Business models for sustainable technologies: Exploring business model evolution in the case of electric vehicles

Sustainable technologies challenge prevailing business practices, especially in industries that depend heavily on the use of fossil fuels. Firms are therefore in need of business models that transform the specific characteristics of sustainable technologies into new ways to create economic value and overcome the barriers that stand in the way of their market penetration. A key issue is the respective impact of incumbent and entrepreneurial firms’ path-dependent behaviour on the development of such new business models. Embedded in the literature on business models, this paper explores how incumbent and entrepreneurial firms’ path dependencies have affected the evolution of business models for electric vehicles. Based on a qualitative analysis of electric vehicle projects of key industry players over a five-year period (2006–2010), the paper identifies four business model archetypes and traces their evolution over time. Findings suggest that incumbent and entrepreneurial firms approach business model innovation in distinctive ways. Business model evolution shows a series of incremental changes that introduce service-based components, which were initially developed by entrepreneurial firms, to the product. Over time there seems to be some convergence in the business models of incumbents and entrepreneurs in the direction of delivering economy multi-purpose vehicles.     

我国现阶段共享经济发展障碍分析及相关的政策启示

针对以共享单车、共享汽车和互联网金融等为标志的平台经济是否就等于共享经济，以及部分平台经济的“真租赁、伪共享”模式是否也属于共享经济范畴等问题，通过对现阶段几种似乎与共享经济高度相关的新兴互联网商业模式进行分析与探讨，对我国现阶段共享经济发展中的几个关联概念以及共享经济所面临的发展困境提出学理性解释，重点分析了当前我国当前基于共享经济理念的若干商业模式存在的一些问题，并结合基于“共享经济”的基本经济学属性和特质提出了若干相关政策建议，尤其要突出绿色环保和可持续的发展理念，以及闲置社会资源再利用的“共享”特质，以期对当前我国共享经济的发展治理，以及国家粤港澳大湾区发展战略建设背景下的相关产业战略规划提供参考。     

互联网背景下平台型商业模式价值创造分析

互联网环境下的平台型商业模式在越来越多的领域得到应用。本文采用案例研究方法旨在探讨互联网背景下平台型商业模式的价值创造逻辑。聚焦互联网平台商业模式的构成模块及模块关系,构建了平台型商业模式价值创造的网络模型,并利用该模型研究阿里巴巴集团三个发展阶段的价值创造逻辑。研究表明：平台参与者在数量、类型、覆盖区域等方面的增长对平台价值提升有正向促进作用;对外部需求的动态响应有助于平台创造新价值;平台核心支撑性业务的发展要与时俱进;以互联网平台为基础的范围经济能够从多个方面驱动平台价值创造。     

组态视角下平台企业商业模式创新路径研究

为探索多重条件并发对平台企业商业模式创新的影响,基于机会资源一体观构建商业模式创新路径模型,通过对193个样本进行模糊集定性比较分析发现：平台企业商业模式创新路径形成依赖机会开发和资源联动层面要素的组合;机会开发和资源联动层面不同要素的组合形成两类商业模式创新路径,类型1强调模仿型机会开发与资源联动策略组合,类型2强调创新型机会开发与资源联动策略组合;机会开发适配的资源联动方式存在差异,其中模仿型机会开发与资源共享和资源编排匹配良好,而创新型机会开发与资源编排、资源拓展匹配良好。研究结论揭示了平台企业商业模式创新多条等效路径,丰富了商业模式创新前因研究,也为平台企业商业模式创新实践提供了理论指导。     

Cloud-based business services innovation: A risk management model

Cloud computing providers and their software-as-a-service offerings have become more profuse and mature, making cloud technology an increasingly important platform for business services innovation. Although the cloud offers rich opportunities for transforming businesses—innovating existing services and introducing creative new ones—it also involves risks that business managers must identify and resolve to successfully drive innovation efforts. However, no comprehensive models are available to help managers assess and mitigate the risks they face. To address this void, we reviewed extant literature on cloud computing from a business innovation perspective to uncover the myriad challenges managers confront as they seek to leverage cloud technology in the ongoing transformation of their organization’s service offerings. Combining this systematic literature analysis with relevant theory, we synthesized an integrated model for managing risk during innovation of cloud-based business services. The model identifies three types of risks (services, technology, and process risks) and four types of resolutions (stakeholder engagement, technology development, innovation planning, and innovation control). The model also helps managers identify their organization’s general risk profile and link that profile to a specific configuration of resolutions.     

面临颠覆威胁的在位者商业模式重塑策略

本文聚焦在位者面临进入者颠覆性威胁时,怎样重塑商业模式。为此设计一个由价值主张和价值主张的实现系统两个要素构成的商业模式"齿轮"表达模型,并结合Casadesus-Masanel和Ricart两阶段博弈模型,开发一个商业模式建构的通用框架,包括情境、价值主张、价值主张的实现系统、战略和战术五个构件。利用该通用框架,在独占市场和双寡头市场两种情境下,通过建立数学模型推演在位者建构商业模式以及与进入者博弈的过程,发现商业模式的确影响企业竞争能力,当在位者产品质量低于对手时,必须创新价值主张或价值主张的实现系统。     

“区块链+”商业模式创新整合路径

区块链应用领域的研究主要集中在区块链技术与传统行业的结合，也就是“区块链+”商业模式创新，这些研究成果存在大量相互矛盾之处。这是因为现有研究由区块链出发推演商业模式创新的过程中，混淆了区块链技术、区块链特征和区块链理念三个范畴。在梳理三者边界以及相互之间关系的基础上，本文通过对三种“区块链+”共享经济商业模式创新路径的对比分析，发现由区块链集成技术和发展阶段所形成的组态决定了其与具体领域结合时表现出的商业模式新特征。这些特征一般表现为数据权、隐私和数据成本等方面，即“区块链+”商业模式创新点。进一步研究发现，“区块链+”商业模式创新的方向，例如打破垄断、独立自主和合作共赢等，与区块链创生的理念相契合。由此得出“区块链+”商业模式创新的整合路径为，区块链技术组态到具体商业模式的优化创新，再到区块链理念与商业模式理念的双向影响。形成三者循环的动态变化。本研究为不同领域“区块链+”商业模式的研究提供了理论框架，也为区块链企业的发展指明了方向。     

On the role of context in business process management

Business Process Management (BPM) has proven successful to help organizations improve and innovate, and its application has grown in scope and context. One essential problem related to this development is that the BPM body of knowledge does not account for a broader variety of business contexts. On the contrary, most approaches, methods, or models in BPM suggest one way forward, and we recognize that BPM projects following a one-size-fits-all approach are prone to fail, since they do not sufficiently consider situational requirements. In this viewpoint article, we argue that BPM needs to be contextual in order for projects to be most efficient and effective. We observe a lack of research on how to identify and characterize business contexts relevant for tailoring the right BPM approach. Therefore, we examine contextual factors that influence BPM and propose a framework to identify the context in which BPM is applied. We define context in BPM as situational factors related to goal-, process-, organization-, and environment-dimensions. Our viewpoint article not only creates awareness for contextual BPM, it also intends to stimulate research on the role of context in BPM and to help practitioners better understand the specific business context in which BPM initiatives are applied.     

基于信息生态视角的现代信息服务产业集群发展模式研究

针对现代信息服务产业集群发展存在的信息共享不足、信息流动不畅、协同机制缺乏等问题,从信息生态系统的视角考察其协同运营的机制与商业模式,以强化现代信息服务产业集群中的信息人、信息环境的整合、互动、共享和协同等机制为基础,构建一种基于信息生态系统观的现代信息服务产业集群协同创新发展模式的基本框架。这种以信息流为中心,将资金流、物流、业务流、价值流等集成一体化的协同模式,有利于提高这一产业集群中信息与知识的共享、开发与利用效能,强化价值创造、实现和共享的意愿和能力。通过实例表明,此模式为现代信息服务业的一体化协同创新发展提供了一种新的、可资借鉴的参考模式与实现途径,从而促进现代信息服务产业集群的健康可持续发展。     

Novelty-oriented value propositions for new technology-based firms: Impact of business networks and growth orientation

To perform, new technology-based firms (NTBFs) need to develop value for customers that distinguish them from others in the market. Therefore, the development of novelty-oriented value propositions are important, and may be influenced by several factors. We argue that the propensity to become more novelty-oriented can be influenced by an internal drive to grow (growth orientation) and by external contributions (business networks). Hence, the purpose of this paper is to analyse how business networks and growth orientation effects on the novelty orientation of NTBF value propositions. Based on survey data from 401 NTBFs founded between 2013 and 2015, in the nascent start-up phase novelty-oriented value propositions of NTBFs positively relate to informal (management) networks, as well as founders' attitudes towards growth. Thus, such networks and attitudes from founders should be supported in the very early phases of start-up if novelty orientation is to be preferred as a performance determinant.     

Decision execution mechanisms of IT governance: The CRM case

Employing the literature on IT governance and the structuration theory of technology assimilation, this research develops a conceptual model to examine decision execution mechanisms of IT governance in post-adoption stages of CRM diffusion, i.e. CRM use, impacts on business processes, and impacts on firm performance. While the literature mainly addresses the forms and contingencies of IT governance structures for decision making, we focus on IT governance mechanisms for decision execution, that is, the role of top management, business managers and IT managers in post-adoption stages of technology diffusion and how these groups are held accountable for their role. We conceptualize decision execution mechanisms of IT governance as including two dimensions: vertical advocacy from top management and horizontal coordination between business and IT managers. Decision execution mechanisms are assumed to facilitate CRM use and value creation. We analyze a dataset of 82 Chinese firms to examine the model and associated hypotheses. Our results show that: (1) decision execution mechanisms, including both vertical advocacy and horizontal coordination, significantly contribute to the three stages of CRM diffusion; (2) vertical advocacy has a notably greater effect on CRM use and firm performance gains than horizontal coordination, which has a greater effect on process gains. (3) CRM use creates operational and strategic benefits in customer-oriented business processes, which further improves firm performance. These findings have important implications for understanding how IT governance shapes the diffusion of CRM technology.     

制造业服务化与商业模式创新策略选择

制造业服务化与商业模式创新在目标、内涵、影响以及研究趋势上具有高度的一致性,在研究内容上两者以价值创造及相关主题予以连接。本文从价值创造的视角,系统的阐述了制造业服务化各阶段价值创造的一般特性,并归纳出理想条件下制造业服务化阶段与价值创造的变化趋势,即服务创造的价值随着制造业服务化程度的提高呈上升趋势,并逐步超过产品所创造的价值。在此基础上,结合商业模式创新的相关理论与要素组成,针对制造业服务化不同阶段特征,提出与之相匹配的商业模式创新策略。最后,总结全文并指出研究的局限性。     

破解数字化重构的商业模式创新：战略柔性的力量

数字经济时代基于数字化创新的商业模式,已然取代传统的商业模式,成为企业获取并保持竞争优势的主要动力。而随着产业数字化趋势越发明显,企业如何实现数字化以及在数字化背景下如何创新商业模式与企业战略,影响其在市场上能否获得先发优势。因此,本研究旨在探讨数字化“大势所趋”下,企业如何实现数字商业模式创新以及影响企业绩效的具体路径。本研究以长三角地区的463家企业为研究样本,对理论模型进行层级回归分析,研究发现：数字化正向影响商业模式创新;战略柔性中介商业模式创新对企业绩效的影响;数字化显著调节商业模式创新与战略柔性之间的关系,也显著调节商业模式创新经由战略柔性影响企业绩效的间接效应,表现为企业的数字化程度越高,商业模式创新通过战略柔性影响企业绩效的作用就越强。研究结果表明,数字化背景下企业在进行商业模式创新的过程中,要加强战略柔性,以更好地适应动态环境,提升企业绩效。     

商业模式结构耦合对企业绩效的影响的实证研究

尽管商业模式逐步成为企业战略中新的重要分析单元,但商业模式与企业绩效之间的关系仍未揭示清楚,研究成果较少且主要集中讨论商业模式的整体类型特征对企业绩效的影响。本文深入解剖商业模式的结构,将商业模式划分为顾客价值主张、业务活动系统和盈利方式三个构成,并开发出相应的量表,以281家2009-2011年间实现IPO的中国创业板上市公司为样本,运用SPSS软件对顾客价值主张、业务活动系统、盈利方式及它们之间的相互耦合对企业赢利性、增长性、效率性和市场价值四类绩效的影响进行层次回归分析,更全面地解释商业模式对企业绩效造成影响的复杂机理。分析结果表明,商业模式各构成之间的耦合相较于各构成本身的质地而言对企业绩效的影响更为显著。而在商业模式各构成中,顾客价值主张对企业绩效的影响最为显著。另外,商业模式对企业绩效具有不对称性的影响,对盈利性指标和成长性指标的影响最为显著。本文对中国创业企业开展商业模式设计和创新来提升企业绩效和价值具有一定的参考意义,也拓展了商业模式实证研究的分析框架。     

高管团队异质性、网络能力与商业模式调适

本文分析了高管团队异质性、网络能力与商业模式调适之间的关系,进而探讨了高管团队异质性通过网络能力中介作用影响商业模式调适的机制。为此,本文提出了相关假设并通过层次回归分析对来自181家企业的问卷调查数据进行实证分析检验了这些假设。研究发现：高管团队异质性对商业模式调适具有显著的正向影响;中心能力与效率能力两类网络能力均对商业模式调适具有显著的正向影响;高管团队异质性能够分别通过中心能力与效率能力的中介作用影响商业模式调适。本文有助于丰富和发展商业模式调适、商业模式动态性以及高管团队与商业模式关系理论,也有助于企业实现商业模式对环境变化的适应性改变。     

Patterns of co-alignment in information-intensive organizations: business performance through integration strategies

Information technology (IT) has transformed business practices in the last several decades: operations, product strategies, distribution, and customer service have become increasingly dependent on IT. Moreover, IT has changed its orientation from that of pure operational utility in the 1960s and 1970s to that of a competitive weapon in the 1990s and today. These phenomena have affected the way modern organizations are managed, as well as the way IT affects the strategic activities of an organization's value-chain.In particular, aligning an organization's business and IT strategies in order to deliver higher business performance presupposes a strategic business opportunity to which information systems technology is integral. In other words, Strategic Alignment between business and IT can have a positive business impact only if we see an organization's IT components as parts of a well-integrated organizational system. If business strategy is viewed separately from IT strategy or IT strategy is viewed only as a “support” tool, then there is little likelihood that the above positive impact of strategic alignment can take place.This research suggests, develops and tests a strategic co-alignment model by examining three types of integration that impact the planning process and the overall performance of information-intensive organizations: technological integration (TI), functional integration and strategic integration (SI).The results of this research yield some useful set of guidelines for theory building for IS, as well as for the business practice aspect of IS: most interesting is the role of consistency (co-alignment) between an organization's business and strategic information systems plans to improve overall firm performance. Other recommendations include having a high degree of involvement of IS executives in corporate planning, the use of outsourcing services to promote organizational systems integration, and the importance of internal coordination mechanisms to facilitate both systems consistency and lower transaction costs. Finally, this study has employed cluster analysis and discriminant analysis to interpret the research findings.     

何种营商环境有利于数字经济产业发展？

基于数字经济产业创新性、成长性、全局性、效益性等维度构建评价体系，对我国26个省份的数字经济产业发展水平进行测算，并以此为结果变量，运用模糊集定性比较分析研究方法，分析营商环境与数字经济产业发展之间的复杂因果关系，识别出产生高/非高数字经济产业发展水平的制度组态。结果显示，（1）影响区域数字经济产业发展水平的营商环境兼具殊途同归和多重并发的特征，能够产生高数字经济产业发展水平的营商环境包括政府激励下以数字基础设施为核心的创新引领型、市场主导下以数字基础设施和法治为核心的多元共促型、政府规制下以数字基础设施和法治为核心的创新引领型、政府规制下以数字基础设施和法治为核心的市场驱动型等4个组态；（2）数字基础设施建设水平和法治化条件是驱动数字经济产业发展最为核心的营商环境要素；（3）过强的政府规制水平会对数字经济产业发展产生阻碍作用。基于此，提出完善监管体制等进一步促进数字经济产业发展的政策建议。     

A framework to evaluate the interoperability of information systems – Measuring the maturity of the business process alignment

In the current socio-economic environment, to face challenges such as the emergence of new technologies, globalisation and increasing demands from their clients it is inevitable that enterprises will collaborate with others and progressively shift their boundaries. In this context, interoperability has become a prerequisite in the jigsaw of such collaboration. By definition, it is entities’ ability to work together as an organisation. This ability spans a wide range of aspects, embracing both technical and business issues. Over the past decade, both the concept and the context of interoperability have been extended from a largely IT-focused domain to a business-focused domain and the evaluation of interoperability has become a rising concern. An increasing number of studies have concentrated on not just digital but business aspects of human behaviour in the social environment. In general, the wider application domain is the assessment of the interoperability of information systems and processes in any organisation (especially medium and large) that needs multiple processes to interact effectively.To deal with such concerns and pave the way to achievement of more effective collaborative goals in business, the concept of interoperability has been adopted to measure the efficiency and productivity of information systems’ integration. More than twenty approaches have so far been adopted to evaluate this interoperability, however most are unable to assess it at the higher levels, such as at the pragmatic, process and social levels. Hence, we have conducted a three-phase study. Phase 1 reviewed existing interoperability evaluation approaches. To prove the concept, phase 2 proposed the concept of semiotic interoperability and its application to healthcare information systems. This article reports on the third phase of the study, a proposed framework with a group of metrics to measure interoperability from a new perspective – a semiotics perspective. The framework is named the Semiotic Interoperability Evaluation Framework (the SIEF) and has the ability to analyse, measure and assess the interoperability among business processes. The metrics derive from a feasibility study to investigate several interoperability barriers at a hospital. Next, the SIEF was applied in a case study and a detailed interoperability evaluation was conducted.     

主导逻辑对商业模式创新的作用机理：基于动态资源管理视角

    在激烈的市场竞争下,企业如何快速协调机会情境与战略执行之间的关系从而突破商业模式既定框架以抢占市场先机成为实践界和学术界重点关注的问题。本文选取“蒙草生态”进行探索性单案例研究,基于动态资源管理视角探究机会窗口驱动下主导逻辑指导商业模式创新的演进路径。研究发现：（1）主导逻辑作为管理者感知外部情境的认知桥梁,因其呈现较强能动性使得组织可以快速捕捉外部机会情境信息进行内部战略响应与更新,是组织将信息内化的重要媒介;（2）动态资源管理具体表现为主导逻辑指导下资源能力与资源行动交互产生瞬时行动驱动差异性战略结果生成的过程,其作为沟通管理者认知与商业模式创新的核心组件,推动了管理层认知向组织战略执行层行为的跨越;（3）管理者与外界机会情境互动产生的主导逻辑指导企业改变资源能力与资源行动的协奏模式促使企业在创业过程中依次形成“市场适应型-技术引领型-共享开放型”的商业模式创新类型。     

基于商业生态系统的融合型商业模式创新研究——以欧冶云商为例

基于商业生态系统理论和商业模式创新理论,从平台企业视角出发提出一种新的商业模式,结合效率型和新颖型商业模式的特点,将其命名为"融合型商业模式"。该模式由供应链融合、价值活动融合和营销融合组成,其中价值活动融合由研发、管理和服务融合组成。融合型商业模式实现了互联网背景下生态系统中利益共同体的价值共创和共赢,丰富了商业生态系统的商业模式创新理论。以钢铁电商欧冶云商为例进行分析探讨,为商业生态系统中平台企业设计和实施商业模式提供参考。