Business models in tourism – state of the art

2019 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 1120-1134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Reinhold ◽  
Florian J. Zach ◽  
Dejan Krizaj

Purpose This paper aims to review the state of the art for the Tourism Review special issue on “Business Models in Tourism”. The authors’ purpose is twofold: first, to contextualize the empirical and conceptual contributions featured in the special issue in relation to the state of research on business models in tourism. Second, the authors position the special issue in the broader scholarly conversation on business models to identify avenues for future research. Design/methodology/approach The authors systematically review the content of tourism-specific business model studies from leading literature databases to answer four questions relevant for future work on business models in tourism: First, how do tourism scholars define the business model concept? Second, what is the ontological stance (object, schema or tool) of existing studies of tourism business models? Third, what are the methodological preferences of existing work on business models in tourism? And finally, what qualifies as rigorous business model research? Findings From the critical review of 32 contributions, the authors identify a minimal consensus and dominant approach to conceptualizing the business model concept in tourism studies. In addition, the authors reveal a strong preference for small-n case study research designs. In sum, those findings point to important gaps and design decisions for future business model studies in tourism. Originality/value This review of the state of research on business models in tourism details research opportunities with regard to theory, methods and applications that tourism scholars can investigate to contribute to the theory and practice of business model management.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Phuc Hong Huynh

PurposeDigital innovation and circular business model innovation are two critical enablers of a circular economy. A wide variety of digital technologies such as blockchain, 3D printing, cyber-physical systems, or big data also diverges the applications of digital technologies in circular business models. Given heterogeneous attributes of circular business models and digital technologies, the selections of digital technologies and circular business models might be highly distinctive within and between sectorial contexts. This paper examines digital circular business models in the context of the fashion industry and its multiple actors. This industry as the world’s second polluting industry requires an urgent circular economy (CE) transition with less resource consumption, lower waste emissions and a more stable economy.Design/methodology/approachAn inductive, exploratory multiple-case study method is employed to investigate the ten cases of different sized fashion companies (i.e. large, small medium-sized firm (SME) and startup firms). The comparison across cases is conducted to understand fashion firms' distinct behaviours in adopting various digital circular economy strategies.FindingsThe paper presents three archetypes of digital-based circular business models in the fashion industry: the blockchain-based supply chain model, the service-based model and the pull demand-driven model. Besides incremental innovations, the radical business model and digital innovations as presented in the pull demand-driven model may be crucial to the fashion circular economy transition. The pull demand–driven model may shift the economy from scales to scopes, change the whole process of how the fashion items are forecasted, produced, and used, and reform consumer behaviours. The paths of adopting digital fashion circular business models are also different among large, SMEs and startup fashion firms.Practical implicationsThe study provides business managers with empirical insights on how circular business models (CBMs) should be chosen according to intrinsic business capacities, technological competences and CE strategies. The emerging trends of new fashion markets (e.g. rental, subscription) and consumers' sustainable awareness should be not be neglected. Moreover, besides adopting recycling and reuse strategies, large fashion incumbents consider collaborating with other technology suppliers and startup companies to incubate more radical innovations.Social implicationsAppropriate policies and regulations should be enacted to enable the digital CE transition. Market patterns and consumer acceptances are considered highly challenging to these digital fashion models. A balanced policy on both the demand and supply sides are suggested. The one-side policy may fail CBMs that entail an upside-down collaboration of both producers and consumers. Moreover, it is perhaps time to rethink how to reduce unnecessary new demand rather than repeatedly producing and recycling.Originality/valueThe pace of CE research is lagging far behind the accelerating environmental contamination by the fashion industry. The study aims to narrow the gap between theory and practice to harmonise fashion firms' orchestration and accelerate the transition of the fashion industry towards the CE. This study examines diverse types of digital technologies in different circular business models in a homogeneous context of the fashion industry with heterogeneous firm types.


2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 55-91
Author(s):  
Brenda Nansubuga ◽  
Christian Kowalkowski

PurposeFollowing the recent surge in research on carsharing, the paper synthesizes this growing literature to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current state of research and to identify directions for future work. Specifically, this study details implications for service theory and practice.Design/methodology/approachSystematic selection and analysis of 279 papers from the existing literature, published between 1996 and 2020.FindingsThe literature review identified four key themes: business models, drivers and barriers, customer behavior, and vehicle balancing.Practical implicationsFor managers, the study illuminates the importance of collaboration among stakeholders within the automotive sector for purposes of widening their customer base and maximizing utilization and profits. For policy makers, their important role in supporting carsharing take-off is highlighted with emphasis on balancing support rendered to different mobility services to promote mutual success.Originality/valueThis is the first systematic multi-disciplinary literature review of carsharing. It integrates insights from transportation, environmental, and business studies, identifying gaps in the existing research and specifically suggesting implications for service research.


2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 403-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Guercini ◽  
Matilde Milanesi

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the defining characteristics of the extreme luxury fashion business model (ELFBM) and the relationship between this business model and the process of firm internationalization. The paper examines the potentially positive outcomes of differences and distances in the internationalization process of extreme luxury fashion companies. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents and discusses the data collected during a five-year case analysis of an Italian luxury company. The main characteristics of the business model are identified in terms of products, manufacturing and sourcing, distribution channels, marketing communications and overall characteristics of consumers. The internationalization process is described, with a focus on the Russian market as an emblematic case, highlighting the role of distances – geographic, psychic and cultural – and liabilities, namely foreignness and outsidership in the international expansion of the firm. Findings The findings of this paper highlight the main features and specific traits of the ELFBM characterized by a global and unique approach to the offer. This business model has in its origin the demand from certain foreign markets, and the elements of the country of origin of the firms coexist and are enhanced by the presence of specific characteristics of the destination countries in terms of niche consumers with economic and cultural characteristics and a strong perception of “Made in” and luxury goods. Originality/value The paper contributes to previous studies on the relationships between business models and internationalization. It provides a framework for the “ELFBM,” in which internationalization is a constitutive element of a specific business model rather than a strategy for a business model already defined. Examining the positive side of differences and distances in the internationalization process of firms adopting such business model, the paper contributes to the international business theory and practice. It also expands research on luxury fashion defining an international company which is under-investigated, the extreme luxury fashion company, and the elements that constitute its business model.


2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-269
Author(s):  
Jadranka Musulin ◽  
Vjeran Strahonja

The business model concept emerged in theory and practice without a consensus on the understanding of the concept, but it has become a well accepted and useful construct in fields such as strategy, organization, information systems and technology. This paper aims to provide an overview of the research on the use of business models focusing on outstanding works in this field, extracting main converging findings unburdened of extant lists of specific citations. Following the overview, a comparison of the seven respective conceptual frameworks of the business model research is presented. Finally, after determining grounds, the business model concept is linked to related complex concept – enterprise architecture.


2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 712-735 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Batocchio ◽  
Antonio Ghezzi ◽  
Andrea Rangone

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify and discuss the reasons why business models fail, while also identifying the features necessary to develop a method that enables the evaluation of the implementation process of the business model, and is able to help in its development. Design/methodology/approach – The proposed method (roadmap for implementation of business models – RIBM) is composed of nine steps, and seven initials conditions (limitations). Such conditions reduce its complexity (e.g. performance management system is defined in the company). Findings – Some reasons why business models fail (alignment between value proposition and customer segment (value proposition); business model financial viability (costs and revenue); environmental constraints not fully integrated with the design of the business model (environment); business model execution (management), etc.) and made some considerations about the implementation of business models. Research limitations/implications – This work was developed in a small business (with a small team and the external member). The business complexity level and number of processes involved are much smaller when compared with a mid-size or large company. Another factor that contributed to mitigating the problem is that the enterprise had a well-structured report once the owners had made annual analysis and discussed how to improve and expand the business. Practical implications – In this application, RIBM showed a potential tool to minimize flaws in implementation processes of business models. Originality/value – The business model concept is relatively new in the literature. And because of its strategic importance has been the target of all major schools in the area. This work, in particular, deals with the question-related failures that occur in the process of implementing business models.


2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Volker Frehe ◽  
Jens Mehmann ◽  
Frank Teuteberg

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the nature and characteristics of crowd logistics business models. Using this evaluation, a new concept for a sustainable implementation of crowd logistics services is proposed. Design/methodology/approach The Design Science process was followed to develop the proposed crowd logistics business model concept. The data are derived from expert interviews and a document-based data analysis of 13 companies. Findings Four relevant steps that companies should follow to implement sustainable crowd logistics services are identified. Open research questions are also identified and guide five research tasks, which may lead to a greater understanding of this emerging field. Research limitations/implications The present research is based on data from companies operating in Germany. The holistic approach gives a broad overview but lacks detailed descriptions. Practical implications Managers can use the four steps and the crowd logistics business model concept to plan future activities (e.g. new service provision). These steps increase the understanding, awareness and knowledge of opportunities and risks of specific crowd logistics services. Social implications This paper provides initial insights into social changes in terms of drivers for the use of crowd logistics services. However, further research is needed to capture the social implications in detail. Originality/value Crowd logistics is an emerging concept, and this paper is one of the first dealing with this topic generally and the first providing an analysis of crowd logistics business models. The developed concept includes implications for practice in the forms of common, and best practices, and science in the form of open research questions and tasks. Overall, the present research provides new insights into this emerging topic.


2017 ◽  
Vol 72 (4) ◽  
pp. 462-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Reinhold ◽  
Florian J. Zach ◽  
Dejan Krizaj

Purpose Business models and the business model concept have become a fixture of scholarly and managerial attention. With a focus on how actors create, capture and disseminate value, business model research holds the promise to inform the tourism sector’s search for ways to innovate and change outdated business practices. Yet, the concept has inspired little research tackling the contingencies of the tourism context. The purpose of this paper is to address this gap in this review and research agenda on business models in tourism. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, the authors review and synthesize contributions from publications in EBSCO, Emerald Insight, ProQuest and Science Direct databases, that make explicit use of the business model concept in tourism (anytime up to September 2016). We conceptualize the identified articles as a coherent body of knowledge on business models in tourism with the objective of identifying common themes that characterize existing contributions. Findings From the review of 28 qualified articles, the authors identify four emergent themes: sector-specific configurations, the role of different value types, design themes for consistency and regulatory contingencies. These themes inform three domains in which the authors present avenues for tourism-specific studies on business models, as well as their management and innovation that the authors position in relation to the general business model literature. Originality/value This review details how researchers across disciplines conceptualize the business model. Together with the identified directions for further research, this literature review thus establishes a common conceptual basis and stock of knowledge for the study of business models in tourism research.


2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 338-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovana Sordi Schiavi ◽  
Ariel Behr

Purpose This paper aims to conduct a review on disruptive business models. Considering that competition among companies will not only happen through new products, services or technologies but also through innovative business models, the disruptive business models arise to replace the existing business models, adapting the organizational structures to the products and services offered and emphasizing the proposition of unique value. Design/methodology/approach The literature on this topic was revised, allowing the obtaining of the state of the art and the construction of a research agenda. The analyzed literature was obtained from systematic searches by the term disruptive business model in some databases. For the analysis of the data, the content analysis strategy was used through categorizations in the material exploration phase, and, later, for the processing of the results, the authors made use of inference and interpretation regarding the content analyzed. Findings The collected literature made it possible to obtain a set of data formed by different views of authors on disruptive business models, which was analyzed and categorized to make new inferences and interpretations. Originality/value Considering that the literature on the disruptive process of business models is emerging and addressing an important phenomenon in the market that lacks the theoretical basis to sustain it, this paper contributes by presenting a consolidated examination on this subject, thus deepening the theoretical analyzes on this topic and reducing this lack in the literature. This study also presents a research agenda, which clarifies the disruptive business model gap and reveals some opportunities for future empirical researches.


2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nezameddin Faghih ◽  
Banafsheh Dastourian ◽  
Seyyed Mojtaba Sajadi ◽  
Andres Henten ◽  
Pantea Foroudi

Purpose The purpose of this study is to help gain an accurate and distinct understanding of information-based business concepts and critical steps in designing an appropriate business model, by providing a framework for designing an innovative information-based business to help fledgling businesses development in the information and communication technology (ICT) industry of Iran. What is a business model framework with the strategic innovation approach in the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of ICT industry? What are the components of this model and the relations between them? Business model is a logical response to how a business can create value. Changing business environment means that business models are rapidly growing; accordingly, innovation is no longer optional. However, innovation is important in general, but the kind of innovation that is widely and directly dependent on business model will be quite critical for all parts of the organization. In fact, business model innovation is an exquisite technic to create, deliver and earn value by changing one or more components of a typical business model. Business model innovation needs information and form business environment based on dynamic information system. Design/methodology/approach The present paper focuses upon SMEs in ICT. Grounded theory has been used for this purpose, with 15 interviews conducted. Findings An emerging market is one in which commercial exchanges of a particular industry between the countries are relatively new but possess great investment attractiveness and a high potential to grow (such as Iran).As the ICT industry of Iran is a leading industry, and the country itself is an emerging market, the main purpose of this study is to provide a framework for designing an innovative information-based business to help fledgling businesses development in the ICT industry of Iran. Originality/value The purpose of this paper is to help accurate and distinct understanding of the business model concept and critical steps in designing an appropriate business model. Studies conducted to simultaneously deal with the business model and strategic innovations are few, and by the time the proposal was written, there was no research observed from Persian sources.


2019 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 1135-1152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Reinhold ◽  
Pietro Beritelli ◽  
Rouven Grünig

PurposeThe need and legitimacy of destination management organizations (DMOs) are increasingly questioned. Still, the tourism literature provides little advice on how DMOs change and finance their activities for the benefit of their destination-given contextual change. This conceptual article aims to contribute to filling this gap. The authors do so by proposing a typology of business models for destination management organizations.Design/methodology/approachWith the help of typological reasoning, the authors develop a new framework of DMO business model ideal types. To this end, the authors draw on extant literature on business model typologies and identify key dimensions of DMO business models from the tourism literature.FindingsThe challenges DMOs face, as discussed in the tourism literature, relate to both ends of their business model: On the one end, the value creation side, the perceived value of the activities they traditionally pursue has been declining; on the other end, the value capture side, revenue streams are less plentiful or attached to more extensive demands. On the basis of two dimensions, configurational complexity and perceived control, the authors identify four distinct ideal types of DMO business models: the destination factory, destination service center, value orchestrator and value enabler.Originality/valueThe authors outline a “traditional” DMO business model that stands in contrast to existing DMO classifications and that relates DMO challenges to the business model concept. The typology provides an integrated description of how DMO business models may be positioned to create and capture value for the organization and the destination(s) it serves. The ideal types point to important interdependencies of specific business model design choices.


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