Ein Geschäftsmodell wird durch einen Geschäftsgegenstand, ein dazugehöriges Nutzenmodell, eine Wertschöpfungskonfiguration und ein Erlösmodell beschrieben. Eine tiefere Analyse des Web2.0-hänomens, welches durch Technologien, Anwendungen und soziale Strömungen gekennzeichnet ist, zeigt, dass - zumindest in der digitalen Ökonomie - alle Elemente des Quadrupels Geschäftsmodell beeinflusst sind. Insbesondere werden die Wertschöpfungsarchitekturen und -konfigurationen eines jeden Unternehmens, einer jeden Organisation und der gesamten Volkswirtschaft neu definiert. Im Artikel werden zunächst die klassischen Geschäftsmodelle der Pre-Web2.0-Ära beschrieben und darauf basierend die Angriffspunkte durch Web2.0 auf die einzelnen Merkmale dargestellt. Das entstehende Schema kann zur systematischen Suche und Klassifizierung neuer oder schon existierender Web2.0-Modelle verwendet werden. Aus den beschriebenen Veränderungen erwächst ein ungeheurer Anpassungsdruck für Unternehmen und Organisationen. Die Arbeit schließt mit einer Charakterisierung der möglichen und notwendigen Anpassungsschritte, die neben dem Aufladen existierender Nutzen- und Erlösmodelle, insbesondere ein radikales Umdenken in Wertschöpfungsarchitekturen und –konfigurationen erfordern.

No description available.

Interest for business models and business modeling has increased rapidly since the mid-1990‘s and there are numerous approaches used to create business models. The business model concept has many definitions which can lead to confusion and slower progress in the research and development of business models. A business model ontology (BMO) was created in 2004 where the business model concept was conceptualized based on an analysis of existing literature. A few years later the Business Model Canvas (BMC) was published; a popular business modeling approach providing a high-level, semi-formal approach to create and communicate business models. While this approach is easy to use, the informality and high-level approach can cause ambiguity and it has limited computer-aided support available. In order to propose a solution to address this problem and facilitate the development and communication of Business Model Canvas models, two artifacts are created, demonstrated and evaluated; a structured metamodel for the Business Model Canvas and its implementation in an OMG standards-based modeling tool to provide tool support for BMC modeling.This research is carried out following the design science approach where the artifacts are created to better understand and improve the identified problem. The problem and its background are explicated and the planned artifacts and requirements are outlined. The design and development of the artifacts are detailed and the resulting BMC metamodel is presented as a class diagram in Unified Modeling Language (UML) and implemented to provide tool support for BMC modeling. A demonstration with a business model and an evaluation is performed with expert interviews and informed arguments.The creation of a BMC metamodel exposed some ambiguity in the definition and use of the Business Model Canvas and the importance of graphical presentation and flexibility in the tools used.The evaluation of the resulting artifacts suggests that the artifacts do facilitate the development and communication of the Business Model Canvas models by improving the encapsulation and communication of information in a standardized way and thereby the goals of the research are met.

To cope with constant changes in the economic environment, organizations continuously strive to implement appropriate business models that will contribute to increased productivity, reduced costs and a competitive advantage. Organisations need however to choose among different business models and select the option that offer the greatest potential to improve their service delivery, reducing costs and enable them to focus on their core business. This study conceptualized the shared services business model, by focusing on key factors, such as the rationale for implementing a shared services unit over other business models, establishing the processes followed by the banking industry with the implementation of a human capital shared services model, identifying the advantages versus disadvantages of the implementation of the model and to provide recommendations for the development and implementation of shared services models within specific organisational context. The researcher conducted mixed method research to address the research problem which incorporated both qualitative and quantitative research. In the study research was conducted in three phases. During the first phase exploratory research was conducted, consisting of desk study research and industry reports as well as surveys, periodicals and academic publications.During the second phase qualitative research was conducted, through semi-structured interviews. Findings from this research phase were used during the third phase, which was a quantitative study, whereby information gathered from the interviews informed the design of questionnaires. It is evident from the results that there were many similarities between the analyses of the interviews and questionnaires in relation to the literature review. Many commonalities amongst the three banks were identified during the implementation process and in many instances corroborated statements by key authors during the literature review. Both the interviews and analysis of the questionnaires confirmed cost savings, improved customer services and standardization as benefits of a shared services model. It was concluded that the implementation of a human capital shared services model within the banking sector in South Africa contribute positively to each of the banks used in the sample, both from a cost perspective as improvement of efficiencies. It was further concluded that the processes, systems and people involved in the implementation process are critical to successful implementation. Based on the information gathered the researcher recommends that a project team be appointed from inception to finalization of the implementation of a shared services model, which will be required to deal with the planning phase, feasibility study and the full implementation plan relating to the implementation of the model. In practice, this study will provide shared services managers with insights with regards to the implementation process to be followed for implementing a human capital shared services model. It can also provide valuable insight to management with regard to important or key factors to consider, ensuring the effective implementation of the model. Findings of this study may also be extended to other organizations in South Africa, considering the implementation of the shared services model. / Graduate School for Business Leadership / M. Tech. (Business Administration)

BAKGRUND: En lösning på det rådande klimathotet är en samhällsomställning till cirkulär ekonomi, vilket kräver att företag anammar cirkulära affärsmodeller. SMF, små och medelstora företag, utgör en stor del av alla företag som påverkas av denna förändring. En cirkulär affärsmodell innebär att nya beteenden och prestationer ska uppmuntras och detta görs med hjälp av den ekonomiska styrningen. I denna samhällsomställning blir det därför relevant att undersöka hur den ekonomiska styrningen ska utformas i SMF med cirkulära affärsmodeller. SYFTE: Studiens syfte är att bidra med kunskap om hur ekonomisk styrning utformas i SMF med cirkulära affärsmodeller. Detta görs genom att analysera hur styrverktyg utformas och kombineras i styrpaketen i SMF med cirkulära affärsmodeller. GENOMFÖRANDE: Studien är en kvalitativ multipel fallstudie. Det empiriska materialet består av nio intervjuer som genomförts i tre fallföretag. Det empiriska materialet har sedan används för att identifiera likheter och skillnader mellan fallföretagen för att kunna dra slutsatser om företagens ekonomiska styrning. SLUTSATS: Studien visar att SMF, som vanligtvis har svag formell styrning, utformar starkare formell styrning då den administrativa styrningen och den långsiktiga planeringen ökar i betydelse och med en cirkulär affärsmodell. De informella styrverktygen är starkare än de formella styrverktygen och viktiga för den cirkulära affärsmodellen. Därmed existerar fortfarande en obalans i kombinationen mellan formella och informella styrverktyg men balansen blir något jämnare i och med en cirkulär affärsmodell. / BACKGROUND: One solution to the threat of climate change is the societal conversion to circular economy, which requires companies to develop and use circular business models. SMEs, small and medium sized enterprises, constitutes a large part of the companies that are affected by this change. A circular business model implies that new behaviors and performances must be encouraged by the companies. This is done through management control. Therefore, it is relevant to research how management control systems in SMEs with circular business models are formulated. AIM: The aim of the study is to contribute with knowledge about how management control systems are formulated in SMEs with circular business models. This is achieved by analysis of how individual management control systems are formulated and combined in a management control system package within SMEs with circular business models. COMPLETION: This study is a qualitative multiple case study. The empirical data consists of nine interviews, conducted in three case companies. The empirical data has been used to identify similarities and differences between the case companies in order to draw conclusions regarding the management control systems within these firms. CONCLUSION: This study shows that SMEs, who usually possesses weak formal controls, formulate stronger formal controls because the administrative controls and the long-range planning have a greater significance in a circular business model. The informal controls are stronger than the formal controls and important for the circular business model. Therefore, there is still imbalance between the combination of formal and informal controls, although the balance improves somewhat in a circular business model. / Mistra REES

Det är ingen hemlighet att textilindustrin står för en stor del av världens koldioxidutsläpp. Majoriteten av företagen i dagens modeindustri arbetar efter linjära affärsmodeller som bygger på en slit-och-släng-mentalitet där en stor del av textilier hamnar till deponi. Ett segment inom mode som har blivit kritiserat för sitt bidrag till ökad konsumtion, en ökad slit-och-släng-mentalitet och stora mängder av textilavfall är fast fashion. För att en förändring ska ske krävs arbete som omfattar hållbarhet och cirkularitet. Ett sätt för modeföretagen att arbeta med detta och gå mot en cirkulär ekonomi är genom att påverka arbetssättet i produktlivscykelns olika steg. Den här studien syftar till att att undersöka i vilken utsträckning cirkulär ekonomi förekommer i ett fast fashion-företags affärsmodell samt undersöka vilka möjligheter och utmaningar som kan uppstå i arbetet med cirkulär ekonomi. Detta besvarades med hjälp av datainsamling från semistrukturerade intervjuer och dokument i form av hållbarhetsredovisningar där ett utvalt svenskt fast fashion-företag undersöktes. I studien har verktyget Close The Loop och Circular Business Model Canvas använts för att kategorisera arbetssätt, möjligheter och utmaningar som framkommit i datainsamlingen. Resultatet visar vilka arbetssätt, möjligheter och utmaningar som finns inom specifika steg i produktlivscykeln. Det finns stora möjligheter för företaget och segmentet fast-fashion att integrera cirkulär ekonomi i sin affärsmodell samtidigt som det finns utmaningar. De delar i företagets affärsmodell som främjar en cirkulär ekonomi är värdeerbjudanden, kundrelationer, intäktströmmar, nyckelresurser, nyckelaktiviteter, nyckelpartners och kostnadsstruktur. De utmaningar som företaget främst upplever är kopplade till kundsegment och införningsfaktorer i form av externa aktörer. Studien bidrar vidare med kunskap och förståelse för vilka möjligheter och utmaningar som finns inom det specifika branschsegmentet fast fashion och funderar som underlag för företag att få inspiration om cirkulära arbetssätt. / There is no secret that the textile industry accounts for a large part of the world's carbon dioxide emissions. The majority of today's fashion industry works according to linear business models based on a wear-and-tear mentality where a large part of textiles ends up in landfill. A segment in fashion that has been criticized for its contribution to increased consumption, an increased wear-and-tear mentality and large amounts of textile waste is fast fashion. For a change to take place, work that includes sustainability and circularity is required. One way for fashion companies to work with this and move towards a circular economy is by influencing the working method in the various stages of the product life cycle. This study aims to investigate the extent to which circular economy occurs in a fast fashion company’s business model and to examine the opportunities and challenges that may arise in the work with circular economy. This was answered with the help of data collection from semi-structured interviews and documents in the form of sustainability reports where a selected Swedish fast fashion company was examined. In the study, Close The Loop and Circular Business Model Canvas were used to categorize working methods, opportunities and challenges that emerged in the data collection. The result shows the working methods, opportunities and challenges that exist within specific steps in the product life cycle. There are great opportunities for the company and the fast-fashion segment to integrate a circular economy into their business model while there also are some challenges. The parts of the company's business model that promote a circular economy are value propositions, customer relationships, revenue streams, key resources, key activities, key partners and cost structure. The challenges that the company mainly experiences are linked to customer segment and implementation factors in terms of external factors. The study further contributes with knowledge and understanding of the opportunities and challenges that exist in the specific industry segment fast fashion and considers as a basis for companies to get inspiration about circular working methods. The thesis is written in Swedish.

This research examines the present state of Open Innovation (OI) and its spread among Colombian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The research addresses the scarcity of studies on innovation diffusion in underdeveloped countries like Colombia, specifically focusing on the adoption and practices of OI among SMEs. The primary data for this research were obtained through semi-structured interviews with eight participating SMEs from various sectors located in major Colombian cities. The findings indicate that these companies are already utilizing OI approaches to different extents, showcasing significant progress towards adopting a collaborative and market-oriented mindset. Colombian SMEs' increasing recognition of the value of collaboration with external agents and diverse channels for innovation dissemination holds substantial benefits for a developing country like Colombia, contributing to job creation, economic growth, and sustainable development. However, certain barriers exist, both internal and external, which hinder the diffusion of OI practices. Internal barriers include resistance to change, high innovation costs, partner selection challenges, and concerns about losing control of knowledge. External barriers encompass the Colombian regulatory framework, limited access to financing, and evolving market conditions. / Denna forskning undersöker det nuvarande läget för öppen innovation (OI) och dess spridning bland colombianska små och medelstora företag (SMF). Forskningen tar upp bristen på studier om innovationsspridning i underutvecklade länder som Colombia, med särskilt fokus på antagandet och praxis för OI bland små och medelstora företag. De primära uppgifterna för denna forskning erhölls genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med åtta deltagande små och medelstora företag från olika sektorer belägna i större colombianska städer. Resultaten visar att dessa företag redan använder OI-metoder i olika utsträckning, vilket visar på betydande framsteg mot att anta ett samarbets- och marknadsorienterat tankesätt. Colombianska små och medelstora företags ökande insikt om värdet av samarbete med externa aktörer och olika kanaler för innovationsspridning innebär stora fördelar för ett utvecklingsland som Colombia, och bidrar till att skapa arbetstillfällen, ekonomisk tillväxt och hållbar utveckling. Det finns dock vissa hinder, både interna och externa, som försvårar spridningen av OI-praxis. Interna hinder inkluderar motstånd mot förändring, höga innovationskostnader, utmaningar vid val av partner och oro för att förlorakontrollen över kunskapen. Externa hinder omfattar det colombianska regelverket, begränsad tillgång till finansiering och föränderliga marknadsvillkor.

Additive manufacturing is described in literature as a disruptive technology for spare parts supply chains and shows the potential to impact business models for spare parts production through various advantages over conventional manufacturing. Understanding changes in business models is important for companies to adopt any technology and explore business opportunities around it. This research aims to fill the gap in literature on how business models change when additive manufacturing is used for spare parts production in the automotive industry. To investigate those changes a qualitative research design with semi-guided interviews with experts in automotive companies was chosen. The findings showed that the adoption of additive manufacturing in the automotive industry is generally slow and only a few spare parts are specifically developed for additive manufacturing. Especially for niche low-volume and high-value applications AM is already used. At the same time identifying new business cases is needed for broader adoption. Contrasting opinions in literature that additive manufacturing is a disruptive technology, the adopters referred to it rather as a tool. Moreover, the findings showed that the potential of additive manufacturing described in literature is still there but cannot be utilized yet due to various identified barriers at the current stage. The main identified barriers are lack of knowledge, suitable manufacturing data, and resources to explore additive manufacturing.

Namibia has the third lowest population density in the world and a large part of the population are dependent on small-scale subsistence farming for survival. What was found during the study is that large distances between communities has created challenges in terms of infrastructure, logistics and communication. These factors needsto be taken into consideration when conducting or starting business. This research examined success factors in existing business initiatives by and for rural farmers in northern Namibia with focus on the implementation of new technology that supports everyday work. Previous literature shows that the best way to implement and startbusiness in scarcely populated areas has not eectively been addressed. The purpose of this study is to gain a general understanding of the context and identify business model success. An eight-week eld study was performed in Namibia during spring of2018. Empirical data was gathered through qualitative interviews and workshops with farmers and business initiative takers that focus on the cultivation and processing of the staple grain mahangu. The main ndings from the research is that more businesses are forming in these rural areas and farmers are slowly adapting to the benets thatnew technology entails, although, full acceptance of new tools is slower due to the long distances, low income, and deeply rooted traditions. A major success-factor is to increase availability through small-scale empowerment of many farmers. Having many smaller businesses in a large area will increase the availability which in turn will lead to increased spread and adaption of technology. The long term benets of new businesses can support the development of the country and also increase quality of life for rural people. It was also identied that a large part of the population conduct business on the informal markets, which implies that no taxes are paid. For future research it is recommended to investigate how a transition from the informal to formal market can aect the lives of the farmers but also the national development of the country. / Namibia har den tredje lägsta befolkningstätheten i världen och en stor del av befolkningen är beroende av småskaligt lantbruk för att överleva. Det som konstaterats under studien är att stora avstånd mellan befolkningen skapar nya utmaningar när det gäller infrastruktur, logistik och kommunikation. Dessa faktorer måste beaktas vid genomförande eller påbörjande av nya verksamheter. Denna forskning undersökte framgångsfaktorer inom befintliga affärsverksamheter, av och för lantbrukare i norra Namibia med fokus på implementering av ny teknik som stödjer och underlättar det dagliga arbetet. Tidigare litteratur påvisade att nuvarande forskning, gällande det bästa sättet att genomföra och starta verksamheter i områden med låg befolkningstäthet för självförsörjande bönder är begränsad. Syftet med denna studie är att skapa en generell förståelse för sammanhanget och identifiera framgångsfaktorer för existerande affärsmodeller. En 8-veckor lång fältstudie utfördes i Namibia under våren 2018. Empirisk data samlades genom kvalitativa intervjuer och workshops med bönder och affärsinitiativtagare som fokuserar på odling och bearbetning av basgrödan mahangu. Resultat visar att ny teknologi är på uppgång och bönder anpassar sig, om än långsamt, till de fördelar som ny teknik innebär. Full acceptans av nya verktyg är emellertid långsam. Detta på grund av långa avstånd, låg inkomst och djupt rotade traditioner. En viktig framgångsfaktor vore att stötta småskaliga jordbruksentreprenörer. Att ha många mindre företag i ett stort område ökar tillgängligheten vilket i sin tur leder till ökad spridning, acceptans och anpassning av ny teknik. De långsiktiga fördelarna med nya företag är att de kan öka livskvaliteten för landsbygden därmed stödja Namibias övergripande utveckling. Det identfierades också att en stor del av befolkningen bedriver verksamhet påde informella marknaderna, vilket innebär att inga skatter betalas. För framtida forskning rekommenderas att undersöka hur en övergång från den informella till den formella marknaden kan påverka böndernas liv, men också landets nationella utveckling.

Single use plastic products (SUPs) are a primary cause of plastic pollution causing significant environmental harm. These products have little to no value after use and are challenging to recycle cost efficiently. In a bid to combat this issue and foster circular economy, the European Union has declared a series of directives to gradually phase out SUPs as a strategy to eliminate these disposables from the market. This approach allows the market time to discover alternative solutions to replace SUPs, promoting the adoption of reusable products. To make a sustainable system of reusable products feasible and profitable, the key lies in devising a business model designed for a circular strategy of repeated use of goods. One effective approach involves establishing a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) which entails the entire life cycle of a product, from sourcing raw materials, through manufacturing, utilisation, collection, reverse logistics and recycling. The purpose of this study was to develop a CLSC system for reusable plastic products between a plastic producing small or medium sized enterprise (SME) and an incumbent firm customer to attain a smooth transition from linear to circular economy. Employing an inductive approach, this case study considered the EU-directives as observational data, the change of business model as the result, and a general recommendation as the rule. The research method encompassed conducted interviews, mathematical prototyping, product design, and life cycle analysis, using various tools and methods in the process. Two case companies were involved: one large incumbent firm and one plastic producing SME. The aim was to design a circular business model (CBM) to capture the value of the collaboration between these two companies. After an analysation of the current situation, the main obstacles to a successful transition were identified. A comprehensive solution was developed, including a network of partners for the CLSC, a reusable product design, and the necessary implementation calculations. The finalised business model was anchored in the principles of the CLSC, the product design specifications and the calculations that determined the system’s viability. Implementation of the CBM would yield economic advantages for both stakeholders, as well as an improved green image factor and advancement in circular economy. Furthermore, this transition would cultivate valuable and lasting business relationships for both companies. These case findings harmonise with established theories which emphasise the significance of business models that are dependent on collaboration and long-term strategic planning. Lastly, they also underscore that value is created in product utilisation and not ownership.