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Business Model Innovation Isn’t Always Easy
Business model innovation is easier for some industries than others. In particular, technology business models tend to be easier to innovate because of the nature of technology itself. Staying ahead of the technology adoption curve is a necessary component of a technology business’ R&D. How does a service company such as a plumber or a […]
Final Nail in Coffin of Yellow Pages Business Model?
It seems that the green movement is now focused on the Yellow Pages. The city council of San Francisco recently passed an ordinance banning the distribution of Yellow Page books within the city. Whether the San Francisco ordinance holds up or not, the direction is clear. The $31 Billion annual revenue Yellow Pages are going […]
Netflix Business Model Takes on Hollywood
Starz and Showtime recently announced that several hit shows such as Dexter would not be available for instant download on Netflix due to fears of declining DVD revenues. Whether it makes sense or not, physical products, like DVDs, can command higher prices than non-physical digital versions. To better understand this concept, all one has to […]
Playboy Due for New Business Model
Hugh Heffner started Playboy with a $1000 loan from his mother and turned it into a publishing empire. However, as Mr. Heffner prepares to take Playboy private, one has to ask whether Playboy’s business model is broken? Today, Playboy’s total revenue is around $350 million. In the late 1970’s, Playboy’s revenue was $175 million. During […]
Dim Dim’s Unique Business Model nets $23 million
Who said there’s no money in not making money? Recently, Salesforce.com augmented its business model by purchasing web conferencing software provider DimDim for $31 million. As a Dim Dim user, I loved the service. For early users, the pitch was free WebEx-like software for up to 20 people for no cost. Effectively, Dim Dim was […]
Is Barnes & Noble’s Business Model in Trouble?
Could Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS) be the next Blockbuster? The once-dominant Blockbuster business model disintegrated into bankruptcy this year and seems unlikely to ever rebound. A close look at the Barnes & Noble business model yields many of the same issues as Blockbuster: Blockbuster faced intense competition from disruptive business models such as Netflix […]
Are Black Friday Blowouts Bad for your Business Model?
Are Black Friday Sales bad for your Business Model?online survey Excellent business models require excellent margins. On this Black Friday 2010, it makes me wonder if $4 toasters are good for business models or bad for business models? Please join the conversation and vote above. The answer to the question is probably “Yes and No.” […]
What Secretariat Knows about Business Models
With the release of the movie “Secretariat” last week, the great race horse is again in the spotlight. Interestingly, there are several lessons business owners can learn from Secretariat. Owning a race horse is typically an exhausting and money-losing venture, much like a business with a poor business model. However, winning race horses such as […]
10 Initiatives using the crowd to generate new ideas
This is a guest post by Anders Sundelin, expert in business model innovation, with the popular blog The Business Model Database. Crowdsourcing or mass collaboration have become popular words for using an external group of people as part of the value creation and value capturing process. Organizations have for a long time used groups of […]
Tirerack.com challenges auto repair business model
It seems there is no end to how much a distribution channel can be collapsed. Now consumers can buy tires directly online without the need for a tire store. Tirerack.com offers more selection than a typical tire store as they are not affiliated with any one brand such as Goodyear or Firestone. The handy-sized tires […]
