Leveraging Business Model Components as Drivers of Business Model Portfolios

Purpose: The paper develops a systematic overview of business model portfolios and links it to the diversification literature. It conceptualizes the firm as consisting of multiple, different business models, with the purpose of advancing the structural, organizational and strategic understanding of business models and corporations. Design: The research design is an in-depth case study focusing on a large European incumbent firm in the automotive industry, secondary data is supported with primary sources. Findings: Despite its inherently limited nature as a single case study, the paper shows important findings in the study of corporations: A new way thinking of the business model architecture within the rm. Practical Implications: For practitioners, the paper offers a new toolkit in conceptualizing their firm and shows strategic options in creating, managing and discarding different business models. Originality / Value: The concept of interlocked business model components as drivers of value creation within business model portfolios offers a new explanation for strategic portfolio creation.

Variations in Concentrations and Compositions of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Coals Related to the Coal Rank and Origin

The release of unburnt coal particles and associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) may cause adverse impacts on the environment. This study assessed variations in the concentration and composition of PAHs in a set of fifty coal samples from eleven coal basins worldwide. The maximum PAH concentrations at high volatile bituminous rank were recorded in samples from a single basin. Considering the entire sample, the highest PAH concentrations were in fact found outside of this rank range, suggesting that the maceral composition and thus the coal\u27s origin also influenced PAH concentrations. The examination of the PAH compositions revealed that alkylated 2-3 ring PAHs remain dominant compounds irrespective of coal rank or origin. Multivariate analysis based on PAH and maceral content, bulk and maturity parameters allowed the recognition of seven groups with different rank and origin within the coal sample set

The impact of the Bohemian Spur on the cooling and exhumation pattern of the Eastern Alpine wedge

Fold and thrust belt dynamics and architecture may largely be impacted by the geometry of the overridden basement. The Bohemian Spur, the subcrop extension of the Bohemian massif, guided thrust propagation leading to the arcuate shape of the orogen and a narrowing of the Molasse Basin at the transition to the between the W-E trending Eastern Alps and the SW-NE trending Western Carpathians. Thermochronological studies in the Eastern Alps were mainly focused on the core of the collisional orogen, where deformation has been most prominent. Further to the east, some FT work is concentrated along fault zones but thermochronometers with lower closure temperatures have hardly been applied to higher elements of the nappe pile. Due to the scarcity of the dataset and preferential application of fission track dating uppermost crustal cooling below ca. 80 °C remains undetected. In this study we present new apatite (U-Th)/He and apatite fission track data from clastic units of the Rhenodanubian Flysch zone and the Northern Calcareous Alps. We find reset ages, that monitor a so far un(der)appreciated phase of prominent Late Oligocene to Miocene cooling. Thermal modeling of age data from the flysch samples reveals rapid Early Miocene cooling at rates of up to 40 °C/Ma between ca. 20 and 15 Ma. We propose a buttressing effect of the underlying tectonically structured eastern rim of the Bohemian Spur to be the driving mechanism for this phase of intensified exhumation. Our tectonic model (Fig. 1a) invokes contractional reactivation of pre-existing normal faults inherited from Penninic continental rifting. This positive inversion led to the shortening of the Jurassic half-graben infill and its extrusion as a major fold. Thermochronological data and thermal modeling of data from samples in the Lunz nappe of the Northern Calcareous Alps nappe pile indicate less punctuated cooling and exhumation. Modeling defines an increase of cooling rates at the latest at ca. 27 to 25 Ma, i.e., earlier than in the Flysch samples. Cooling occurred at a much lower rate of 3 to 6 °C/Ma and was synchronous with northward movement of the deformation front. In our tectonic model (Fig. 1b), we propose a staircase pattern that influences wedge dynamics: The topographically segmented downgoing plate leads to less localized and more distributed deformation invoking a broader area of uplift than the spatially focused uplift of the Flysch samples. Wedge propagation is initially inhibited or retarded by the relief of the basement. The ongoing northward movement of the propagating wedge is compensated through deep duplexing of the autochthonous foreland sequence. When calling upon deep-seated processes to explain the exhumation pattern the buttressing effect needs to be taken into account. Early Miocene drainage pattern reorganization in the Molasse Basin is proposed to be a consequence of uplift induced by the subcrop promontory

Tectonic factors affecting coal bed methane distribution in the Donets basin

Донецький басейн є найбільшим вугледобувним регіоном України. Вугільні копальні Донбасу - серед найбільш небезпечних за газовим фактором у світі. Більшість шахт басейну працює у межах тектонічних блоків з широким розвитком зон малоамплітудної тектонічної порушеності зсувного генезису. Спеціальну увагу має бути приділено аналізу локальних структурно-тектонічних режимів, що впливають на розподіл метану і оцінку його ресурсів. Проникність вуглепородного масиву та варіації просторового розподілу метанових покладів зумовлені сучасним розподілом полів тектонічних напружень та насамперед локалізацією ділянок локального розтягу-стиску. Нашими дослідженнями встановлено, що так звані «солодкі ділянки» з видобутку метану просторово тяжіють до доменів з відносно великою проникністю, котрі розвиваються у межах секторів призсувного розтягу (дилатаційного розущільнення) в контурі зсувних зон.Донецкий бассейн является наибольшим угледобывающим регионом Украины. Угольные шахты Донбасса - среди наиболее опасных по газовому фактору в мире. Большинство шахт бассейна работает в пределах тектонических блоков с широким развитием зон малоамплитудной тектонической нарушенности сдвигового генезис. Специальное внимание должно быть уделено анализу локальных структурно-тектонических режимов, которые влияют на распределение метана и оценку его ресурсов. Проницаемость углепородного массива и вариации пространственного распределения метановых залежей обусловлены современным распределением полей тектонических напряжений и в первую очередь локализацией участков локального растяжения-сжатия. Нашими исследованиями установлено, что так называемые «сладкие участки» по добыче метана пространственно тяготеют к доменам с относительно большой проницаемостью, которые развиваются в пределах секторов присдвигового растяжения (дилатационного разуплотнения) в контуре зон сдвиговых зон

The Toarcian Posidonia Shale at Salem (North Alpine Foreland Basin; South Germany): hydrocarbon potential and paleogeography

The Posidonia Shale in the basement of the North Alpine Foreland Basin of southwestern Germany represents an important archive for environmental changes during the Toarcian oceanic anoxic event and the associated carbon isotope excursion (T-CIE). It is also an important hydrocarbon source rock. In the Salem borehole, the Posidonia Shale is ~ 10 m thick. The lower 7.5 m (1763.5–1756.0 m) of the Posidonian Shale and the uppermost part of the underlying Amaltheenton Formation were cored and studied using a total of 62 samples. Rock–Eval, palynological, maceral, biomarker and carbon isotope data were collected to assess variations in environmental conditions and to quantify the source rock potential. In contrast to most other Toarcian sections in southwest Germany, TOC contents are high in sediments deposited during the T-CIE, but reach a peak in post-CIE sediments. Biomarker ratios suggest that this reflects strong oxygen-depletion during the T-CIE (elegantulum to lower elegans subzones), but also during the falciferum Subzone, which is also reflected by a prolonged dinoflagellate cyst blackout. While sediments of the tenuicostatum Zone to the elegans Subzone are thinner than in neighbouring sections (e.g., Dotternhausen), sediments of the falciferum Subzone are unusually thick, suggesting that increased subsidence might have contributed to anoxia. The T-CIE interval is very thin (0.75 m). δ$^{13}$C values of n-alkanes show that the maximum negative isotope shift predates the strongest basin restriction during the T-CIE and that the carbon isotope shift is recorded earlier for aquatic than for terrigenous organisms. In Salem, the Posidonia Shale is thermally mature and highly oil-prone. The residual source petroleum potential is about 0.8 tHC/m$^{2}$. Graphical Abstrac

Petrographical and organic geochemical study of the lignite from the Smederevsko Pomoravlje field (Kostolac Basin, Serbia)

Three Upper Miocene (Pontian) lignite seams are present in the Smederevsko Pomoravlje field (Kostolac Basin, Serbia). The origin of their organic matter (OM), the characteristics of the depositional environment and certain utilisation properties have been evaluated based on petrographic data, bulk organic geochemical parameters, biomarker patterns and their isotope signatures. Moreover, results of isotopic analysis were used for the investigation of the influence of diagenetic aromatisation on delta C-13 signatures of biomarkers. The studied lignites are typical humic coals. The OM of lignites is derived from woody vegetation and herbaceous peat-forming plants, with a strong prevalence of the former. The peat-forming vegetation is dominated by decay resistant conifers, including gymnosperm families Cupressaceae, Taxodiaceae, and Pinaceae. Angiosperms occurred in lower amounts. Minor contribution of ferns, fungi and emergent aquatic macrophyta to the biomass is also evident. Chemoautotrophic- and heterotrophic bacteria played an import role during diagenesis. Diagenetic alterations, associated with change in the number of carbon atoms, influence delta C-13 ratios. Diagenetic aromatisation of di- and non-hopanoid triterpenoids is accompanied with C-13 depletion, whereas aromatisation of hopanoids displays the opposite trend. Peatification proceeded in a fresh water environment under variable, anoxic to slightly oxic redox conditions. The lowermost coal seam III accumulated in a topogenous fresh water peat mire with open water areas, which changed occasionally into a wet forest swamp. This resulted in the deposition of mineral-rich coal. The characteristics of lignite in coal seam II are similar to those of coal seam III. This is supported also by generally similar delta C-13 values of individual biomarkers. Coal seam I is dominated by xylite-rich coal, formed under mesotrophic to ombrotrophic conditions. Rapid flooding of the bogs stopped peat growth in all three coal seams. The ratios of ring-A-degraded and non-degraded aromatic diterpenoids and non-hopanoid triterpenoids, proposed in this study, as well as degree of aromatisation of these biomarkers, reflect changes in the water table. Calorific values of the samples indicate that they meet basic requirements for utilisation in the thermal power plants. None of the lignite samples is suitable for coal briquetting, whereas, based on petrographic data, lignite from coal seam I possesses certain potential for fluidized bed gasification

Maturation and isotopic changes of individual hydrocarbons in lignite lithotypes through diagenesis and early catagenesis

Maturation and isotopic changes of individual hydrocarbons in lignite lithotypes through diagenesis and early catagenesis were studied. The maturity ratios based on biomarkers and alkylaromatics which showed the best applicability were determined. Intensity of observed changes of maturity ratios decreases in the following order: mineral-rich coal > matrix coal > xylite-rich coal, indicating that mineral matter, which is dominated by clays in all lithotypes, plays an important role in the isomerisation of polycyclic biomarkers and aromatic compounds. Carbon isotopic signatures of n-C25 and n-C27 alkanes, as well as δ13C values of phenathrene and cadalene are very close in studied range of maturity, confirming that isotopic signatures are useful tracers for alteration products of biological molecules. Long-chain homologues of n-alkanes exhibit slight enrichment in 12C with increasing maturity, whereas almost no change is detected in δ13C of short-chain n-alkanes. Negligible enrichment in 13C of aromatic compounds is observed during maturation

Search for the Source Rocks in the Turija Oil Field Region (Se Pannonian Basin, Serbia)

In the last two decades, the Turija oil field (SE Pannonian Basin, Serbia) has attracted attention through oil discoveries in new wells. The source rocks of the Turija oil are still unknown. In this study, potential lower Miocene (Ottnangian-Karpatian) to upper Miocene (Pannonian) source rocks from some boreholes near the Turija oil field were investigated to determine the origin, depositional environment, hydrocarbon potential and maturity of organic matter (OM). The Rock-Eval method, biomarker and carbon isotope analyses were used. The obtained results indicate a mixed aquatic-terrestrial (Ottnangian-Karpatian and Badenian) and predominantly aquatic (Badenian and Pannonian) origin of OM, deposited under variable, reducing to oxic conditions. The majority of studied samples show a good oil generation potential. Numerous maturity indicators imply that maturity of OM varies from immature to mature. The large heterogeneity (facies and maturity) of the Badenian samples is consistent with remarkable environmental changes caused by the uplift of the Alps and Carpathians in the middle to late Badenian