DISCOVERING NEW DIGITAL BUSINESS MODEL TYPES – A STUDY OF TECHNOLOGY STARTUPS FROM THE MOBILITY SECTOR

In the 1990s, the broad diffusion of the internet allowed firms such as Amazon, eBay, and Google to invent new digital business models. Since then, research has formalized recurring configurations as digital business model types, still frequently being used to analyze existing business models and develop new ones. Now, the next wave of digital transformation – enabled by ongoing improvements in processing power, the miniaturization of hardware, and ubiquitous wireless connectivity – is again driving innovation. For instance, in the mobility sector, startups such as Uber, Turo, and Streetline have formed business logics that cannot be understood with existing types. Therefore, we identified and formalized new business model configurations by systematically analyzing a comprehensive data set of technology startups from the US mobility sector. We found that, in order to adequately account for the new digital logics, 14 digital business model types must be added to existing collections: app developer, autonomous products/robots manufacturer, data analytics provider, integrator of third-party services, IT-enabled self-service provider, IT-guided service provider, manufacturer of connected physical products, manufacturer of connectivity devices for physical products, mobilized service provider, P2P goods sharing platform, P2P information sharing community, P2P service provision platform, seller of sensor information, and sensor-enabled service innovator

Essays on Social Media, Hiring Networks and Firm Performance

This dissertation includes three essays that examine the impact of information technology on organizational performance. In the first essay, we examine the impact of network structure in the hiring of IT versus non-IT labor on firm performance. We find that hiring IT workers from a structurally-diverse network of firms has a positive effect on firm productivity, while there is no similar effect for non-IT labor in general. We attribute this to the different nature of knowledge diffused through the two types of labor: IT labor enables the transfer of new and innovative firm practices which benefits from diversity, while non-IT labor flows are associated with implementation of organizational practices, which may benefit from hiring more employees with a common knowledge base. In the second essay, we examine the economic value of social media investments and identify the organizational complements. We argue that social media brings in large amounts of real-time data, requiring a sufficient amount of data analytical skills for organizations to effectively process the information and integrate it into organizational decision making. We find evidence that the value of social media investments is higher in firms with a larger pool of data analytic skills in the labor force. In addition, social media’s positive impact on firm performance extends beyond the marketing department, and is further increased when the data analytic skills are dispersed throughout the firm. In the third essay, we investigate whether startup firms’ use of social media is associated with increased success in raising venture capital. We find that an active social media presence and strong Twitter influence increase a startup’s chances of receiving more funding and from a larger pool of investors. Specifically, social media improves startup funding success through two channels: reducing the search cost for investors to discover new investment opportunities and providing an additional channel of information for investors to better evaluate startup quality

Innovation in tourism and startups in Brazil, Spain and Portugal

The present study aims to analyze innovative initiatives related to the promotion of startups in Brazil, Spain and Portugal, in the context of smart tourism destinations (STD). Based on an exploratory and descriptive study with a qualitative approach, programs related to innovation and entrepreneurship were identified in the countries under analysis, as well as concrete initiatives of innovation in tourism related to startups. Therefore, 60 new items per country, out of a total of 180, were selected on the Google platform. The results of the research show that there are guidelines linked to startups in the three countries. In general terms, it was possible to observe that from startups. It is possible to promote the development of ITD, since the initiatives identified contribute, among other aspects, with experiences.

Monetizing Car Data: A Literature Review on Data-Driven Business Models in the Connected Car Domain

The amount of data generated by a single modern vehicle is exploding. Consequently, the entire global automotive industry is facing the question of how to monetize this valuable data. Triggered by the connectivity trend, data-driven business models disrupt the automotive ecosystem by changing mobility behavior, proliferation of technical enablers, new strategic collaborations, and shifting revenue streams. In this study, we analyze the existing body of literature on data-driven business models in the connected car domain and structure it according to four dimensions---value proposition, value architecture, value network, and value finance. Thereby, we contribute to the business model research by providing a comprehensive overview and categorization of existing works in this area and laying the foundation for future research

Electrification in Peer-to-Peer Society – A New Narrative for Sustainable Futures

’Electrification in Peer-to-Peer Society – A New Narrative for Sustainable Futures’ is a time travel journey to a future when renewable energy, electrification, and a peer-to-peer ethos are intertwined. The use of fossil fuel resources is ending. An emission-free vision for 2050 is illustrated through four transformational scenarios: Radical Startups, Value-Driven Techemoths, Green Do-It-Yourself Engineers, and New Consciousness. The scenarios serve as testbeds for what kind of futures we want to live in. Futures have to be explored with a long perspective, but the decisions for preferred futures have to be made today. All major sectors in society have to be transformed to stay within the limits of the Paris climate goals. This book highlights results from the Neo-Carbon Energy project, addressing all those interested in future visions, societal changes and technological advances. It can also be used as teaching material, or as inspiration for concrete steps towards the post-fossil era and a carbonneutral circular economy – for governments, companies, and citizens

Start up ecosystem: Features, processes, and actors.

Successful start-ups can positively contribute to the well-being of countries' economies by creating jobs and new investment opportunities. The success of start-ups strongly depends on the ecosystem in which they are inserted. In this regard, it is important to understand the concept of the start-up ecosystem, in particular from the point of view of researchers and professionals. The desire to deepen the dimensions and components of the ecosystem and to observe more closely the best start-up-friendly ecosystems, then propose a comparison with the Italian context, is derived from evidence indicating that the most successful start-ups are concentrated mainly in certain areas of the world, and this concentration is by no means accidental. In fact, the presence of cities and districts recognized worldwide as real technological hubs appears to be directly connected to the presence of a series of conditions that are extremely favorable to their development. From this reasoning, the concept of "ecosystem," which we defined in the course of the work as a "set of conditions, actors and infrastructures capable of supporting the birth and development of innovative business projects; an absolutely heterogeneous system of elements, which embraces culture, regulatory and fiscal measures, public administration, financiers, businesses, universities and research centers." To better describe the phenomenon of start-up ecosystems and analyze the main components that characterize the latter, especially in relation to the geographical contexts in which they develop, we have chosen to start from a model that presents five essential components of start-up ecosystems: entrepreneurship with a particular focus on the diffusion of start-up companies; business incubators and accelerators; institutions (and in particular universities); and the possibility of accessing technologies as a lever for achieving the main objectives of start-ups. The work presents a qualitative research methodology on different levels of analysis. The process research is aimed at multiple case studies in which we first present a comparison between the start-up ecosystems of Rome and Naples and then conciliate with a first benchmarking with a context considered to be of excellence (despite the limitations it presents in recent times), i.e., that of Silicon Valley. The case studies were enriched by the results of narrative interviews of the main actors of the start-up ecosystem: start-uppers, directors of incubators and start-up accelerators and university professors engaged in the issues of new entrepreneurship

Berlin goes international

BERLIN GOES INTERNATIONAL Berlin to go (Rights reserved) (-) Issue2019,4 Future frame of mind (Rights reserved) ( - ) Issue2019,3 25 Years of Capital City Marketing (Rights reserved) ( - ) Issue2019,2 Berlin international (Rights reserved) ( - ) Issue2019,1 Artificial Intelligence (Rights reserved) ( - ) Issue2018,4 We're Changing Berlin (Rights reserved) ( - ) Issue2018,3 Masters and Chefs (Rights reserved) ( - ) Issue2018,2 Ready, set, win (Rights reserved) ( - ) Issue2018,1 Green Capital (Rights reserved) ( - ) Issue2017,4 The Sky is the limit (Rights reserved) ( - ) Issue2017,3 Brainwaves - Innovation from Berlin (Rights reserved) ( - ) Issue2017,2 City of freedom (Rights reserved) ( - ) Issue2017,1 Digital Lab Berlin (Rights reserved) ( - ) Issue2016,2 Berlin goes international (Rights reserved) ( - ) Issue2016,1 Why Berlin? (Rights reserved) ( - ) Issue2015,2 Health capital (Rights reserved) ( - ) Issue2015,1 Smart city (Rights reserved) ( -

Digital Transformation: Drivers, Success Factors, and Implications

In this paper, we explore drivers, objectives, success factors, and implications of digital transformation. This investigation is conducted through a systematic literature review that focuses on empirical contributions in the Information Systems (IS) field. By reviewing prevailing empirical contributions on digital transformation, we provide insight into why organizations undergo digital transformation, how to accomplish such a transformation, and how digital transformation affects an organization

Moving from tangible to intangible: how carmakers deploy data monetization

Thisstudy aims at assessingdata monetizationas a potential profit source for carmakersthrough qualitative research with inductive and deductive analysis.Findings suggestthat data monetization is currently neither often nor widely applied among carmakers, especially regarding data selling. Further investigation identified three potential issues: (1) carmakers lackdata curation and exploitation capabilities; (2)carmakersaim tocover the whole datavalue chain internally; and (3)the market for data selling is underdeveloped. Therefore, data monetizationseems to be at an early stage of development among carmakers and,tobecome an effectiveprofit source, requires sharp business strategies

Emergence of Mobility Market Platforms - Case: Mobility as a Service in Finland

This master’s thesis studies Mobility as a Service (MaaS) – a recent phenomenon in the Finnish public transportation industry that has gained widespread interest both in Finland and globally. At the core of MaaS are new mobility operators that facilitate interaction between transportation service providers and users by bundling existing services into mobility packages that enable so-called door-to-door travel. This bundling is facilitated by digital platforms, which allow users to compare alternative transportation services and purchase travel chains in one go. The empirical purpose of this master’s thesis was to describe and analyze the concept of Mobility as a Service and its development in Finland. Two primary research questions were asked: (1) What kind of mobility systems are currently emerging around the Mobility as a Service ideology inFinland? (2) How do the emerging mobility systems co-create value with their end users? To this end, two MaaS pilots and two startups were studied. The purpose was on one hand to describe these initiatives at a general level, and on the other hand to analyze how they co-create value with their end users. The research was conducted as a qualitative, multiple-case study, and the primary data collection method was semi-structured interviews. The theoretical purpose of this research was to bridge two streams of literature: platform theory and Service Science. Both literatures are relevant to studying Mobility as a Service, as both are involved in exploring services and the role of ICT and data in service innovation. Both literatures were reviewed in an effort to find relevant concepts and theory frameworks that could allow creating conceptual links between the two theories. As a result, a theory framework was created that brings together the technological-managerial perspective of platform theory and the value co-creation perspective of Service Science. The framework was then tested through analyzing the MaaS cases. The main empirical finding of this master’s thesis was that the all four MaaS cases can be classified as market platforms. According to platform theory, market platforms facilitate direct interaction between two or more actors that are affiliated with the platform. The MaaS cases co-create value with their end users by facilitating efficient resource exchange and integration between end users and transportation service providers. They do so by providing information about alternatives as well as maps, ticketing and payment tools and other structures that allow the users to view alternatives, plan journeys, and purchase service bundles. The findings are in line with extant platform and Service Science theories. With that being said, the cases are all at pre-market-penetration stage, and overall, MaaS is still mostly an ideology that awaits testing. Empirically, this master’s thesis increases our understanding of existing MaaS platforms and their development. Theoretically, the main contribution was the development of the platform framework that combines platform theory with Service Science