Platform Business Models – A Case Study of the Technology Industry

The opportunity to create a value exchange environment is uniquely offered by the platform businesses. A novel approach of co-creating value is writing the rules in the platform business world. This paper analyzes the platform business models within the technology industry based on a multiple case study. As the main driver of business performance in this environment is technology, companies are using it to develop new products or to provide technology as a service. Thus, the main objective is to debate on the actual business needs in terms of business model innovation and to investigate how platform business models are developed through strategic acquisitions to achieve competitive advantage. The cases analysis suggests that technology acquisitions made around the core business may contribute to business model innovation. In addition, new partnerships with the external environment may facilitate mutual value creation exchanges and the platform may evolve through adding extra features from its external partners. We contribute to the advancement of business model research by putting platform business model study into the competitive context of the technology industry, with findings on how platforms are used in the digital era to innovate the core business model. From a practitioner’s perspective, this study may help companies to understand the importance of investing in other technology companies and to identify the opportunities of business model innovation through strategic partnerships. The limitation of this study is that the main data used for the multiple case study was derived from secondary sources and it provided insights about each company’s platform business model from a macro perspective

Interpersonal behaviors questionnaire in sport: psychometric analysis with romanian professional athletes

Building upon self-determination theory, our objective in this research was to adapt and analyze psychometrically the Interpersonal Behaviors Questionnaire (IBQ) in sport. Our participants were 642 professional athletes (55.14% men, M age = 22.81) who completed an online survey measuring their perception of coaching behaviors, need satisfaction, need frustration, and motivation. The results showed a good fit for the 24-item IBQ with a six-factor correlated model (χ2/ df = 4.178; CFI = .925; TLI = .912; SRMR = .048; RMSEA = .070), and we obtained evidence supporting its convergent and discriminant validity. The analyses also underpinned measurement invariance across gender, age, and sport, and confirmed good reliability. Criterion validity was met by positive associations of autonomy-supportive, competence-supportive, and relatedness-supportive behaviors with need satisfaction and autonomous motivation; and of autonomy-thwarting, competence-thwarting and relatedness-thwarting behaviors with need frustration, controlled motivation and amotivation. The adapted IBQ can be applied to the assessment of professional Romanian athletes’ perceptions of need-supportive and need-thwarting coaching behaviors

Business Models and Internet of Things

Information technology has massively transformed the world of business over the past fifty years - first individual functional areas within companies (“first wave”), later increasingly also cross-divisional value-added processes and trade (“second wave”). Those companies that recognized the tremendous economic potential of these upheavals and consistently adapted, profited enormously - many others, however, fell dramatically. At the same time, innovative startups emerged that successfully created and occupied new markets. With the Internet of Things (IoT), the third digital wave is currently rolling up. Their impact will be enormous - both for our everyday lives and for many industries that have so far been largely spared the disruptive power of digital transformation. Accordingly, the challenges facing most companies today are: understanding more complex competition, acquiring new digital technologies, making existing offerings smart, developing new services, networking production, efficiently analyzing vast amounts of data, and building viable organizations to push all this forward. The IoT is a driver for digitization. By analyzing machine data, the use of sensors and the intelligent real-time processing of huge amounts of data in the cloud, new business models are created. With the information gained, companies are able to improve their value chain. However, one of the most difficult issues in this context for many companies is how they can further develop their existing business model or establish successful new business models that will be based on new technologies and IoT. To investigate resulting impacts, we draw on the existing business models and deduct specifics for the Internet of Things. Building on this, in order to reach the aims of the paper the authors will use a descriptive research method and a case study in order to present how new business models work with the IoT

INNOVATION, A KEY ELEMENT OF BUSINESS MODELS IN THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

The aim of the paper is to present the relationship between the concepts of innovation and business models in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In this respect, the authors present the case of a German company, Deutsche Bahn (DB). Innovation constitutes a core factor that will secure our society's prosperity in the future, as it creates real and sustainable value. A key element in the successful path to Industry 4.0 is the expansion of new technologies or processes towards the development of innovative business models. The continuous worldwide changes, the shift from physical to digital or from closed-sources to open-sources and the new ways of doing business (networks) lead to the development of companies by creating and implementing business models in which innovation is constantly required. In order to reach the aim of the paper the authors used a quantitative research method and a case study. The findings of the research showed that innovation represents a key element in developing new business models that lead to better performances in any company that aims to be part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

National branding strategy and its effects on business and tourism

Branding is the process through which a products’ or a services’ brand image is changed or is being developed. Over time, the branding process was approached from many perspectives to serve different purposes, therefore the nation branding was introduced to create a recognizable image for a country, which started to grow year by year. The scope back then, was the same as now, meaning to consolidate a nation’s position in a competitive environment and to improve its reputation. A positive national image contributes to the economic growth by building up a touristic national brand, attracting foreign investors, building trust in the national companies and brands, it encourages exports, develops the public diplomacy and slows down emigration. A good national branding is advantageous for all parties involved, for the private and the public sector, as well as for all bodies and citizens, and these same parties play an important role in building it. While all parties involved are conscious about the need of a coherent brand and are willing to contribute to the branding process, it is actually a challenge to build functional models to implement it and facilitate a strategic communication. This article is using case studies and desk research to study suitable models and communication strategies, which can be applied in the national branding process. It is proposing good practices to bring together research, business, policy making actors and individuals

Стиль лідерства тренера: як він впливає на відданість спорту та ігрові навички студентів-тенісистів?

Study purpose. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the coach’s leadership style model on increasing the level of sports commitment and tennis skills. Materials and methods. A mixed method was applied in this study. The participants (n=30) were student athletes at Surabaya State University. This study used the quantitative instrument which used the sports commitment grade scale to assess the level of sports commitment, the forehand and backhand tests were used to measure playing skills. While the qualitative instrument used in-depth interviews. The independent sample t-test was used to present differences in sports commitment scores and playing skills before and after the experiment in the experimental and control groups. The paired sample t-test was used to evaluate the effect of the coach’s leadership style model on the experimental and control groups. Qualitative statistical analysis used qualitative thematic analysis. Results. The quantitative study results showed that there was no difference in the level of sports commitment and playing skills between the experimental and control groups before the experiment (p>0.05), but there was a difference after the experiment (p<0.05). The paired sample t-test proved that the effect on increasing sports commitment and playing skills in the experimental group was better than in the control group (p<0.05). In qualitative research, student athletes stated that the coach’s leadership style had advantages and disadvantages. Conclusions. Finally, student athletes emphasized that this program had a real and positive impact on the development of their sports commitment and playing skills.Мета дослідження. Метою цього дослідження було вивчення впливу моделі стилю лідерства тренера на підвищення рівня відданості спорту та навичок гри в теніс. Матеріали та методи. У цьому дослідженні застосовували змішаний метод. Учасниками (n=30) стали студенти-спортсмени Державного університету Сурабая (Індонезія). У цьому дослідженні використовували кількісний інструмент, який передбачав використання шкали оцінки відданості спорту для оцінки рівня відданості спорту, а для вимірювання навичок гри використовували тести на удари ракеткою справа і зліва. Тоді як якісний інструмент передбачав використання глибинних інтерв’ю. Для представлення відмінностей у показниках відданості спорту й ігрових навичок до та після експерименту в експериментальній і контрольній групах використовували t-критерій Стьюдента для незалежних вибірок. Для оцінки впливу моделі стилю лідерства тренера на експериментальну та контрольну групи використовували t-критерій Стьюдента для парних вибірок. Для якісного статистичного аналізу використовували якісний тематичний аналіз. Результати. Результати кількісного дослідження показали, що до початку експерименту різниці в рівні відданості спорту та ігрових навичок між експериментальною та контрольною групами не було (p>0,05), але після завершення експерименту різниця була (p<0,05). За допомогою t-критерію Стьюдента для парних вибірок було доведено, що вплив на підвищення рівня відданості спорту й ігрових навичок в експериментальній групі був сильнішим, ніж у контрольній групі (p<0,05). У якісному дослідженні студенти-спортсмени заявили, що стиль лідерства тренера має переваги та недоліки. Висновки. Зрештою, студенти-спортсмени підкреслили, що ця програма мала реальний і позитивний вплив на розвиток їхньої відданості спорту та їхніх ігрових навичок.