商业模式设计:一个模块化组合视角

Business Model Design:Toward A Modular Combination Perspective

商业模式设计是商业模式研究的重点和难点,关键问题在于缺乏一套普适性的方法对现实中复杂的商业模式进行标准化识别与解构,以便厘清企业的价值创造逻辑并由此形成创新依据,使企业能够塑造出理想的商业模式。本文借助模块化技术,尝试构建一套普适性的商业模式模块化体系,即通过商业模式标准模块的解构与组合,使商业模式设计具体化并易于操作。本文针对商业模式的交易结构、盈利模式和收支方式三大结构要素,分别提出了标准模块划分方法,使商业模式各个业务单元能够通过一个或多个标准模块的互补性组合实现结构层的模块化解构;再将业务单元模块中的具体功能模块根据属性“嵌入”到对应的标准结构模块中,完成商业模式的整体解构。从而,为企业商业模式设计提供系统性、模块化的分析基础。此外,本文选取了三个采用不同商业模式(平台型、自营型、混合型)的中国电商企业进行模块化解构与比较分析,检验本文新理论的科学性与普适性,为企业管理者理解和运用新理论设计或重塑商业模式提供工具性方法。

How to innovate(design and carry it through)is the focus and a major difficulty in the business model research,the key problem of which is the absence of a universal approach to identify and decompose the vastly different business models in reality,to clarify the logic of value creation and to form,therefore,a basis for innovation.With the approach,a focal firm can shape a suitable business model that enables the firm to develop products or services,craft competitive strategies,and build an execution system for its strategies.This paper tries to make some contributions in the following aspects:(a)This paper integrates the existing research fruits of business model design and application of the modular technology,and builds an universal and systematic BM modular theory,which clarifies the modular elements,module interface rules,module levels and module functions,and provides a theoretical basis for corporate managers to apply the modular technology to BMI.(b)This paper proposes standardized module classification methods for the three structure modules of BM respectively,so that these standard modules can match the function modules in the enterprise organization to realize the standard module decomposition of BM.(c)This paper aims to break through the limitations of the previous literature based on the static value creation system to explore BMI,and introduce cash flow and financial business related to time dimension into research models(for example,the way platform enterprises use cash flow to make profits)to explore BMI paths under a dynamic framework.(d)This paper selects three typical enterprise samples for multi case comparative study of BM modularization,which fills the gaps in the application of previous literature in actual business cases.It not only demonstrates the scientificity and generalizability of the new theory proposed in this paper,but also provides a reference for corporate managers to understand and apply new theories to solve the continuous innovation of BMs Our emerging theory proposed has certain theoretical and practical implications for a company to gain competitive advantages and sustainable profitability by BMI.First,in terms of transaction structure design,the focal firm should,based on the customer value proposition(demand positioning),determine what unit modules the BM are composed of,and how these unit modules are combined,thereby providing unit structural carriers for specific functional modules.Second,in terms of profit model design,different profit models correspond to different transaction structures.Therefore,a firm should design its profit models according to its transaction structures.Of course,they can also design the profit models first,and then find the corresponding transaction structure.For example,Gillette's“razor+blade”BM illustrates that Gillette first designed the profit model(low cost razor,and profitable blade),and then adjusted its existing transaction structure(All in one production is transformed into separate production of razors and blades).Third,as for receiving and paying methods,it is about making a“choice”rather than“designing”receiving and paying methods,because the receiving and paying methods adopted by a focal firm usually depend on the relative market geopotential of itself in a specific industry.The selection is the result of“negotiations”with the suppliers and buyers.When selecting receiving and paying methods,the focal firm should consider the three dimensions:Structure,Time sequence and Flexibility.