic approach has been applied to searching for solutions primarily to assess general aspects which are then narrowed down to the assessment of smaller issues. Suitability of theoretical decisions has been tested in real business conditions. In order to assess the benevolence of business conditions in the current situation before starting up a certain business, the article provides certain assessment measures and their application techniques. Applying the chosen methodology may help to start a new business smoother, develop the existing one and thus achieve better results.