Future Studies: Part Two: Emergent Business Models

W.V. Tate (2001)

The report identifies and discusses many of the newly emergent business models and the range of factors that give rise to them. These include: e-commerce and e-business using IT and the internet; collaborating to compete; a ‘whole system’ view of business including protection of shared natural resources; partnership relationships in the value chain; increasing transparency; products being viewed as services; manufacturers becoming ‘providers of solutions’; disintermediation between producer and consumer; leasing in place of buying; virtual organising and outsourcing; knowledge management and intellectual capital; customers, employees, suppliers, investors and the community being stakeholders; customers involved in developing the business; short and rapid company life cycle; and new metrics for judging business success.

Given the timescale available, the report does not claim to provide a definitive listing of all emergent business models. In any case, changes are happening so quickly – especially with models affected by IT – that all the report can hope to offer is a current snapshot. It examines the features most frequently highlighted in the media and business literature. Its prime focus is the numerous variants within and across business models rather than intact models per se. Several typologies are also offered: core competences, including their protection; e-tailing business models; virtual organising; downstream business models; and types of service firm.