Two archetypes of business model innovation processes for manufacturing firms in the context of digital transformation

Florian Rummel, Stefan Hüsig, Stefanie Steinhauser
2021 R & D Management  
The digital transformation is forcing manufacturing firms to innovate beyond new products and services and to develop their digital business model innovation (BMI) processes in order to stay competitive. This study explores how the innovation processes of manufacturing firms can be designed in order to develop novel business models to address the challenges of digitalization. The study uses a multiple-case study approach, where data on BMI processes was collected in six manufacturing firms. The
more » ... results show that the design of BMI processes in the digital age differs conceptually between B2C and B2B manufacturing firms. While BMI processes in B2C firms follow a semi-structured approach that considers experimentation, process models in B2B firms show similarities with a new product development (NPD) hybrid model comprising stage-gate methods and agility. This new typology aims to structure the heterogeneity of BMI process models described in the literature. Finally, this study proposes two archetype process models for digital BMI for B2C and B2B firms with specific digital process characteristics that manufacturing firms could consider when designing a BMI process in the context of digital transformation without reinventing the wheel over and over again.
doi:10.1111/radm.12514 fatcat:ws2e4cfehfgbfhho6vvwi5drp4