A Conceptual Framework for Business Model Research

The business model concept is useful in analysing and communicating the essence of a business, and for predicting the implications of electronic commerce on an existing business. As useful as the concept is, there is a lack of consensus among researchers on the definition of a business model, and on the constructs of the business model. The aim of this paper is to propose a conceptual framework for business model research that provides a basis for theory development and debate. Without such a conceptual framework business model research will progress in an ad hoc fashion and be directed by the immediate needs of individual researchers. The financial reporting conceptual framework developed over many years by the accounting profession, is used as a mould for the hierarchically structured, business model conceptual framework that is the subject of this paper. In addition the notion of primacy of concept is used to determine the business model elements and architecture. It is envisaged that the business model conceptual framework will guide future research and that it will be reviewed and refined, just as the financial reporting conceptual framework has been reviewed and refined over decades

Do We Need a General Classification Scheme for e-Business Models?Lambert

Numerous specific classifications for e-business models exist in the academic literature however there is no general classification scheme. This paper identifies the business model classification schemes present in the electronic commerce literature along with the criteria by which the business models are classified. Drawing on the broader classification literature, the utility of these classifications is examined and a distinction is made between specific and general classification schemes and between typologies and taxonomies

A Business Model Research Schema

This paper suggests a schema for business model research that has the potential to progress the research, in a structured manner, from conceptual to theoretical. It draws on the scientific and business research literature to identify the types of research necessary to further knowledge and promotes the inductive-deductive model of research. The importance of conducting empirical research to evaluate current conceptualisations of business models and developing a theory of business models is stressed. An important aspect of any research agenda is the creation of a general classification of domain objects that can serve a wide range of current and future uses. Classification literature relating to the biological, behavioural, organisational and social sciences has been referenced in this paper in support of this claim. Existing classifications of business models are evaluated, determining that the only classifications that have been proposed to date are typologies and that no general taxonomy of business models currently exists

Review of \u3cem\u3eManaging Diversity: Towards a Globally Inclusive Workplace.\u3c/em\u3e Michalle Mor Barak. Reviewed by Susan J. Lambert.

Book review of Michelle Mor Barak, Managing Diversity: Towards a Globally Inclusive Workplace, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2005. $49.95 papercover

Improving Work Schedules in Hourly Jobs

Slides of presentation given by Susan J. Lambert, Associate Professor, University of Chicago, at a briefing titled Flexible Work Arrangements and Low-Wage Work. This event was held on Wednesday, July 8, 2009, and presented by Workplace Flexibility 2010 and the New America Foundation

School-to-Work in the 1990s: Modelling Transitions with large-scale datasets

First paragraph: In this chapter we explore school to work transitions by documenting the activities of young people who reached the minimum school leaving age in the 1990s. Our starting position is that changes in the economy, education and training lead us to suspect that the landscape of social and economic conditions under which young people grew up during the 1990s were sufficiently different from those a decade before to justify exploration. Through the analysis of data from cohorts of young people who reached minimum school leaving age in the 1990s we evaluate the ‘detraditionalisation’ thesis

The Importance of Classification to Business Model Research

Purpose: To bring to the fore the scientific significance of classification and its role in business model theory building. To propose a method by which existing classifications of business models can be analyzed and new ones developed.Design/Methodology/Approach: A review of the scholarly literature relevant to classifications of business models is presented along with a brief overview of classification theory applicable to business model research. Existing business model classifications are evaluated in terms of their propensity to contribute to theory building and a method for designing classifications schemes is proposed.Findings: Little attention has been paid to the rationale underlying the design of business model classifications and often there is no explicit consideration of the suitability of the classification for its intended purpose. Each classification contributes to the understanding of business models in practice but there is a dearth of taxonomical research that can facilitate progression of business model research towards theorizing.Originality/Value: This paper addresses the research element of classification that is largely overlooked yet is crucial for business model theory building. The nature of business model classifications is examined in the light of classification philosophies and a structured method of classification design is proposed. A case is made for the development of a general classification of business models that can facilitate the progression of business modelresearch towards theory building

A curator's guide to synthetic garments

Outside the scientific community, knowledge and understanding of synthetic textile fibres in museum collections tends to be diffuse and limited. As a result, garments made from these synthetic fibres are liable to be neglected. This guide addresses this knowledge gap. Its aims are to: bring together in one document, key information to support the curation of semi-synthetic and synthetic garments of all types; increase confidence nationally in the curation of semi-synthetic and synthetic garments: their history, interpretation, care and identification; improve the ability of museums to engage the public with these parts of their collections whatever the focus of the museum

Applying a Sustainability Lens to the Business Model

This paper demonstrates how a business model framework based on object-oriented principles can be used to identify and articulate the social and environmental initiatives that are embedded in business models. A mini case study of a small landscaping firm is presented to validate the framework