On completion of the course the student will be able to

1. Explain and apply business modeling tools and concepts as they apply to digital business settings
2. Describe current issues around business modeling and how they can be interpreted with different theoretical approaches
3. Explain current research and development work in the field of business modeling and its application to digital business

4. Apply business modeling tools to real life digital business challenges and offer advice on how to further develop digital business models

5. Analyze business modeling problems from theoretical, practical and ethical perspectives.

This course provides an understanding of business model innovation for both new ventures and established companies. It focuses on identifying, designing, and assessing digital business models. Participants will learn how to use business modeling in a structured way to generate a digital business model, or modify an existing one.

Business modeling is important for startups as well as for established businesses which need to discover, defend or evolve their business models. How can organizations create and deliver value for their customers? How can they capture some of that value for the organization? The business model encompasses the product or service, your customers, and the economic engine that will enable it to meet profitability and growth objectives.
The topics covered include:
• The role of technologies for new business models generation and platform as business models
• The business model innovation process
• Value creation for key actors in the digital economy
• Developing digital business models that capture value and sustain their competitive advantage
• Prototyping business models
• Avoiding business model failure

Connection to Research and Practice

In this course, the student will learn about and with tools that are well-grounded in managerial practice to develop and innovate business models. The course will introduce the students to research-grounded tools with wide use in managerial practice, such as the triple-layered business model canvas, the strategic management toolbox for market and resource analysis or the underlying mechanics of specific business models. The course content is research-based, that is the student will learn about the newest research on digital business models and how it relates to business model innovation, in the form of both research-based lectures and a reading list capturing key academic pieces related to each course topic.

The course covers the theoretical foundations based on a combination of lectures, discussions, case studies, reading assignments and student presentations.

The teaching is conducted in English.

Bachelor’s degree (i.e the equivalent of 180 ECTS credits at an accredited university) with at least 30 credits in Business Administration and 30 credits in one (or a combination) of the following areas: business administration, economics, industrial engineering and management, business analytics, informatics, information technology, communication, commerce (or the equivalent) and taken the course Consulting: Processes and Skills, 7.5 credits (or the equivalent). Proof of English proficiency is required.

The course is graded A, B, C, D, E, FX or F.

Individual assignments (ILOs: 1-3) representing 4 credits.
Project work ingroup (ILOs: 4-5) representing 3.5 credits.

Name of the Test	Value	Grading
Project work ingroup1	3.5 credits	A/B/C/D/E/FX/F
Individual assignments1	4 credits	A/B/C/D/E/FX/F

¹ Registration of examination: All parts of the compulsory examination in the course must be passed with a passing grade (A-E) before a final grade can be set. The final grade of the course is determined by the sum total of points for all parts of the examination in the course (0-100 points). Grade is set in accordance to JIBS grading policy.

It is the responsibility of the examiner to ensure that each course is evaluated. At the outset of the course, the programme evaluators in the course must be contacted. In the middle of the course, the examiner should meet the programme evaluators to identify strengths/weaknesses in the first half of the course.
At the end of the course, the examiner should remind students to fill in the survey. The examiner should also call a meeting with the programme evaluators to debrief the course, based on course evaluation data and comments. The next time the course runs, students should be informed of any measures taken to improve the course based on the previous course evaluations.
At the end of each study period, JIBS’ Director of Quality and Accreditation crafts a “Course Evaluation Quarter Report”, presenting the quantitative results from course evaluation surveys. The Associate Dean of Education, The Associate Deans of Faculty, Programme Directors, and JSA President and Quality receive the report.

Academic integrity
JIBS students are expected to maintain a strong academic integrity. This implies to behave within the boundaries of academic rules and expectations relating to all types of teaching and examination.

Copying someone else’s work is a particularly serious offence and can lead to disciplinary action. When you copy someone else’s work, you are plagiarising. You must not copy sections of work (such as paragraphs, diagrams, tables and words) from any other person, including another student or any other author. Cutting and pasting is a clear example of plagiarism. There is a workshop and online resources to assist you in not plagiarising called the Interactive Anti-Plagiarism Guide.

Other forms of breaking academic integrity include (but are not limited to) adding your name to a project you did not work on (or allowing someone to add their name), cheating on an examination, helping other students to cheat and submitting other students work as your own, and using non-allowed electronic equipment during an examination. All of these make you liable to disciplinary action.

Afuah. A (2018). Business Model Innovation: Concepts, Analysis and Cases. 2nd Edition. Routledge.

Additional literature will be provided.