Business models’ dynamics through implementation of circular economy strategies

Předkládaná disertační práce zkoumá dynamiku změn v logice podnikání a architektuře obchodních modelů podniků spojených s implementací aktivit pro udržitelnost, specificky strategií cirkulární ekonomiky, se zaměřením na redukci množství nevyužitých odpadů. Obchodní modely coby abstraktní koncepty logiky podnikání jsou tvořeny dynamicky se měnícími elementy hodnotové nabídky, tvorby, poskytování, zachycování a komunikace vytvářené hodnoty. Podniky jsou tlakem ve společnosti i svém bezprostředním ekosystému motivovány k aktivní implementaci principů a strategií cirkulární ekonomiky do svých obchodních modelů. Disertační práce v konceptuální rovině zachycuje problematiku dynamiky obchodních modelů – co je dynamika obchodního modelu, jak je definována, jakých možných forem nabývá. Explicitně rozšiřuje koncept obchodního modelu pro cirkulární ekonomiku o klíčový element komunikace hodnoty. V aplikační části analyzuje, s využitím zejména případových studií a kvantitativních analýz, dynamiku adaptace obchodních modelů spojenou s implementací strategií cirkulární ekonomiky podniky působícími ve výrobně-zpracovatelských odvětvích a vliv strategií na obchodní modely. Zabývá se adaptací obchodních modelů z časového i obsahového hlediska a zkoumá dynamiku vztahů mezi jednotlivými elementy obchodních modelů. Výzkum vychází z předpokladů Teorie pohledu založeného na pozornosti a Teorie legitimity. Hlavním výstupem disertační práce je návrh metodiky určení dynamiky obchodních modelů při implementaci vybraných strategií cirkulární ekonomiky, s využitím navrhovaného indexu dynamiky obchodního modelu IOMDRi. Metodika umožňuje kvantitativní určení struktury elementů obchodních modelů, kvantitativní určení implementovaných strategií cirkulární ekonomiky a porovnání vlivu vybraných strategií cirkulární ekonomiky na obchodní modely a jejich elementy v rámci podniku, mezi podniky i mezi odvětvími. Aplikována je smíšená výzkumná strategie kvalitativně-kvantitativního charakteru, s využitím zejména případových studií a pozorování uskutečněných ve vybraném evropském zpracovatelském odvětví výroby dekorativních a informačních systémů (DIS), kvantitativních obsahových analýz a dotazníkových šetření.The presented dissertation examines the dynamics of changes in business logic and business models’ architecture associated with the implementation of sustainability related activities, specifically circular economy strategies, with a focus on reducing the amount of unused waste. Business models, being abstract concepts of the business logic, are made up of dynamically changing elements of value proposition, creation, delivery, capture and communication of value created. Businesses are motivated by pressures in society, as well as in their immediate ecosystem, to actively implement circular economy principles and strategies into their business models. The dissertation conceptually captures the issue of business models’ dynamics – what are business models’ dynamics, how are they defined, what possible forms do they take. It explicitly extends the concept of business model for circular economy with a key element value communication. In the application part it analyses, drawing mainly on case studies and quantitative analyses, the evolution of business models’ adaptation related to the implementation of circular economy strategies by companies operating in manufacturing industries, and impact of the strategies on business models. It studies the adaptation of the business models from the temporal and the content point of view. It studies the dynamics of the relations among the elements of business models. The theoretical framework of the dissertation is the Attention Based View Theory, as well as the Legitimacy Theory. The key output of the dissertation is the proposal of a methodology for determining business models’ dynamics through the implementation of selected circular economy strategies. It proposes a business model dynamics index IOMDRi. The methodology allows to quantitatively determine the business models elements’ structure, to quantitatively determine the implemented circular economy strategies, as well as to compare the impact of selected circular economy strategies on the business model and its elements – on a company level, among the companies in a particular industry, and among the industries. A mixed qualitative-quantitative research strategy is applied, using mainly case studies and observations carried out in a selected European manufacturing sector of decorative and information systems (DIS), quantitative content analyses and questionnaire-based surveys.

Digitalization as an enabler of business model dynamics

The purpose of the articles is to answer a research question related to the extent of the impact of digitalization on a business model (BM) of a focal company. An original primary, qualitative research has been conducted. It draws on multiple, in-depth case studies on a globally active B2B incumbent manufacturing companies that recently implemented a digital platform-based customer relationship management system. The data was gathered through participative observation and semi-structured interviews with system users and project leaders. The contribution of the research is in linking the business model dynamic change with a customer relationship management system (CRMS). It identifies the element HOW - value creation - as the mainly affected element of BM of the focal company

Dynamics of Business Models in Industry-Wide Collaborative Networks for Circularity

Incumbent B2B manufacturing companies join forces and form collaborative networks, called consortia, aiming to increase the circularity of their products. Our research interest lies in the understanding of how the business models (BM) of the companies and the industry are affected by such collaborations in the collaborative networks of the circular economy (CE). Given the exploratory nature of our empirical research, we applied a mixed research strategy of an inductively deductive nature. We carried out case studies in a manufacturing industry field and combined them with quantitative content analyses of the companies’ financial and non-financial reports. Drawing on the assumptions of the Attention-Based View Theory and Legitimacy Theory, we defined and found verbally communicated identifiers of BM elements, CE strategies, and collaborative networks, quantified their occurrences, and transformed them into variables. Using correlation analyses, we determined the tightness and the changes in relationships between the BMs’ elements and CE strategies. We examined the dynamic changes in the structure of BMs and their elements occurring within the implementation of selected CE strategies. Our findings suggest that collaborative networks for CE support an adaptation of the industry’s BMs. The higher-level CE strategies impact the BM more than the lower-level ones. The contribution of our research is in the suggested method of quantification and concretization of an abstract concept of BMs’ elements and their interrelations. This enables an assessment and a direct comparison of BMs, as well as of implemented CE strategies across companies and across industries. Our results also shed more light on the way the companies and industries adapt their BMs towards reaching circularity, as well as on how collaborative networks support such a transition

Business models’ dynamics through implementation of circular economy strategies

The presented dissertation examines the dynamics of changes in business logic and business models’ architecture associated with the implementation of sustainability related activities, specifically circular economy strategies, with a focus on reducing the amount of unused waste. Business models, being abstract concepts of the business logic, are made up of dynamically changing elements of value proposition, creation, delivery, capture and communication of value created. Businesses are motivated by pressures in society, as well as in their immediate ecosystem, to actively implement circular economy principles and strategies into their business models. The dissertation conceptually captures the issue of business models’ dynamics – what are business models’ dynamics, how are they defined, what possible forms do they take. It explicitly extends the concept of business model for circular economy with a key element value communication. In the application part it analyses, drawing mainly on case studies and quantitative analyses, the evolution of business models’ adaptation related to the implementation of circular economy strategies by companies operating in manufacturing industries, and impact of the strategies on business models. It studies the adaptation of the business models from the temporal and the content point of view. It studies the dynamics of the relations among the elements of business models. The theoretical framework of the dissertation is the Attention Based View Theory, as well as the Legitimacy Theory. The key output of the dissertation is the proposal of a methodology for determining business models’ dynamics through the implementation of selected circular economy strategies. It proposes a business model dynamics index IOMDRi. The methodology allows to quantitatively determine the business models elements’ structure, to quantitatively determine the implemented circular economy strategies, as well as to compare the impact of selected circular economy strategies on the business model and its elements – on a company level, among the companies in a particular industry, and among the industries. A mixed qualitative-quantitative research strategy is applied, using mainly case studies and observations carried out in a selected European manufacturing sector of decorative and information systems (DIS), quantitative content analyses and questionnaire-based surveys

Business Model Dynamics in Business-to-Business Environment

Purpose of the article: The purpose of this article is to contribute towards a clarification of the emerging term of the dynamic business model, with focus on the business-to-business environment. The business model dynamics are confronted both with the static view, and with business model innovation. Methodology/methods: Secondary research has been conducted. Scientific aim: The article aims to help filling the gap in ambiguous understanding and interpretation of the term “Business model dynamics”. Findings and conclusions: A dynamic business model is an abstract construct formed by components and their synapses that change over time due to both external and internal forces, thus creating new synapses and synergies supporting adaptation to the changing ecosystem. The business model dynamics in the business-to-business environment are frequently of rather an incremental and slower nature. The phenomenon is caused particularly by the role a focal firm plays in the supply chain, by the resistance of its down-stream customers and by the customer of customers, to change. Research limitations: Due to the ambiguity of the term business model, increasing popularity of the subject and an enormous number of published scholarly articles dealing with the topic of business models, a risk exists that not every relevant source has been included in the review. Practical Implications: The firm’s capability to adapt its existing business model can be impacted by organisational rigidity. However, in reaction to a changing business environment, customer preferences and pressure from multiple stakeholders, firms need to adapt their value proposition, search for new, original ways of value creation, thus satisfying explicit or latent customer needs. Originality/Value: The article draws widely from the recently published scholarly literature on the business model subject. The main contribution of the article is a systemisation of fragmented views on the dynamic aspects of the business model, precision of the term itself and its distinction from the static view