This research looks into the emerging trend of circular economy which is fairly young, but have still gotten a lot of recognition in the past few years. The purpose of the research was to identify bridging activities between circular business models and customer perceived value. This gap creates a great opportunity to find correlations between these areas to hopefully construct the missing bridge to connect the phenomena. A case study was applied on an organisation having a circular business model, where its customer network was used to collect data. Two types of data collection methods were used: (1)Quantitative data collection from potential customers using a questionnaire;and (2) Qualitative data collection from existing customers with semistructured interviews. The collected data was later analysed by connecting it to existing theory of customer perceived value. The data was categorised, ranked and later inserted in a contemporary matrix created by the authors, called the Business Model Matrix. The whole research was lastly presented as a conceptual model with the intent to generalize the methodology so it could be applied on other organisations. The model consists of five steps: (1) Research, (2) Data collection, (3) Translation, (4) Business Model Matrix and (5) Adaption.The authors conclude this research with: (1) It is difficult to quantify and make sense of value; (2) Standardised measurements for value has to be defined; and (3) Even though it might be difficult to interpret the business model matrix result, it might give a good overview of what the customers likes which can increase competitiveness in the long-term. Suggested future research lies in standardising value and looking into perceived value from other actors rather than customers as well.

The surges in the deterioration on all fronts of sustainability have led to the conceptualization of the Circular Economy (CE). The compliance of production and consumption tightly knitted with the linear model has created a much-needed debate as well as a barrier to the transition towards the CE. In order to drive the transition from linear to CE, various typologies of CE business models have been derived. The Product-Service System (PSS), a business model for creating a circular flow of materials, necessitates the transformation of consumers from being owners into mere users. The textile industry, where the use of virgin materials is deemed to be a primary component for its production and consumption, requires the ingestion of CE-based business models. However, such a transition requires a constant and conscious effort from various actors as well as consumers.   The study takes a holistic perspective targeting both the PSS provider as well as the consumers in providing an understanding of frictions that occur between a PSS Business model and the existing consumption practices. As different actors form a network to drive a PSS business model, this study, firstly aims to develop an understanding of the interactions that take place between two different actors who aim to develop a PSS business model within the domain of textiles. Secondly, as there tend to be consumers who oppose business models that change their existing habits and routines, one such as PSS, this study focuses on analyzing the existing practices related to the consumption of textiles. By contemplating between the consumption side and the PSS provider side, the thesis concludes with a model on how a PSS business model can be made to stabilize the differences with respect to consumption practices by taking into account the factors that influence the consumption of a product.

Teknologiska framsteg inom webbteknologier, virtualisering samt ökad bandbredd har gett upphov till cloud computing, en disruptiv innovation som leder till tjänstefiering av IT-industrin där produkter som hårdvaror och mjukvaror omvandlas till tjänster och som görs tillgängliga för kunder via Internet. Software-as-a-service är en del av cloud computing och avser applikationer som är installerade och körs på en molninfrastruktur och som tillgängliggörs som en tjänst för kunder via en webbläsare eller ett tunt klientgränssnitt. Att leverera mjukvara som en tjänst är en trend som under de senaste åren har vuxit och som förväntas fortsätta växa och som har inneburit att nya intäktsströmmar för mjukvara har möjliggjorts.    Tidigare studier har visat att det finns flera olika intäktsströmmar för software-as-a-service som kan fungera hållbart och att valet bör ske genom att ta hänsyn till en mängd olika variabler. Många av studierna inom området är dock konceptuella och bygger inte på primärdata. Dessutom är de flesta studier äldre än fyra år. Vidare finns det enligt vår vetskap inte några studier som undersöker hur affärsmodellen som helhet påverkas av valet av intäktsströmmar för software-as-a-service.     Studien har syftat till att skapa förståelse för vad som påverkar mjukvaruföretags val av intäktsströmmar. Detta har betraktats utifrån ett affärsmodellsperspektiv med hjälp av verktyget Business Model Canvas.   En kvalitativ små-N-studie har genomförts. Empiri har samlats in genom att utföra fem intervjuer med olika företag inom mjukvarubranschen som levererar mjukvara enligt software-as-a-service. En kvalitativ innehållsanalys i kombination med ramverket Business Model Canvas har använts för att analysera insamlad empiri. Studien resulterade i ett flertal faktorer som påverkar företags val av intäktsströmmar. Dessa är:  Mjukvarans komplexitet, varumärket, behov av återkommande intäkter, leverans, kundernas inflytande, förväntat användarmönster, marknadsacceptanssamtlagar och regleringar.Vissa av de identifierade faktorerna bekräftar upptäckter som gjorts i tidigare forskning medan andra faktorer, utifrån vår kännedom, tillför ny kunskap inom området. Analysen av de identifierade faktorernas inverkan på affärsmodellen med hjälp av Business Model Canvas visade att det fanns en komplex koppling mellan faktorerna och affärsmodellens byggstenar. Varje identifierad faktor kan ha en direkt inverkan på en eller flera byggstenar i affärsmodellen. Detta tyder på att valet av intäktsströmmar för mjukvara är en komplicerad process och att valet bör baseras utifrån affärsmodellens övriga byggstenar. / Technological advances in web technologies, virtualization and increased bandwidth have given rise to cloud computing, a disruptive innovation that has led to the servitization of the IT-industry where products such as hardware and software have transformed to services which are made available to customers through the internet. Software-as-a-service is a part of cloud computing and refers to applications that are installed and executed on cloud infrastructure and made available as a service to the customers through a web browser or thin client interface. Delivering software-as-a-service has been an increasing trend that is predicted to continue to grow. It has enabled new revenue streams for software.    Previous studies have shown that an array of revenue streams can work sustainably, but when choosing revenue streams, there are many variables to consider. This thesis examines aspects of these implications which have not been fully covered empirically and in recent years. Moreover, we examine how the business model is affected as a whole in the choice of revenue streams for software-as-a-service, an aspect which has been overlooked in the literature.    The purpose of the study has been to create an understanding of what affects the software companies’ choice of revenue streams. This has been viewed from a business model perspective through the Business Model Canvas framework.   A qualitative small-N-study has been undertaken. The empirical data were collected by five interviews at five different companies in the software industry who deliver their software according to the software-as-a-service model. A qualitative content analysis in combination with the Business Model Canvas framework has been applied to analyze the empirical data.   The outcome of the study resulted in identification of several factors which affected the companies choice in revenue streams These factors are: The complexity of the software, the need for recurring revenues, delivery, the customers’ influence, expected usage patterns, market acceptance and rules and regulations.Some of the factors have confirmed findings from previous studies while other factors according to our awareness have contributed to new knowledge in the field. The analysis of the identified factors on the business model by the Business Model Canvas has shown that there is a complex connection between the factors and the building blocks of the business model. This suggests that the choice of revenue streams for software is a complex process and should be grounded in the business model as a whole.

<p>U doktorskoj disertaciji predstavljena je problematika poslovanja motela kao ugostiteljskih objekata i prilagođavanje postojećih poslovnih modela potrebama tranzitnih turista. U teorijskom delu doktorske disertacije predstavljena su glavna teorijska ishodi&scaron;ta koja se bave problematikom definisanja motela kao ugostiteljskih<br />objekata, tranzitnih turista i tranzitnog turizma, elemenata poslovnog modela, inovativnosti u ugostiteljstvu. U empirijskom delu doktorske disertacije predstavljeni su rezultati istraživanja dobijenih pomoću sledećih istraživačkih metoda: analiza podataka<br />na Veb sajtovima motela, opažanje, strukturirani dubinski intervju i dva anketna istraživanja, s potencijalnim gostima i aktualnim gostima motela u Srbiji. U perspektivnom delu doktorske disertacije predstavljeni si konkretni saveti za unapređenje postojećih poslovnih modela i kreiranje novog poslovnog modela<br />prilagođenog potrebama tranzitnih turista.</p> / <p>In the PhD thesis motels as hospitality facilities and adapting existing business models for the needs of transit tourists are represented. In the theoreti cal part of this thesis the main theoretical sources which deal with the problem of defining a motel as catering facility, transit tourists and transit tourism, elements o f business model, innovation in hospitality industrzy are represented. In the empirical part of the thesis are represented the results of the research obtained using the following research methods: data analysis on motel websites, observation, structured in-depth interviews and two surveys,&nbsp; with potential guests and guests of the motel in&nbsp; Serbia. In the prospective part of the thesis are shown concrete advisory advices for existing business models and for creating a new business model baised on the needs of transit tourists.</p>

Some fashion companies have started to use recycled fibers to improve their sustainability practices, as it is a way to implement circularity into their business. By combining the theoretical frameworks of stakeholder theory, socio-technical (ST) systems and sustainable business models (SBM), this study discusses how the current business models of fashion companies relate to the concept of circular economy and what fashion companies’ future perspectives are. Based on a case study approach, empirical data was collected on six Nordic fashion companies: Acne Studios, Filippa K, Ganni, House of Dagmar, Gina Tricot and Pure Waste. Both fastfashion and high-fashion companies are reviewed, as their approach to business and sustainability differ. Drivers, challenges, partnerships, future perspectives to recycled fibers are discussed for each company and put in relation with the concept of circular economy. Additional circular initiatives from the companies are considered. The key findings indicate that fashion companies are motivated to use recycled fibers because of their sense of responsibility and wish to continue doing their business. Their future goals, collaborations and additional circular initiatives depicts a forward-looking attitude hopeful about the potential of sustainability. This study contributes to the understanding of implementation of circularity elements from a corporate perspective in the fashion sector, and what is needed to further implement and develop the use recycled fibers.

Prior research has examined entrepreneurial businesses spatially located in the physical or offline context; however, recent radical information and technological breakthroughs allow entrepreneurs to launch their businesses completely online. The growth of the online business industry has been phenomenal. Predictions for worldwide online sales estimate it to reach $2 trillion in 2016. Virtual entrepreneurship refers to the pursuit and exploitation of opportunities via virtual platforms. Web 2.0 cybermediaries offer web-based platforms that function similarly to traditional intermediaries in a virtual setting and minimize barriers to entry for virtual entrepreneurial firms. The use of such cybermediaries with increasing success suggests an implicit shift in the dominant logic that typically underpins the functioning of entrepreneurial firms operating in the physical world. In this relatively uncharted territory, marked by a focus on profit, cooperation, collaboration and community, three ideal-type institutional logics i.e. Market, Corporation and Community, blend together. It is posited that a Virtual Entrepreneurial Logic guides the norms, behaviors, and practices of entrepreneurial firms operating via these virtual platforms. This raises the question whether the blending of three ideal-type logics leads to the existence of different antecedents of performance. A business model antecedent addressing the economic dimension, a community antecedent addressing the community dimension and a co-creation antecedent addressing the collaborative dimension of the Virtual Entrepreneurial Logic were therefore empirically examined in this study. Thus, three research questions were investigated to explicate the antecedents. Primary data from 1396 virtual entrepreneurial firms was collected (business model antecedent n=366, community antecedent n=732 and co-creation antecedent n= 298) to test the proposed hypotheses. Results provided support for the three antecedents. This study makes important theoretical and practical contributions to understanding the domain of virtual entrepreneurship from a blended logics perspective. Using the theoretical lens provided by institutional logics helps shed light on the pivotal role played by cybermediary platforms in the Web 2.0 context. The primary role of synergistic effects, cooperative behavior, and collaboration have important implications for virtual entrepreneurship. Findings also contribute to other related streams in entrepreneurship such as microenterprises. The study offers theoretical extensions of prior work on co-creation to virtual small entrepreneurial ventures. From a practical standpoint, insights can help entrepreneurs to better understand and leverage performance drivers in virtual contexts in general and on cybermediary platforms in particular.

Background: The rapidly changing world of digital technologies forces many companies to undertake a digital shift by transforming existing business models into digital business models to achieve sustainable value creation and value capture. Especially, for established companies, that have been successful leaders before the dot-com bubble (1995-2000) and whose business models have been threatened by the emergence of digital technologies, there is a need for a digital shift. We refer to this digitization of business models as digital business model innovation. However, often adoption and implementation of digital technologies require tremendous changes and thus, can be challenging for established companies. Therefore, agile methods and business experimentation have become important strategic elements and are used to generate and test novel business models in a fast manner. We introduce lean startup as an agile method for digital business model innovation, which has proven to be successful in digital entrepreneurship. Thus, it requires further empirical investigation on how to use lean startup in established companies for successful digital business model innovation. Purpose: The purpose of our study is to identify enablers and barriers of lean startup as a tool for digital BMI in established companies. Thus, we propose a framework showing how established companies can be successful in digital business model innovation by using lean startup. Method: We conducted exploratory, qualitative research based on grounded theory following an abductive approach. Using a non-probability, purposive sampling strategy, we gathered our empirical data through ten semi-structured interviews with experts in lean startup and digital business model innovation, working in or with established companies, shifting their business model towards a digital business model. By using grounded analysis, we gained an in-depth understanding of how lean startup is used in practice as well as occurring barriers and enablers for established companies. Conclusion: We emphasize that successful use of lean startup for digital business model innovation is based on an effective (1) lean startup management, appropriate (2) organizational structures, fitting (3) culture, and dedicated (4) corporate governance, which all require and are based on solid (5) methodical competence of the entire organization. Furthermore, (6) external influences such as market conditions, role of competition, or governance rules indirectly affect using lean startup as a tool for digital business model innovation.

The globally dominant form of business organisation, the Investor-Owned Firm or the Corporation, has been challenged in both academic settings and the wide world for falling short on ensuring environmental and social justice and sustainability. Alternative business models like co-operatives, with a rich though somewhat less known history and presence around the world, might prove a better fit for a thriving world and a sustainable future. This study investigates ways in which worker co-operatives can contribute to a more sustainable world, using the theoretical lens of Doughnut Economics (DE) to place enterprises, as a supporting pillar of our economies, at the intersection between meeting social needs and operating within planetary boundaries. A descriptive multiple case study of six worker co-operatives in the UK indicates that this model can contribute to sustainability primarily by embodying a core purpose of fulfilling the needs of workers and their communities, rather than aiming for financial gains. The research suggests worker co-operatives are enterprises with highly generative design traits, distributive of the wealth they generate, and to some degree regenerative by design. Where challenges occur, either internally or wider in their industry or the co-operative movement, the co-operatives appear willing and interested to work on improving themselves by learning from their peers, experimenting and welcoming change. The study contributes to the body of knowledge on sustainability in worker co-operatives, employing DE as a holistic framework which so far has been seldom used in business research.

New technological innovations are considered as one of the major drivers of economic growth. However, in order to be able to achieve this growth, the diffusion of these new technologies is essential. The large number of factors that influence the diffusion process makes it rather difficult to make estimations, before the realization of the process. Especially emerging technologies, such as 5G technology, can considerably benefit from a better analysis of the diffusion process in order to fully realize their potential. Based on this shortcoming in the existing literature, this study aims to determine the possible impacts of adoption of 5G technology on business models within the cleaning industry. As it is implied in the objective, these impacts of adoption of 5G technology on business models are enabled by the adoption of 5G technology. Therefore, the constraints which influence the adoption of 5G technology are researched initially, as it is a prerequisite to identify potential modifications on business models.    A qualitative research methodology was deemed appropriate after the investigation of previous research within the field and to complement the case study design which this thesis internalizes. In addition to the review of relevant academic literature, twelve semi-structured interviews have been conducted as another data source. The qualitative data obtained from these interviews are analyzed using the thematic analysis method and themes are identified after the coding and categorization process. After the analysis, three areas of interest, which are Revenue Models, Logistics Operations and Automation for Individualization, have been identified according to the similarities of results, anticipated opportunities and observed challenges within the cleaning industry. Within these areas, the effects of adopting 5G technology on the value proposition of the business model are examined while considering the drawbacks of the cleaning industry through the collaboration with an external company called L2GO. The study concludes by proposing four potential implications of 5G adoption on business models within the identified areas and identifying the possible changes in their value propositions.

Bakgrund: Funktionsförsäljning är en affärsmodell som vuxit sig stark på senare år som följd av ett ökat intresse kring cirkulär ekonomi. Trots detta finns det ingen kalkyl utformad för att spegla den nya verklighet som funktionsförsäljning medför. Många företag förstår sig inte på de förändrade processer och kostnader som en övergång från en linjär affärsmodell till funktions-försäljning innebär. Då en kalkyl ligger till grund för beslutsfattande som avser att bidra till lönsamhet, är det ett problem att det inte finns en kalkyl som avspeglar den nya verkligheten vid funktionsförsäljning på ett rättvist sätt.  Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur och varför kostnader förändras i olika processer i tillverkande företag som övergår från en linjär affärsmodell till funktionsförsäljning. Vidare syftar denna studie till att undersöka hur dessa kostnadsförändringar påverkar vad som bör beaktas vid utformandet av en kalkyl. Metod: Denna studie har genomförts med pragmatismen som vetenskaplig utgångspunkt. Ett iterativt angreppssätt har använts för studien. Vidare har en kvalitativ forskningsdesign använts, där två enkla fallstudier genomförts. Fallföretagen valdes ut genom målstyrt urval samt bekvämlighetsurval. För datainsamling har semistrukturerade intervjuer genomförts. Respondenterna valdes ut genom ett snöbollsurval. Den valda analysmetoden är en cross-caseanalys i kombination med en tematisk analys.  Slutsats: Resultatet av denna studie visar att funktionsförsäljning, trots dess stora initiala investeringar, har potential att leda till kostnadsbesparingar på lång sikt. I syfte att rättvist återspegla det förlänga ansvar som funktionsförsäljning medför, bör tidsperspektivet för kalkylen förlängas. Resultatet visar att flertalet processer påverkas vid en övergång till funktionsförsäljning. Det har framkommit att betydelsen av design har utvidgats i kontexten av funktionsförsäljning, då denna process har stor inverkan på efterföljande processer. Vidare har det framkommit att ett övervakande system innehar en central roll vid funktionsförsäljning då det innebär en större kontroll av kostnaderna, däribland reparation och underhåll samt kostnader för omvänd logistik. Slutligen har det konstaterats att processerna försäljning och relationer blir viktigare. Dessa kostnadsförändringar bör således återspeglas i kalkylen. / Background: Functional sales is a business model that has grown strongly in recent years as a result of increased interest in the circular economy. However, there is no costing model designed to reflect the new reality that functional sales bring. Many companies do not understand how a transition from a linear business model to functional sales affect processes and costs. Since a costing model is the basis for decision-making that aims to contribute to profitability, it is a problem that a costing model which reflects the new reality in functional sales in a fair way does not exist.  Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how and why costs change in different processes in manufacturing companies that transition from a linear business model to functional sales. Furthermore, this study aims to investigate how these cost changes affect what should be taken into consideration when designing a costing model.  Method: This study has been conducted with pragmatism as a scientific starting point. An iterative approach has been used for the study. A qualitative research design has been used, where two simple case studies have been carried out. The case companies were selected through a targeted selection and convenience sampling. For data collection, semi-structured interviews have been conducted. The respondents were selected through a snowball sampling. The selected method of analysis is a cross-case analysis in combination with a thematic analysis. Results: The results of this study show that functional sales, despite their large initial investments, have the potential to lead to cost savings in the long term. In order to fairly reflect the extended responsibilities that function sales entail, the time perspective for the costing model should be extended. The study has shown that several processes are affected by a transition from a linear business model to functional sales. It has emerged that the importance of design has expanded in the context of functional sales, as this process has a major impact on subsequent processes. Furthermore, it has emerged that a monitoring system has a central role in functional sales as it involves greater control of costs, including repair and maintenance and reverse logistics costs. Lastly, it has been found that the processes of sales and relationships become more important. These changes in costs should thereof be reflected in the costing model. / Mistra REES