Business Models of Digital Manufacturing Portals

Abstract

The Internet and the web are playing increasingly important roles in business, leading to the emergence of digital enterprises. The industry of digital enterprises has developed drastically in the last decade or so, and there have appeared a number of business models. However, these business models have not been scrutinized at the similar pace. Despite of some investigations, there is no formal definition of a business model. Furthermore, consultants and practitioners have often resorted to using the term “business model” to describe a unique aspect of a particular Internet business venture. In this respect, these attempts are neither complete nor robust. Questions remain to be addressed, for example, Can we apply the existing theories or frameworks to analyse the business models of digital enterprises? Are the business models of digital enterprises really different from those of traditional enterprises? What kind of new dimensions should be incorporated into the business models of digital enterprises and what should be the scope? How are the business models of digital enterprises related to those of the traditional enterprises that extensively employ the digital approach? Are existing business models of digital enterprises adequate to serve the industry, and/or do we need new models to cater the new developments?