Business model innovation has received rising attention as a means for firms to achieve superior performance. Yet, as we argue based on a review of related literature, the research field so far lacks a comprehensive framework that supports managers in their endeavour to innovative their firms' business models. Based on process models from innovation management literature and insights from 14 cases of past business model innovations, we develop the 4I-framework that structures the business model innovation process and highlights the specific challenges which managers face during the initiation, ideation, integration, and implementation of new business models. Through our study, we also provide a conceptual framework to organise existing literature in the business model innovation field and identify promising areas for future research.

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While research has shown a positive impact of open business models on value creation, it has remained silent on the configuration of the corresponding partner networks and their effect on performance. Studying three cases of solution providers which involve external service partners for solution delivery, we find that solution customer centricitythe degree to which the focal firm focuses on solution customers in the joint delivery of solutionsmoderates the relationship between partner networks and open business model performance. For open business models with low solution customer centricity, a network configuration characterized by many weak ties to service partners leads to superior performance. Conversely, for open business models with high solution customer centricity, few but strong ties to partners lead to superior performance. Based on these findings, three ideal configurations of networks for open business models are derived: the controlled, the joint, and the supported model. The findings of this paper are especially relevant for managers of product-focused firms who seek guidance in evolving their business models into solution providers. The paper also contributes to business model research by linking extant insights from network research to open business model performance.