Business models and e-metrics, a state of the art

Abstract

In this paper we will discuss the state of the art of the e-commerce business model as presented in the relevant literature. We address the following questions: What business models are being distinguished? What exactly is a business model? What are the criteria on the basis of which the performance of business models can be assessed? Business models are often abstract models of everyday practice. In theory it is easy to classify and describe them, but until a model is tested at the level of a business case its true value remains academic. A business model can be ever so useful for a company, a certain economic sector, industry or branch, or a certain geographical market, and at the same time be utterly useless in a different context. We describe a business case as the specific application of a (combination of) business model(s) by an individual company in a specific context. To assess the value of a business case we need metrics. In this paper we therefore also deal with a second set of questions, i.e. how can we measure the performance of business cases and what are relevant performance indicators? An analysis of individual business cases can offer insight into the relevance of the more generic business model concept.KeywordsBusiness ModelUnify Modelling LanguageBusiness CaseInvent Business ModelRevenue ModelThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.