A business model may seem like a straightforward concept. But the term has shifted and changed over time. Today, if a company is incapable of creating an innovative and flexible business model, that could be its downfall.
Today, technology and innovation are the main players in how successful businesses are run and reinvented. With an explosive amount of information available through big data and the resources provided by digital tech, companies can more easily create and continue to capture value for stakeholders.
Businesses that want to start and stay at the cutting edge use design thinking, strategy, and continuous, fearless change in their business models. Some of the most successful businesses today are those that have reinvented the model, disrupting the industry that was and creating the kind of value customers are looking for in the digital era.
What is a business model?
Does a business model have a simple definition? Yes and no. Business models are the logic behind a company, but the concept can be framed in many different ways. And today, the way the idea has been reframed is inspiring the business owners and CEOs of companies from startups to well-established multinationals.
In his book The New, New Thing, Michael Lewis explains that the business model has been thought of as simply the way a business plans to make money. Expanding upon this idea, Peter Drucker talks about the business concept in terms of flexible assumptions about what a company will and will not do: what they get paid for; markets, customers, and competitors; values and behaviors; technology; and a company’s strengths and weaknesses. Joan Magretta adds that a business model is basically a story about how the company will operate, including the activities involved in making and selling a product or service.
Alex Osterwalder offers a simplified format for thinking about these hypotheses adopted by startups and established businesses alike, called the business model canvas. This business map is a one-page template that includes space for designing, discussing, and reinventing business models. The nine building blocks included are customer segments, value propositions, channels for delivering value, customer relationships, revenue streams, key resources, activities and partners, and cost structure. The idea of having everything mapped out on one page enables forward-thinking leaders to keep things light and flexible in order to invent or innovatively reiterate their business models as situations change and evolve.
Types of business models and tech
Business models have been transformed by technology. Interconnectivity, globalization, and a digital, tech-driven world have all allowed innovative thinkers to rethink traditional models in sectors from travel to retail.
One example of an age-old business model that has been transformed by tech is the platform business model. In the simplest terms, this model brings buyers and sellers together in one space. An in-person marketplace, auction house, or shopping mall are examples of this model that have been around for decades or even centuries. But digital tech has meant these platforms are no longer confined by time and space. Technology has allowed innovative business owners to use this type of model to create enormous digital networks enabling participation and collaboration across the globe. Some of the most successful companies today, including Airbnb, WhatsApp, Facebook, Google, and Alibaba, are examples of reinvented platform business models that use tech to their advantage.
The global business model is another example of one which has been inspired by technology. These models focus on producing and selling globally in a short period of time, relying on the fast pace of globalization and interconnectivity to thrive. The clothing brands Mango and Desigual are good examples of successful models based on selling to small target segments globally in order to achieve economy of scale, in a way that is only possible in a globalized world.
Interconnectivity and the digital world has also led to the availability of big data, allowing businesses to make sure they are offering the goods and services customers are actually looking for. The “seeking-excellence” business model depends on creating innovative products or services that consumers didn’t even know they wanted. The most disruptive thinkers today can use big data to analyze trends and find new value propositions that reinvent the business model—like Apple did with the iPod and iTunes store in the early 2000s.
Inspiring business models that have broken the status quo
Airbnb is one of the most disruptive businesses of the digital era. Founded by a couple of young startupers in 2008, it is the result of a recognized opportunity (when no hotel rooms were available in San Francisco during a conference held in the city), and the technology capable of connecting hosts and renters from around the globe.
As they put it on their About Us page, “Airbnb uniquely leverages technology to economically empower millions of people around the world to unlock and monetize their spaces, passions, and talents to become hospitality entrepreneurs.” It is a sharing-economy-based business, eliminating the overhead of owning the rooms that are rented out, like traditional hotels do. And its platform business model—which uses advances in digital tech to create networks that continuously improve—has allowed the business to boom around the world.
Uber is at the top of the list as another example of a business that has taken an existing business model and reinvented the wheel. By looking at how a current business model—taxis—could be improved, Uber was able to take a share of a preexisting market using a disruptive, tech-based model for grabbing a ride.
Now they have expanded and continue to grow through reiterations of their model, including Uber Eats for food delivery; Uber Freight offering shipping services; Uber Health providing rides for patients and healthcare providers; and even technology groups working towards self-driving vehicles and shared air transportation.
In the fast-paced digital world, innovation is a key element of any business model. Executives and CEOs are not responsible for maintaining the status quo defined in one iteration of the business model, but rather for experimenting, learning, and continuously improving to stay ahead of the competition.
Mfano wa biashara waweza kuonekana kuwa wazo la moja kwa moja. Lakini neno hilo limebadilika kadiri wakati unavyopita. Leo, ikiwa kampuni haiwezi kuunda mtindo wa biashara wa ubunifu na rahisi, hiyo inaweza kuwa kuanguka kwake. Leo, teknolojia na uvumbuzi ni wachezaji wakuu katika jinsi biashara zinazofanikiwa zinaendeshwa na kuanzishwa upya. Kwa kiasi kikubwa cha habari inayopatikana kupitia data kubwa na rasilimali zinazotolewa na teknolojia ya dijiti, kampuni zinaweza kuunda kwa urahisi na kuendelea kupata thamani kwa wadau. Biashara ambazo zinataka kuanza na kubaki katika makali ya kukata hutumia mawazo ya kubuni, mkakati, na mabadiliko ya kuendelea, ya ujasiri katika mifano yao ya biashara. Baadhi ya biashara zilizofanikiwa zaidi leo ni zile ambazo zimebadilisha mtindo, zikivuruga tasnia iliyokuwa na kuunda aina ya thamani ambayo wateja wanatafuta katika enzi ya dijiti. Mfano wa biashara ni nini? Je, mfano wa biashara una ufafanuzi rahisi? Ndiyo na hapana. Mifano ya biashara ni mantiki nyuma ya kampuni, lakini dhana inaweza kuwa framed katika njia nyingi tofauti. Na leo, njia ambayo wazo hilo limebadilishwa inawahamasisha wamiliki wa biashara na Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa kampuni kutoka kwa waanzilishi hadi mashirika ya kimataifa yaliyoanzishwa vizuri. Katika kitabu chake The New, New Thing, Michael Lewis anaelezea kwamba mfano wa biashara umefikiriwa kuwa njia tu ya biashara ya kupanga kupata pesa. "Peter Drucker anaelezea ""mtazamo wa biashara"" katika suala la dhana za kubadilika kuhusu nini kampuni itafanya na haitafanya: nini wanalipwa kwa; masoko, wateja, na washindani; maadili na tabia; teknolojia; na nguvu na udhaifu wa kampuni." "Jon Magretta anaongeza kwamba ""mfano wa biashara ni hadithi kuhusu jinsi kampuni itafanya kazi, ikiwa ni pamoja na shughuli zinazohusika katika kutengeneza na kuuza bidhaa au huduma.""" Alex Osterwalder anatoa muundo rahisi wa kufikiria nadharia hizi zilizopitishwa na waanzilishi na biashara zilizoanzishwa sawa, inayoitwa canvas ya mfano wa biashara. Ramani hii ya biashara ni template ya ukurasa mmoja ambayo inajumuisha nafasi ya kubuni, kujadili, na kuunda upya mifano ya biashara. Sehemu za ujenzi ni sehemu za wateja, mapendekezo ya thamani, njia za kutoa thamani, mahusiano ya wateja, mito ya mapato, rasilimali muhimu, shughuli na washirika, na muundo wa gharama. Wazo la kuwa na kila kitu kilichopangwa kwenye ukurasa mmoja huwawezesha viongozi wa kufikiri mbele kuweka mambo nyepesi na rahisi ili kuunda au kurudia mifano yao ya biashara kwa ubunifu wakati hali zinabadilika na kubadilika. Aina ya mifano ya biashara na teknolojia Mifano ya biashara imebadilishwa na teknolojia. Uunganisho, utandawazi, na ulimwengu wa dijiti unaoendeshwa na teknolojia zote zimeruhusu wasomi wa ubunifu kufikiria tena mifano ya jadi katika sekta kutoka kusafiri hadi rejareja. Mfano mmoja wa mfano wa biashara ya zamani ambayo imebadilishwa na teknolojia ni mfano wa biashara ya jukwaa. Kwa maneno sahili, mtindo huu huleta wanunuzi na wauzaji pamoja katika nafasi moja. Soko la kibinafsi, nyumba ya mnada, au kituo cha ununuzi ni mifano ya mfano huu ambao umekuwapo kwa miongo au hata karne. Lakini teknolojia ya dijiti imemaanisha kwamba majukwaa haya hayana tena mipaka ya wakati na nafasi. Teknolojia imewaruhusu wamiliki wa biashara ya ubunifu kutumia aina hii ya mfano kuunda mitandao kubwa ya dijiti inayowezesha ushiriki na ushirikiano duniani kote. Kampuni nyingi za kisasa, kama vile Airbnb, WhatsApp, Facebook, Google na Alibaba, zinaonyesha jinsi teknolojia inavyotumika kwa faida yao. Mfano wa biashara ya kimataifa ni mfano mwingine wa moja ambayo imeongozwa na teknolojia. Mifano hii inazingatia kuzalisha na kuuza ulimwenguni katika kipindi kifupi cha wakati, ikitegemea kasi ya utandawazi na kuunganishwa ili kusitawi. Mango na Desigual ni mifano ya mafanikio ya kuuza kwa sehemu ndogo za lengo duniani kote ili kufikia uchumi wa kiwango, kwa njia ambayo inawezekana tu katika ulimwengu wa kimataifa. Uunganisho na ulimwengu wa dijiti pia umesababisha upatikanaji wa data kubwa, ikiruhusu biashara kuhakikisha wanatoa bidhaa na huduma ambazo wateja wanatafuta. "Kutafuta-ubora" mfano wa biashara inategemea kujenga bidhaa za ubunifu au huduma kwamba watumiaji hata hakujua walitaka. "Wafikiriaji wa kisasa wanaweza kutumia data kubwa kuchambua mwenendo na kupata mapendekezo mapya ya thamani ambayo yanaboresha mfano wa biashara, kama Apple ilivyotengeneza iPod na duka la iTunes mapema miaka ya 2000.""" Mifano ya biashara ya kuvutia ambayo imevunja hali ya sasa Airbnb ni moja ya biashara za kuvuruga zaidi za enzi ya dijiti. Ilianzishwa na wanandoa wa vijana wa mwanzo mnamo 2008, ni matokeo ya fursa iliyotambuliwa (wakati hakuna vyumba vya hoteli vilivyokuwapo huko San Francisco wakati wa mkutano uliofanyika katika jiji hilo) na teknolojia inayoweza kuunganisha wenyeji na wapangaji kutoka kote ulimwenguni. "Kama ilivyoelezwa kwenye ukurasa wao wa ""Kuhusu Sisi,"" Airbnb hutumia teknolojia kwa njia ya kipekee kuwezesha mamilioni ya watu ulimwenguni kote kufungua na kupata pesa kutoka kwa nafasi zao, shauku, na vipaji vyao kuwa wajasiriamali wa ukarimu. ni biashara ya uchumi wa kushiriki, kuondoa gharama ya kumiliki vyumba ambavyo vimejengwa, kama hoteli za jadi hufanya." Na mtindo wake wa biashara wa jukwaa - ambao hutumia maendeleo katika teknolojia ya dijiti kuunda mitandao ambayo inaboresha daima - umeruhusu biashara hiyo kusitawi ulimwenguni kote. Uber ni mfano wa biashara ambayo imechukua mfano wa biashara uliopo na kuunda tena gurudumu. Kwa kuangalia jinsi mfano wa sasa wa biashara - teksi - ungeweza kuboreshwa, Uber aliweza kuchukua sehemu ya soko lililokuwapo hapo awali kwa kutumia mtindo wa kuvuruga, wa teknolojia ya kupata safari. Kampuni hiyo imesambaa na kuendelea kukua kwa kuendeleza mtindo wake, ikiwa ni pamoja na Uber Eats kwa utoaji wa chakula, Uber Freight kutoa huduma za usafirishaji, Uber Health kutoa safari kwa wagonjwa na watoa huduma za afya, na hata makundi ya teknolojia ya magari ya kuendesha gari na usafiri wa hewa. Katika ulimwengu wa haraka wa dijiti, uvumbuzi ni kipengele muhimu cha mtindo wowote wa biashara. Wasimamizi na Mkurugenzi Mtendaji sio wajibu wa kudumisha hali iliyopo iliyoainishwa katika iteration moja ya mfano wa biashara, lakini badala yake kwa majaribio, kujifunza, na kuboresha daima ili kukaa mbele ya ushindani.