Disclosing the role of IT Suppliers as Digital Innovation enablers for SMEs: a strategy analysis of the European IT Sales Channel

As Information Technologies (IT) play a growingly strategic role in several industries, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) adopt IT solutions to trigger Digital Innovation supporting their processes and improving their products and services. SMEs' scarce resources and inadequate IT competencies forces them to demand support from IT suppliers in the IT adoption and Digital Innovation journey, however, little attention was paid to the business models and strategies of IT suppliers in the academic and professional literature, and SMEs find it difficult to assess and select IT suppliers that best responds to their needs and aims. This study's goal is to provide a detailed picture of the IT Sales Channel and its players in the European market. A classification framework is proposed and eleven different business models are identified. The study leverages multiple case studies relying on semi-standardized interviews with Chief Executive Officers and Marketing Managers of leading European IT suppliers

The Relationship between Open Innovation and Strategy: Data-Driven Analysis of the Mobile Value Services Industry

As academic and practitioner studies on the subject amassed in the last decade 2003 - 2013, Open Innovation (OI) has gained growing importance in the broad field of Management and Information Systems. However, existing literature lacks a comprehensive understanding of the relationship existing between OI and a firm's Strategy. Employing a data-driven research approach, based on forty-five qualitative interviews on firms operating in the Mobile Value Services Industry involved in OI undertakings, this study originally highlights six cross-themes the OI-Strategy relationship revolves around: 1) OI and Competitive Advantage, 2) OI and Strategic Positioning, 3) OI and Business Models, 4) OI in Networks, 5) OI and Co-opetition.; 6) OI and Resilient Business Advantages. For each theme, insights are provided concerning: sub themes, findings, criticalities, and areas of development. This reorganization of the real-world OI initiatives constitutes a comprehensive research agenda or roadmap, with value for both academics and practitioners

A comparative study on the impact of business model design & lean startup approach versus traditional business plan on mobile startups performance

usiness Model Design (BMD) & Lean Startup (LSA) approach are two widespread practices among entrepreneurs, where many Mobile startups declare to adopt them. However, neither of the two frameworks are well rooted in the academic literature; and few studies address the issue of whether they actually outperform traditional approaches to new Mobile Startups creation. This study's aim is to assesses the contribution to performance of the combined use of BMD and LSA for two startups operating in the highly dynamic Mobile Applications Industry; performances are then compared to those achieved by two Mobile Star-ups adopting the traditional Business Plan approach. Findings reveal how the combined use of BMD and LSA outperforms the traditional BP in the cases analyzed, thus constituting a promising methodology to support Strategic Entrepreneurship

A strategic Analysis of the European Companies in the ICT Sales Channel

The strategic role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is growing in various companies. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) adopt ICT solutions to support their processes and to improve their products and services. Because of SMEs’ scarce resources and inadequate ICT competencies, they need support from ICT suppliers in the ICT adoption process. Little attention has been paid to the business models and strategies of ICT suppliers in the academic and professional literature, and SMEs find it difficult to determine the characteristics of available ICT suppliers and to choose the supplier that best responds to their needs and aims. The goal of this paper is to provide a detailed picture of the ICT sales channel and its players in the European market. A classification framework is proposed and eleven different business models are identified. The paper is based on a case study methodology that included 53 semi‐standardized interviews with CEOs (Chief Executive Officers) and marketing and communications managers at leading European ICT suppliers coupled with the literature review

Internet Interconnection Techno-economics: A Proposal for Assured Quality Services and Business Models

The Internet is constructed by means of complex business interconnection agreements among multiple networks. However, the most commonly used agreements do not contain explicit Quality of Service reference. In this study a business rationale for Assured Service Quality (ASQ) inter-network services is presented and potential business models for their realization are proposed and analyzed. It is argued that ASQ products and business models could greatly enhance the health of the Internet interconnection ecosystem. A business model design framework that encompasses the key strategic decisions that would enable ASQ provisioning and generic collaboration is also provided. This framework is then elaborated using a number of off-net content delivery scenarios. Conclusions are hence drawn on the role of ASQ and ASQ-driven business models for the sustainable development of the "Future Internet"

Lean business models change process in digital entrepreneurship

Abstract Purpose – Business model change (BMC) is a process new ventures are frequently involved in, especially in dynamic environments like the digital industry: copying with it is a key issue for entrepreneurs attempting to shorten the transition between current and new business models (BMs) and avoid losses in terms of revenue, image and customer retention, while acquiring experience and validated learning in the process. The purpose of this paper is to propose a lean framework to support digital new ventures in the BMC process. Design/methodology/approach – The study builds its contribution on two pillars: a review on BM and the lean thinking theories, and a multiple case study on three digital new ventures which underwent BMC. Findings – The study shows how BMC in a digital context can beneficially follow lean principles, and how these principles can be integrated in an original lean framework to experiment on, validate and subsequently change a BM. Originality/value – The authors provide the “single minute exchange of die” for BMC framework that extends and complements lean startup approaches to further relate lean thinking and BMC, thus operationalizing the process of BM experimenting and validation that enables change

How a New Distribution Paradigm Changes the Core Resources, Competences and Capabilities Endowment: The Case of Mobile Application Stores

The study argues that a shift in the distribution paradigm in place has deep strategic implications, with specific reference to the resources, competencies and capabilities firms leverage to achieve competitive advantage. Analyzing the upfront issue related to the rise of the Mobile Application Store model as a substitute to the original Mobile Portal model from the Mobile Network Operator perspective, the study aims at describing how the introduction of a new distribution paradigm affects and transforms a firm’s resources and assets portfolio. The findings show the core resources endowment characterizing Operators is significantly altered due to the appearance of the alternative Store model and the underneath Mobile-Web revolution, causing the fall of some traditional unique assets, and the concurrent rise of emerging resources and dynamic capabilities, moreover, light is shed on other strategic matters influenced by such change, ranging from the nature of competition to incumbents’ and challengers’ strategies to induce, avert or co-opt potentially disruptive innovation