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Abstract Purpose: Extant research on business models does not address the question of business model evolution. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore how we can capture the dynamism of business models. Approach: We examine the applicability of the principles of complexity theory as an approach to capture the dynamic aspects of business model change. Longitudinal single case study was chosen as a methodological strategy. Findings: Complexity theory allows capturing dynamics of the business model evolution. It does not picture a business model as a static snapshot but reveals how a new business model comes to be as a result of an intricate interplay between business model elements. In turn, it allows tracing the connection between the elements. This perspective assists in capturing emerging, as well as disappearing business model elements enabling us to understand and explain how business model evolves. Additionally, complexity theory helps to comprehend the connections between different business model elements. The complexity theory approach emphasizes the multi-dimensional nature of a business model allowing to understand the dynamics of the business model evolution by looking at the different levels. Additionally, complexity theory perspective reveals that dynamics of the business model evolution is predicated on different processes. It implies that contrary to the current attempts of the extant research to develop business model kinds and types, complexity theory allows appreciating unique nature of any business model without trying to classify or categorize it. Value: Understanding the dynamics of business model evolution helps to reflect on business model design and anticipate consequences of change.
Abstract This paper discusses a business model concept in a public smart city context. To date, there is no unified understanding of how smart cities create value for their stakeholders. This study aims to contribute to the research by investigating the content and dynamics of a business model approach for smart cities.
Abstract Purpose: The paper explores the antecedents to business model scalability. Design/Methodology/Approach: The paper is conceptual and exploratory in nature and builds on the practice/action learning approach. Practical Implications: From a managerial and entrepreneurial perspective, the findings of the paper highlight the role and dynamism of the business environment and the continuous assessment of the business environment in evaluating business opportunity and changes in opportunity. Originality/Value: The paper proposes a novel framework for business model synchronization against business opportunity, and vice versa. It also connects the business model to the market and hence to the market value of the firm.
Abstract 1. Purpose: Innovative business models have been transforming and disrupting traditional industries in an unprecedented speed. The energy industry is no exception. The advent of smart grid has initiated paradigm shifts from traditional product-based business models to service provision. An essential question is that, “How can energy industry create and capture new value from service business, turning the existing product-based business model to service orientation?” 2. Research gaps: This study addresses research gaps regarding 1) the value perspective for business model; 2) the ecosystem thinking for complex industries; 3) maximising systemic value for an ecosystem rather than a focal firm. 3. Research design, data collection, and approach: The study collects business model case data from BRIDGE, a high-level initiative of the European Commission uniting 31 major European energy projects. The research includes the full 50 business model cases contributed by experts from 15 EU Horizon 2020 innovation projects. 4. Findings: The study utilises the 4C ecosystemic framework and the XaaS (Everything as a Service) digital service business model typologies. A key outcome is the proposition of Electricity as a Service (EaaS) concept with four service business model typologies for the energy sector, proposing a new service business paradigm for the energy ecosystem. 5. Originality and value: The study proposes a value-based approach and service-dominant logic towards business model research at ecosystemic level. For the first time, the study introduces the XaaS service business typologies, investigating how this well-established ICT (Information and Communication Technology) business concept can enable the digitalisation of the energy industry.
Abstract 6G vision and the industry consensus of underlying technology enablers have come a long way and will shape the new access, networking, and service domains in future mobile communications. These novel features promise countless opportunities for service innovation and business efficiencies, creating an unprecedented impact on multiple vertical sectors. 6G will connect worlds in novel and innovative ways — the physical and digital worlds will be deeply intertwined in real time, human biological systems will be seamlessly coupled, and at the same time, there will be a new human sensory and cognitive dimension across the scenarios of the 6G experience. Key technology-enabling themes to be explored will include the pervasive leverage of machine learning and artificial intelligence across architectural domains to flexibly define the air interface, as well as service management and orchestration in the 6G “network of networks” topology and platform ecosystem. Terahertz (THz) research is one of the prominent topics, utilizing spectral bands of above 100 GHz for both communications and sensing purposes, thereby enabling connectivity data speeds in the Terabit/s range. We foresee millions of sub-networks and devices becoming the network in conjunction with extreme performance attributes in terms of both sub-millisecond latency, high reliability and time-sensitive determinism, and advanced ways to assure security, privacy, and trust. In line with 6G vision and technology enablers, developing products, services, and vertical applications for the future digitized society in the 6G era requires a multidisciplinary approach and a redefinition of how we create, deliver, and consume network resources, data, and services for both communications and sensing purposes. This development will change and disrupt the traditional business models and ecosystem roles of digital service providers, as well as open the market for key stakeholders in the 6G era like digital service operators, cloud operators, and resource brokers. Furthermore, sustainable development is a highly complex area that will call for major changes in industrialized society in the long run. This white paper discusses the unprecedented opportunities to enable and empower multiple stakeholders to more actively participate in the future 6G ecosystem via novel sustainable open ecosystemic business models with flexible integration of long tail services with tailored performance attributes. This research adopts a qualitative scenario planning method, portraying three scenario themes resulting in a total of 12 scenarios for the futures of the 6G business. We present both optimistic and pessimistic scenarios, and assess their probability, plausibility, and preferability. By focusing on key trends, their interactions, and irreducible uncertainties, scenario building generates perspectives for the futures within which alternative 6G business strategies have been developed and assessed for a traditional incumbent mobile network operator, and a novel 6G digital service provider stemming from redefined sustainable economics. Value capture in the 6G era requires an understanding of the dynamics of platforms and ecosystems. The results indicate that to reach some of the preferred futures, we should attend to the privacy and security issues related to business and regulation needs: public/governmental, corporate, community, and user perspectives on and aims of governance; ecosystem configuration related to users, decentralized business models, and platforms; user empowerment; and the role of service location-specificity.
Abstract Climate change, the deterioration of the environment and exceeding Earth’s carrying capacity are major threats in operating environment which require new actions in industrialized and digitalized society. In parallel with the global deployment of 5th generation (5G) mobile communication networks, the telecommunication community has already started to envision 6G networks that target the year 2030. This paper discusses the unprecedented opportunities in the future 6G ecosystem specifically from the business perspective and applies a futures-oriented scenario planning method utilized in two strategy workshops in 2020. The paper portrays four scenario themes and a total of 16 alternative future scenarios for the business of 6G. Through the identification of key trends, their interactions, and related uncertainties, the scenario development process generates alternative futures where 6G business strategies are then developed and assessed through the business model perspective. Scenarios were created under four themes: user experience, business, sustainability, and geopolitics and they are discussed in terms of economical, societal, and environmental perspectives. The findings of the paper highlight the achievement of a preferred sustainable future that calls for attention to the privacy and security aspects considering business and regulatory needs: public/governmental, corporate, community, and human perspectives and aims of governance; ecosystem configuration related to users, decentralized business models, and platforms; user empowerment; and the role of service location-specificity. The findings indicate that it is vital to bring together relevant stakeholders to solve sustainability problems within the ecosystem and pay special attention to open ecosystem-focused value configuration and decentralized poly-nodal power configuration, while responding to the diversified demands of various users across the different verticals.
Abstract In the sixth generation of mobile communication networks (6G) era, in which the convergence of wireless and Internet technologies will drive the digital economy and automation across industries, the focus of innovation will shift from individual technology or products towards innovation within platforms and ecosystems. This paper provides a comprehensive categorised survey of the 6G business literature and the current state of mobile communication intellectual property value creation across the system architecture layers. The key emerging and enabling technologies of the 6G networks are positioned as applicable to areas of value creation and capture, and an outline of the proposed transformation of technology innovation by considering the 6G system architecture layers is provided. Unlike the existing 6G literature focusing on visions, use cases, KPI requirements, and KVI drivers, this study will extend the discussion to the value-creation-and-capture problem of technology innovators. The role of complementary assets, technology policy, standardisation, and intellectual property in 6G is analysed by profiting from innovation lenses. To gain the full potential and capture value from technology innovation in 6G, it is essential that regulators protect the intellectual property contributions to incentive R&D investments by the developers of open, collaborative enabling technologies. The paper further assesses the business model evolution from the 4G engineering platform to modular 5G and 6G, stemming from ecosystems and open value configurations. The results of the technology value analysis show the emerging 6G business to be an oblique hybrid of vertical and horizontal business models and characterise the future 6G networks as a general-purpose technology.
Abstract Mobile communication research is increasingly addressing the use of 5G in verticals, which has led to the emergence of local and often private 5G networks. At the same time, research on 6G has started, with a bold goal of building a strong linkage between 6G and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Both of these developments call for a highly multi-disciplinary approach covering the inter-related perspectives of business, regulation and technology. This paper summarizes recent advances in using 5G to serve vertical sectors’ needs and describes a path towards sustainable 6G considering business, regulation and technology viewpoints. By focusing on key trends, the research summarizes four alternative scenarios for the futures business of 6G and considers related regulatory and technology aspects. Our findings highlight the importance of understanding the complex relations of business, regulation and technology perspectives and the role of ecosystems in both 5G in verticals and ultimately in the development of sustainable 6G to bring together stakeholders to solve long-term sustainability problems.
Abstract Purpose: As an emerging field, the fifth generation, 5G, mobile communications technologies related business models have only been discussed to a limited extent in the literature, and platform business models in general have seldom been examined. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore how to understand and capture the evolution of future platform-based ecosystemic business models in 5G? Approach: With roots in economics and engineering, this study has an intrinsically dualistic perspective to platform business utilizing the 4C ecosystemic framework and the as a Service (aaS) digital service business model typologies. This research follows a cyclical process of research-oriented action research, collecting data in two phases from the future-oriented World Cafe workshops held at Nokia RadioActive! user group event in Espoo in November 2017 and 6G Wireless Summit in Levi in March 2019. Findings: The paper uncovers the extended ecosystemic platform architecture for the business model and ecosystem research consisting of components, interfaces, data and algorithms. Value: We are currently lacking a coherent approach for researching platform-based ecosystemic business models as the extant discussions tend to focus either on ecosystem(ic) features of business models or platform business models that, however, share common characteristics. The study adopts a value-based and service-dominant lens focused on business model research at the ecosystemic level. For the first time, the study introduces the extended ecosystemic platform architecture, investigating how this business framework can enable the transformation of the 5G.
Abstract Developing products, services and vertical applications for the future digitized society in the 6G era requires a multidisciplinary approach and a re-imagining of how we create, deliver and consume network resources, data and services. This development will change the traditional business models and ecosystem roles, as well as open the market for new stakeholders like micro-operators, cloud operators and resource brokers. Paper discusses unprecedented opportunities of enabling and stimulating multiple stakeholders to have a more active participation in the future 6G ecosystem via platform-based ecosystemic business models. The research extends the product platform and service modularity concepts beyond connectivity innovations towards multisided transactional ecosystem platforms.
Abstract Spectrum management plays a key role in the deployment of new wireless technologies. Regulators in the 5G era have introduced a variety of spectrum management approaches that allow the deployment of new cellular networks including traditional exclusively nationwide licensing, local licensing and unlicensed approaches involving varying levels of spectrum sharing. The upcoming 6G era in the 2030s will face new challenges resulting from the ever-increasing variety of considered spectrum bands for 6G with drastically different propagation characteristics and the increasing fragmentation of spectrum management approaches. This paper provides an overview of spectrum management for mobile communication networks including the most recent 5G spectrum decisions. The paper discusses the role of spectrum sharing in the upcoming 6G era and related enabling technologies. The paper opens the door for 6G spectrum discussions with an emphasis on what is different in 6G while taking into account the challenges arising from the underlying regulatory environment.
Abstract Sustainability has entered all aspects of society, including the information and communication technology (ICT) sector. ICT-based services and solutions, where mobile communication systems represent a considerable development, can significantly contribute to different sectors’ attempts towards achieving sustainable development goals. At the same time, the ICT sector’s own sustainability impact is crucial. This dual role of ICT and particularly mobile communication systems, as an enabler and a responsible for sustainability impact in society sets important new design principles for the development of future ICT systems. One specific example is the upcoming sixth generation (6G) mobile communications technology, which is expected to appear in 2030. The recently started research and development on 6G has already identified sustainability as the key design criterion, primarily through the existing UN SDG framework and the individual perspectives of the triple bottom line of economic, social, and environmental sustainability resulting in new requirements, unlike in the development of 5G. This chapter addresses sustainable 6G technology design from the triple bottom line of sustainability and the UN SDG framework and presents design criteria for 6G technology design in order to meet requirements arising from the different sustainability perspectives.
Abstract Future 6G has been envisioned to connect human, digital, and physical worlds as a novel general-purpose connectivity platform infrastructure that converges different enabling technologies for various purposes across domains. Competing 6G vision documents have been published to influence the global IMT towards 2030 and beyond (i.e. 6G) vision work at the ITU-R in terms of enabling technologies, usage scenarios and capabilities, following the technology-dominated tradition stemming from prior mobile communication generations. The current visions comprise a complex mix of competing and partially overlapping elements, lacking a coherent and holistic framework and terminology to reconcile a global 6G vision that would help in its successful development and commercialization. Although the published visions increasingly address sustainability and humancentricity as key drivers, they lack an integrated multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder approach to integrating the drivers. To help the global 6G vision building process, this paper offers a humancentric and sustainability-driven framework and actions for defining and developing 6G. The framework defines inter-related questions needed to define and develop 6G, such as: why we are doing 6G, who we are doing it for, who are doing it, what purposes users will use it for, how users will use it, how we will make 6G work, and how we will measure it. The framework is used for presenting selected future examples for 6G usage scenarios. The presented framework builds on the analysis of the existing 6G vision works and forms a foundation for joint global future-proof 6G visioning.
Abstract This study extends and deepens the joint 6G vision building stemming from use cases, enabling technologies, key performance indicators (KPIs), key value indicators (KVIs), and business scenario litanies towards the social, the worldview, and the metaphors layers utilizing causal layered analysis (CLA) method. 6G visions are explored from different national perspectives assessing future initiatives from China, Europe, Japan, South Korea, and the US. The multiple ideologies and epistemes of the stakeholders are mapped to create a transformed future vision emphasizing the importance of 6G design from the triple bottom line of sustainability, including social, economic, and environmental perspectives. Collaborative research, harmonized standardization, and anticipatory regulation efforts were found essential in developing trustworthy and general-purpose 6G technologies for users and developers.
Abstract Despite the advancement of technologies and novel use cases that are labeled as belonging to the next generation of mobile communications known as 5G, the future of 5G business models remains unclear. In this paper, we explore how the evolution of future 5G business could unfold. We construct a framework for analyzing 5G business models by combining resource configuration and 4C — commerce, context, content and connection — business model typology framework views, and offer an overview of 5G business model evolution. Specific attention is paid to four themes: resources, value creation, value capture, and the role of platforms. This paper tackles today’s unprecedented challenges of enabling and stimulating multiple cross industry stakeholders to have a more active participation in the 5G market. The results derived from the data collected from an expert workshop identify two transformations in the development of future 5G business: from connectivity towards context and from value chain integration towards platform orchestration. The developed resource configuration framework provides a dynamic framework for analyzing and developing the 5G enabled novel use cases and business models.
Abstract This paper expands the current 6G visioning stemming from usage scenarios, key value and key performance indicators towards stakeholder dynamics utilizing stakeholder analysis from strategic management. In developing a future oriented 6G system involving incumbents and a large number of novel stakeholders with distinct views, it is essential to understand the operational environment, key stakeholder interactions, and dynamics. This paper explores the origins of the 6G platforms and identifies key stakeholders of the future 6G ecosystem. Stakeholder salience attributes including power, legitimacy, and urgency are further analyzed. Results indicate that the competition for digital platforms’ power and legitimacy is intensifying as catalytic combinations of cloud computing, AI and data are ubiquitously embedded and multiplying their impact across 6G system. The urgency indicators for the development of pervasive general-purpose 6G are collaborative research, harmonized standardization, and anticipatory regulation efforts for empowered users and developers in the ecosystem.
Abstract This paper focuses on the evolution of the Finnish power grid until 2035 and the role of mobile communications networks in this evolution. It outlines alternative futures (i.e. scenarios) and identifies the role of mobile communications networks in these scenarios. The paper uses an established scenario planning process and a group of experts to determine three scenarios for the evolution of services offered to customers in a future electricity system and four scenarios describing the evolution of grid management. Finally, the role of mobile communications (cellular networks) is analyzed in each of the scenarios. Results show that mobile networks can serve as a key enabler in those scenarios where smart grid evolution would be the most transformative.
Abstract This paper analyzes how team task environment and individual team members’ personal experiences influence multicultural research and development (R&D) team operations in small and medium sized enterprises. Based on qualitative data from multiple R&D team operations in five Finnish software firms, the findings revealed that team task environment is significantly influenced by the Nordic egalitarian organizational culture. The team task environment appears to be more dominant in multicultural R&D teams than anticipated in earlier research. To some extent, this mitigates the influences of culture on multicultural R&D team operations. However, results also show that individual team member personal experiences comprise of task specific as well as cultural (international) experiences emanating from being a member of a multicultural team. Together, these two components have a positive influence on R&D operations, yet intriguingly, task specific experiences resonate with task variability and task analyzability, while cultural experiences tend to influence task interdependence.
Abstract This paper seeks to identify and analyze the sources of value creation and capture by key stakeholders in the new Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) three tier spectrum sharing framework introduced by the US President’s Council of Advanced Science & Technology. More flexible and dynamic use of the 3.5 GHz spectrum aims to increase the efficiency of spectrum use in delivering fast growing and converging mobile broadband and media services while paving the way to innovations in technology and business models. In this paper, we focus on key stakeholders’ capability to deal with combined internal and external resources and capabilities in doing business, referred to as dynamic capability. Spectrum sharing, introducing a rapid change in the technology and business environments, requires dynamic capabilities from spectrum offering, spectrum utilization, and spectrum management perspectives. We focus on defining key CBRS functional domains and identifying their key antecedents, elements, and outcomes. The analysis highlights the key role of the regulator in creating a sharing framework with incentives for all the key stakeholders, with different operational and business requirements, and enabling scaling ecosystem. Increased system dynamics in spectrum sharing will introduce a need for big data analytics, near real time network management capabilities and low cost third tier general authorized access radios, leveraging dominant technology ecosystems. This study provides viewpoints for stakeholders about additional ingredients and actions, which may be relevant to promote spectrum sharing in the form of the CBRS. The concept of dynamic capabilities was found useful to analyze the sources of competitive advantage regarding CBRS spectrum sharing.
Abstract Innovative technologies often alter established value chains and make traditional strategic planning methods inadequate. In this paper, we present the use of scenario-based business modelling to explore the market for the fifth generation mobile communication networks (5G). We discuss four scenarios that have been developed in a collaborative effort among different actors in the market. We then describe the approach to build business models and discuss lessons learned and benefits from the novel approach. This approach complements traditional techniques through providing a powerful platform to integrate multi-dimensional change, from technology, regulation, value-chain dynamics, and value proposition evolution. We further conclude that the approach is particularly valuable in environments that are characterized by a high level of uncertainty and complexity.
Abstract The exponential growth of wireless services with diversity of devices and applications depending on connectivity has inspired the research community to come up with novel concepts to improve the efficiency of spectrum use. Recently, several spectrum sharing system concepts have been introduced and widely researched to cope with spectrum scarcity, though, to date, only a few have reached the policy and standardization phase. Moreover, only a subset of these concepts has gained industry interest with pre-commercial deployments and lucrative business model characteristics. This paper analyzes sharing economy business antecedent factors of the three topical regulatory approaches for spectrum sharing: global TV White Space (TVWS), Licensed Shared Access (LSA) from Europe, and Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) from the US. A comparison is made between these concepts to identify similarities and differences for developing a successful scalable sharing concept. Key factors for a sharing economy enabled scalable business model are introduced including platform, reduced need for the ownership, leverage of underutilized assets, adaptability to different policy regimes, trust, and value orientation. The results indicate that all analyzed sharing concepts meet basic requirements to scale, TVWS radically lowering entry barrier, LSA leveraging key existing assets and capabilities of mobile network operators, and CBRS extending the business model dynamics. The Sharing Economy provides a dynamic framework for analyzing and developing the spectrum sharing business models.
Abstract Enabling and empowering the diverse energy resources to have active yet efficient participation in the smart grid and energy market is an unrivaled challenge for the energy industry. This research expands the four dominant archetypes of business models in the energy and electricity market, creating a fifth archetype, the “blockchain marketplace”. The contributions of the study are to identify the extant electricity market designs and architectures as centralized and pseudo-decentralized while proposing a fully decentralized architecture enabled by the blockchain. The research contributes to the literature of smart grids and demand-side management and introduces the value configuration/architecture approach for the energy market and business model domains.
Abstract The purpose of this paper is to create a value-based business ecosystem model for fifth generation (5G) mobile communications networks. To achieve this goal, we first identified the value potential antecedents and opportunities for the actors in the 5G ecosystem. To do this, we conducted a workshop in which we selected nine experts from different parts of the 5G ecosystem and addressed business/services, technology and regulation viewpoints. We practiced action research as a foresight method and used visioning for creating entrepreneurial business opportunities. Applying the opportunities, we then created a framework composed of the 4C model (connection, content, context and commerce) and a technological-functional model that could illustrate the position of the actors and their specific value-based strategic activities (i.e. cooperation, competition and coopetition) in relation to each other. The created framework can be used by telecom companies to understand and analyze the overall image of the 5G ecosystem. So far, this kind of molding has not been exploited yet in the 5G context and can be developed into more complex and full details of actors and their coopetition strategies for further application.
Abstract Innovative technologies often alter established value chains and make traditional strategic planning methods inadequate. In this paper, we present the use of scenario-based business modelling to explore the market for the fifth generation mobile communication networks (5G). We discuss four scenarios that have been developed in a collaborative effort among different actors in the market. We then describe the approach to build business models and discuss lessons learned and benefits from the novel approach. This approach complements traditional techniques through providing a powerful platform to integrate multi-dimensional change, from technology, regulation, value-chain dynamics, and value proposition evolution. We further conclude that the approach is particularly valuable in environments that are characterized by a high level of uncertainty and complexity.
Abstract Business model literature has been focused on value co-creation and co-capture logic in understanding business models in the ecosystem. To understand the “Ex Ante” source of ecosystem-based value creation/capture, this paper proposes opportunity complementarity as a key antecedent and construct for the ecosystem-based value creation and capture in data-driven business ecosystems.
Abstract Local 5G networks have gained increasing attention in the recent years, allowing different stakeholders to establish local and often private networks within a specific facility, such as a factory. These local networks can serve a variety of user groups with versatile needs. The deployment of the local 5G networks is fully dependent on spectrum availability in the given location, which in turn depends on the underlaying regulations and varies for the different stakeholders involved and between countries. The link between emerging new business opportunities and the spectrum availability considering different stakeholders is of great interest from strategic management viewpoint. This paper presents an analysis of recent 5G spectrum awarding decisions considering how they connect with emerging local 5G networks from different stakeholder viewpoints. The analysis reveals how different countries have prepared for the new business opportunity arising from local 5G networks in their spectrum awarding decisions. The analysis also quantifies the spectrum availability for establishing local 5G networks considering different stakeholder perspectives. The findings indicate that the variety of approaches taken by the regulators in their spectrum decisions keeps increasing and new local spectrum licenses are emerging especially in the latest spectrum awards. The identified diverging approaches in different countries impact the business opportunities within the country as well as for export of solutions, which in turn can influence the competitiveness of countries differently.
Abstract Data and connectivity platforms play a key role in the digitalization of different sectors of our society. The availability of new services that are specialized to the needs of a given vertical sector in a specific location can significantly boost the business opportunities of that ecosystem. 5G in particular is aiming at offering new building blocks to digitalization by enabling fast exchange of increasing amounts of data between different entities. This paper presents a case study of the digitalization of a port which presents an intriguing example of future 5G platform ecosystems. We identify the key stakeholders of the port ecosystem and characterize their interactions in the current situation. We depict and analyze alternative configurations for connectivity and data platforms encompassing centralized, hybrid and fragmented approaches. Finally, we propose three consecutive steps for managing the service roadmap of the converged connectivity and data platforms in the port: fragmented data — fragmented connectivity phase, fragmented data — hybrid connectivity phase and the optimally hybrid data — optimally centralized connectivity phase.
Abstract Purpose: The fifth generation of mobile network technologies (5G) is expected to disrupt the mobile communications business ecosystem within several industrial verticals and open the market for new entrants. The local micro operator (uO) concept as new entrant into 5G business ecosystem is a disruptive innovation to boost local service delivery in indoor/small cell 5G environment. In this paper the authors focus on the Factory of the Future (FoF) sector as indoor/small cell 5G environment, where a large amount of machine type communication occurs. The purpose of this paper is to discover emerging business opportunities as alternative value configurations for uOs based on needs and resources of FoF. Design/methodology/approach: In this paper, the authors employ literature review and qualitative case study methodology. The authors provide an overview on the local 5G operator (uO) driven business ecosystem in search of alternative value configurations within the FoF context. Findings: The findings suggest that the main needs and resources of FoF are related to the Content layer of 4C-Internet Business models (IBMs). Moreover, Product Business, Component Business, Platform Business and Supplementary Business are identified as alternative value configuration for uOs within FoF context. The results indicate that a uO is able to undertake its duties in much more flexible ways than proposed distinct value creation means. Last but not least, the extended Resource configuration Framework is developed in which 4C- IBMs are included into model as well. Originality/value: There is only confined knowledge and very little earlier empirical studies in this field. The present study fills this gap with proposing practically applicable value configurations for 5G uOs within FoF context.
Abstract With digitalization and the emergence of disruptive technologies, organizations should re-structure their business models within their ecosystems to achieve sustainable revenue and value creation. This paper presents a business model configuration for ecosystem contexts by using the port ecosystem as an example. The paper concludes with the 4C business model typology and the role of players in the port ecosystem.
Abstract Future 5G networks aim at providing new high-quality wireless services to meet stringent and case-specific needs of various vertical sectors beyond traditional mobile broadband offerings. 5G is expected to disrupt the mobile communication business ecosystem and open the market to drastically new sharing based network operational models. 5G technical features of network slicing and small cell deployments in higher carrier frequencies will lower the investment barrier for new entrants to deploy local radio access networks and offer vertical specific services in specific areas and allow them lease the remaining required infrastructure on demand from mobile network operators (MNO) or infrastructure vendors. To realize the full vision of 5G to benefit the society and promote competition, innovation and emergence of new services when the 5G end-to-end network spans across different stakeholders administrative domains, the existing regulations governing the mobile communication business ecosystem are being refined. This paper provides a tutorial overview on how 5G innovations impact mobile communications and reviews the regulatory elements relevant to 5G development for locally deployed networks. This paper expands the recent micro licensing model for local spectrum authorization in future 5G systems and provides guidelines for the development of the key micro licensing elements. This local micro licensing model can open the mobile market by allowing different stakeholders to deploy local small cell networks with locally issued spectrum licenses ensuring pre-defined quality guarantees for the vertical sectors’ case specific needs.
Abstract Digitalisation is seen as a vehicle for restructuring practices of social and health care in Finland. A conceptual model of connected health has evolved over time focusing on bringing together individuals and health professionals by means of ‘eHealth’, ‘telecare’, ‘telemedicine’ or ‘telehealth’ services and data connected via the Internet of Things. Digital transformation has triggered the emergence of innovative connected health services, as well as novel business models in the health and healthcare sector. Additionally, current literature emphasises growing importance of ecosystems in advancing the connected health business. The main reason for this, the increased understanding of business ecosystems would allow companies to create coherent services that would be easier for patients and health professionals (e.g. doctors and nurses) to use. This paper aims to develop and present a conceptual model for business ecosystem for connected health by mapping service needs for healthcare in the future. For this research, we conducted 16 meetings/workshops related to business models and business ecosystems. We also involved different end-user groups in our research (seven doctor interviews, four workshops with nurses and digital discussions and workshops with 12 parents with sick children). This qualitative case study illustrates the construct of the Nordic Central Hospital test lab — an innovation ecosystem for connected health service providers. Alongside the broad service map, we demonstrate the logic of value flow between different layers of services in the ecosystem. From an originality perspective, this multidisciplinary paper focuses on the pediatric day surgery to check the scope of connected health, which has not been done before.
Abstract Data and connectivity platforms play a crucial role in the digitalization of different sectors of our society. In complex industrial multi-stakeholder ecosystem contexts connectivity and data platforms are increasingly becoming converged, and private, vertical-specific local 5G networks are emerging. For this context, we depict and analyze alternative configurations for converging connectivity and data platforms and propose appropriate management actions for combining these platforms and achieving legitimacy. We examine a complex industrial multi-stakeholder ecosystem of a port and observe that in the considered case study, the convergence of connectivity and data platforms enhances digitalization and helps to create shared local information between stakeholders. The research identifies a set of regulatory challenges for local 5G networks in complex industrial multi-stakeholder ecosystems where the telecommunication and information technology-related regulations meet with vertical-specific regulations, leading to a complex environment in which to operate. As highly country-specific, these regulations can open new business opportunities or significantly slow down or even prevent a market opening to local private 5G networks for vertical-specific use.
Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) techniques and algorithms are increasingly being utilized in energy and renewable research to tackle various engineering problems. However, a majority of the AI studies in the energy domain have been focusing on solving specific technical issues. There is limited discussion on how AI can be utilized to enhance the energy system operations, particularly the electricity market, with a holistic view. The purpose of the study is to introduce the platform architectural logic that encompasses both technical and economic perspectives to the development of AI-enabled energy platforms for the future electricity market with massive and distributed renewables. A constructive and inductive approach for theory building is employed for the concept proposition of the AI energy platform by using the aggregated data from a European Union (EU) Horizon 2020 project and a Finnish national innovation project. Our results are presented as a systemic framework and high-level representation of the AI-enabled energy platform design with four integrative layers that could enable not only value provisioning but also value utilization for a distributed energy system and electricity market as the new knowledge and contribution to the extant research. Finally, the study discusses the potential use cases of the AI-enabled energy platform.
Abstract A business ecosystem supports relationships between its stakeholders. Although it has been recognized that ecosystem stakeholders neither solely compete, nor collaborate, but rather co-develop their capabilities, empirically-based research evidence on this interactive co-development in ecosystems remains scarce. The interaction among ecosystem stakeholders is approached from the business model perspective. Accordingly, this article builds on business model literature, and on empirical data gathered within an emerging connected health ecosystem. This article conceptualizes business models as dynamic capabilities that enable ecosystemic and symbiotic interaction through opportunity exploration and exploitation, value creation and capture, and, advantage exploration and exploitation. This article argues that co-developing business models through sensing, seizing and transforming is a key enabler for ecosystem’s success and sustainability.
Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging to become a highly potential enabling technology for smart buildings. However, the development of AI applications quite often follows a traditional, closed, and product-oriented approach. This study aims to introduce the platform model and ecosystem thinking to the development of AI-enabled smart buildings. The study identifies the needs for a user-oriented digital service ecosystem and business model in the smart building sector in Finland, which aimed to facilitate the launch of scalable businesses and an experiential and dynamic business ecosystem. A multi-method, interpretive case study was applied in the focal ecosystem, with the leading real estate and facility management operators in Northern Europe as part of a Finnish national innovation project. Our results propose an extended comprehensive framework of the 5C ecosystemic model (Connection, Content, Computation, Context, and Commerce) and the possible paths of ecosystem players in the domain of smart building and smart built environment, both theoretically and empirically. The platform-oriented business models are missing, yet desired, by the ecosystem actors. The value chain and ecosystem platforms imply the quest for new (platform) models. Finally, our research discusses the need for new value-chain- and ecosystem-oriented AI development and big data platforms in the future.
Abstract Purpose: This paper aims to focus on the influences of the COVID-19 pandemic on business-to-business (B2B) firms’ relationship initiation and customer relationship management in an under-explored and unique context of high-tech industrial microenterprises. The authors analyze the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the specific context of B2B relationship initiation and customer relationship management dynamics by examining Finnish B2B industrial microenterprises. Design/methodology/approach: The paper uses exploratory in-depth case studies undertaken in three Finnish industrial microenterprises to analyze the influences of the COVID-19 pandemic on their new business relationship initiation and relationship management with the current customers. Findings: The case firms quickly adjusted to the “new normal” and used a number of technological resources, including online meetings and three-dimensional demonstrations, among others. A key reason for this quick adjustment was them being microenterprises. However, despite this, lack of access to customer sites remained a hindrance as their products need to fit certain production processes, which cannot be done without physical visits. Furthermore, the development of trust with new customers, especially those based in emerging markets, was challenging due to the lack of physical meetings and site visits. Research limitations/implications: The research highlights the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to B2B relationships and gives an account of the changing dynamics of relationship initiation and customer relationship management amid technological and societal disruptions. It also highlights the continued role of personal relationships and psychical meetings in such relationships. As such, the research informs B2B research that examines the role of personal relationships in B2B marketing. Practical implications: The study offers industrial microenterprise executives insights into how to face and tackle COVID-19 driven challenges in B2B customer relationship management and how to integrate technological tools in relationship management practices while understanding where face-to-face meetings are indispensable. Originality/value: The study demonstrates areas in which virtual tools can and cannot be substitutes for conventional means of B2B relationship initiation and customer relationship management across developed and emerging markets. It also highlights the specificities of industrial microenterprises and their business development and customer relationship management dynamics mechanisms, a research area that has been rather ignored by prior studies.
Abstract Digitalisation lays the groundwork for the emergence of novel business models taking advantage of modern technologies. Simultaneously, the new business models face an array of legitimacy challenges. This paper proposes an integrated framework for studying legitimacy challenges through the lens of managerial choices and consequences of the business model at the ecosystemic level. It combines and elaborates on essential legitimacy aspects connected to digitalisation, reflecting on stakeholders at the business, individual and ecosystemic level. The value of the paper is based on providing a comprehensive and ecosystemic view of studying the legitimacy challenges connected to the platform, data, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Abstract Business model literature has evolved around descriptions of legal entities, which is not sufficient to describe the business ecosystem as an experiential and living entity. This paper proposes a new business model, the contextualized business model (CBM) for an experiential, empathic and digital ecosystem empowering artificial intelligence.
Abstract This chapter is one of the rare academic studies focusing on the business sector of services for mineral exploration from the perspective of applicability of circular business models in the quest for sustainability. Even though the mineral exploration sector cannot be made fully circular; there are many aspects in it, where “circularness” can be incorporated by following the CBM logic. Along with offering conceptual and theorical discussion, the current chapter highlights one specific project, MinExTarget—Enhanced Use of Heavy Mineral Chemistry in Exploration Targeting, which is a consortium of partners from industry and academia in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Poland, as a good example depicting the potential of applying of CBMs in the mineral exploration sector particularly. We specifically highlight the role of value-capture and value-transfer in the potential applicability of CBM in this specific sector. Finally, our chapter presents both implications as well as limitations associated with the applicability of CBM.
Abstract Typically, people have a misconception about blockchain as they associate this technology with cryptocurrency. This chapter does not focus, however, on bitcoin or cryptocurrencies that pertain to its intrinsic value. Rather, the authors focus on the disintermediation feature of blockchain technology by providing insights into how this technology could substitute for the functions and roles of the intermediary. The findings show that blockchain technology is not equipped with financing and physical distribution functions. The current research further demonstrates that most of the blockchain service providers that are listed in the Liechtenstein Blockchain Act are required to perform the traditional roles of an intermediary. Thus, blockchain technology is not found to support a full concept of disintermediation. This chapter is vital in order for existing intermediaries to gain a deeper understanding of how to analyze and optimize their existing functions and roles while adjusting their business model in the token-based economy.
Abstract Future digital society depends heavily on timely availability of high quality wireless connectivity the offering of which today is dominated by mobile network operators (MNOs). Future 5G systems aim at connecting billions of devices to serve versatile location and case specific needs of vertical sectors in parallel with the provisioning of traditional mobile broadband services. As the majority of mobile traffic originates from indoors, cost-efficient and fast deployment of new indoor small cell networks is fundamental, which calls for new developments in regulation and technology to enable new business. This paper proposes the concept of micro operators (uO) for local service delivery in 5G to build indoor small cell communication infrastructure and offer context related services and content. Key elements of the new micro operator concept are introduced including regulation-related factors of local spectrum access rights, and technology-related factors of flexible network implementation. Several business opportunities are identified for the uO concept including the provisioning of hosted local connectivity to all MNOs in specific locations, operation of secure networks for vertical sector specific use, and offering of locally tailored content and services.
Abstract This paper applies an integrative, futures-oriented action research methodology to explore the antecedents of future 6G mobile communications ecosystems. Based on extant ecosystem research, the paper develops a conceptual framework to depict and analyze mobile communications ecosystems. The developed framework is used for analyzing future 6G mobile communications ecosystems by looking at ecosystem contingencies, structures, process, goals, and outcomes, and it briefly discusses the key transformations anticipated for 6G mobile ecosystems. The results indicate that 6G will bring about fundamental structural changes to the mobile ecosystem, calls for novel models of ecosystem governance and regulation that highlight privacy, security, environmental sustainability and societal resilience.
Abstract Sustainability has entered all aspects of life, calling for an active approach from the wireless and mobile communications community to help in solving fundamental challenges facing societies. Societal, economic, and environmental aspects of sustainability have become increasingly important design criteria in developing future technologies, along with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) framework that sets specific goals and targets to be achieved by 2030. The role of mobile communications is important in supporting nations and organizations in meeting the UN SDGs in a timely manner, but the whole ICT sector itself, with its critical role as the backbone of society, can create a significant sustainability burden. Research on the next-generation mobile communication networks (6G) has started, aiming at first deployments in 2030, in a new era where sustainability defines its development. Therefore, sustainability, especially through the UN SDGs, and the future 6G wireless networks, cannot be treated in isolation, but a clear connection between them is urgently needed. This paper extends from traditional green communications and energy efficiency considerations in wireless communications to establishing a close connection between 6G and the triple bottom line of economic sustainability, societal sustainability, and environmental sustainability. The paper outlines open research challenges for sustainable 6G development and provides a set of research questions encouraging especially the researchers and engineers in the wireless and mobile communications community to address to realize a sustainable future.