Internet Business Models And Strategies

This book draws on research to develop and integrate a framework to help students understand factors that surround a firm's performance and the central role that business models play in the face of the Internet.

Internet Business Models rigorously analyzes the different business models employed by Internet companies. The book examines eight Internet business models: access providers, portals, content providers, retailers, brokers, market makers, networked utility providers, and application service providers. Each chapter describes the value proposition offered by companies that pursue a given model; the factors that drive their revenues, costs, and profits; and the key strategy decisions that confront companies pursuing the model, e.g., whether to pursue aggressive growth strategies; whether to diversify. Supporting each chapter are case studies (23 total) of Internet companies written during 1999/2000 by professors at the Harvard Business School.

While the web itself is about twenty years old, businesses are still impleme- ing the technology into the fabric of the business model. The background section will focus on defining the building blocks for the framework including defining the basic components of Web 1. 0 which focused on the presence and business transaction. The Web 2. 0 section will focus on defining the basic building blocks of customer interactions, while the final section will focus on a review the wine industry. 2. 1 Web 1. 0: Presence and Electronic Commerce The term Web 1. 0 emerged from the research around the development of Web 2. 0. Prior to this, researchers commonly referred to Web 1. 0 as Electronic C- merce or E-Business. Where as, web 1. 0 focused on a read only web interface, Web 2. 0 focuses on a read-write interface where value emerges from the contri- tion of a large volume of users. The Internet initially focused on the command and control of the information itself. Information was controlled by a relative small number of resources but distributed to a large number which spawned the massive growth of the web itself. Like television before it, the web allowed for the broadcasting of information to a large number of users. Initial web sites were built simply to communicate presence or provide information on the business - self. This component includes information like marketing materials, investor re- tions, employment opportunities, and product information.

Online business has been growing progressively and has become the major business platform within the past two decades. The internet bulldozed the development of new business models and innovations that substantially changed the way businesses run today. This led to a growth of advanced technologies used in online business such as data analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. With higher internet connectivity and the exponential growth of mobile devices, shopping processes and behaviors were significantly affected as people are consistently connected online. Consumers can easily gain helpful product information and retail competitor information in myriad online channels. This led to a profound effect on businesses where they began to invest in new technologies and business practices that aim to align with the effects of globalization. Given the rapid technology advancements, both businesses and customers are presently experiencing an exponential upsurge in the implementation of new business processes and models. Impact of Globalization and Advanced Technologies on Online Business Models explores the ever-changing field of running an online busines and presents the current issues and challenges in online business triggered by global shifts in the online environment and technological changes. The chapters draw from a wide range of technologies used in today’s digital marketplace as well as recent development and empirical researches on online consumer behavior. As such, this book aims to contribute new dimensions in managing advancements in online business triggered by global and technology transformation. This book is ideal for executives, managers, IT consultants, practitioners, researchers, academicians, and students interested in globalization and the new technologies affecting online business models.

The spread of the Internet into all areas of business activities has put a particular focus on business models. The digitalization of business processes is the driver of changes in company strategies and management practices alike. This textbook provides a structured and conceptual approach, allowing students and other readers to understand the commonalities and specifics of the respective business models. The book begins with an overview of the business model concept in general by presenting the development of business models, analyzing definitions of business models and discussing the significance of the success of business model management. In turn, Chapter 2 offers insights into and explanations of the business model concept and provides the underlying approaches and ideas behind business models. Building on these foundations, Chapter 3 outlines the fundamental aspects of the digital economy. In the following chapters the book examines various core models in the business to consumer (B2C) context. The chapters follow a 4-C approach that divides the digital B2C businesses into models focusing on content, commerce, context and connection. Each chapter describes one of the four models and provides information on the respective business model types, the value chain, core assets and competencies as well as a case study. Based on the example of Google, Chapter 8 merges these approaches and describes the development of a hybrid digital business model. Chapter 9 is dedicated to business-to-business (B2B) digital business models. It shows how companies focus on business solutions such as online provision of sourcing, sales, supportive collaboration and broker services. Chapter 10 shares insight into the innovation aspect of digital business models, presenting structures and processes of digital business model innovation. The book is rounded out by a comprehensive case study on Google/Alphabet that combines all aspects of digital business models. Conceived as a textbook for students in advanced undergraduate courses, the book will also be useful for professionals and practitioners involved in business model innovation, and applied researchers.

Finally, a book comes along that provides a unique yet simple and powerful approach to understand the business model and the critical role strategic management has in supporting it. Its value is in business model thinking. It brings you a combination of the best contributions of academe and industry that will help build business model-centric organizations. Inside, you’ll learn about strategy from a business model perspective. What does that mean? It means that you’ll first have to think rigorously about your value proposition; your current or future competencies; and your revenue streams and cost structure before developing, adopting, or modifying your strategies. What is the difference between a business model and a strategy? A business model is how a company operates, and a strategy is how a company competes. When the basis of competition changes because a new model disrupts the economics in the industry, it requires an adjustment in business models before any new strategy can work. This book adds a business model level to the traditional strategic management process that is more consistent with current “real-world” practices in strategic thinking and analysis. It takes you deeper into the intricacies of what constitutes a business model and how current strategy derives from it, and offers 7 modules that will show you the key components to manage your business model, to help conduct business model analysis, and to assess the financial viability of a business model, just to name a few.

Digital transformation is not about technology--it's about change. In the rapidly changing digital economy, you can't succeed by merely tweaking management practices that led to past success. And yet, while many leaders and managers recognize the threat from digital--and the potential opportunity--they lack a common language and compelling framework to help them assess it and guide them in responding. They don't know how to think about their digital business model. In this concise, practical book, MIT digital research leaders Peter Weill and Stephanie Woerner provide a powerful yet straightforward framework that has been field-tested globally with dozens of senior management teams. Based on years of study at the MIT Center for Information Systems Research (CISR), the authors find that digitization is moving companies' business models on two dimensions: from value chains to digital ecosystems, and from a fuzzy understanding of the needs of end customers to a sharper one. Looking at these dimensions in combination results in four distinct business models, each with different capabilities. The book then sets out six driving questions, in separate chapters, that help managers and executives clarify where they are currently in an increasingly digital business landscape and highlight what's needed to move toward a higher-value digital business model. Filled with straightforward self-assessments, motivating examples, and sharp financial analyses of where profits are made, this smart book will help you tackle the threats, leverage the opportunities, and create winning digital strategies.