Value creation in business networks : a case study of the German broadband service industry

• Main Author: Ullrich, Marc
• Published: University of Surrey 2014
• Subjects: 338.4
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.654759

German municipal electricity utilities (MEU) have in recent years seized the chance to access the broad band services market through different kinds of cooperation models in order to try to open up new business opportunities and thus offset profit reductions in their native markets. As these companies did not enter this new market afresh, but brought existing organisations, processes and business networks affected by their "native market conditions" with them, they have been confronted with major challenges regarding a structured transformation approach. This paper examines these organisations' efforts to transition to the new market environment of broad band services by developing a holistic business model framework that can be used as a corresponding transformation tool. The lack of such frameworks in the literature makes this research project especially relevant both for academics and practitioners. Framed in a constructivist research paradigm and guided by Grounded Theory as research strategy, this qualitative research project rested on two thematic pillars: business network and business model theory. The overall analysis was supported by an extensive collection of data in the empirical phase which comprised 25 in-depth interviews, covering two case studies from the German broadband services industry.