Value Modeling for Ecosystem Analysis

Abstract

Scholars have proposed many approaches to represent and analyze value creation. Value creation in ecosystems such as platform ecosystems often relies on a specific structure of partner alignment. Value modeling techniques can improve the understanding of how ecosystem risks and non-generic complementarities determine value creation and the alignment structures required. First, we conceptualize ecosystem analysis as a tool for alignment in the context of business innovation. Then, we carry out a structured literature review to identify existing techniques, which could support ecosystem analysis. Further, we provide a comprehensive overview of the value modeling techniques and integrate our ecosystem analysis conceptualization with existing classification frameworks. This integrative framework allows researchers and scholars to identify techniques that suit specific needs in terms of internal alignment reach, tooling, innovation phase and ecosystem analysis. Our results show limited support for ecosystem analysis. Still we are able to identify techniques that can provide a useful conceptual or tooling basis to enable ecosystem analysis.

Transitioning to Platform-based Services and Business Models in a B2B Environment

“…For example, the Business Model Canvas (Osterwalder and Pigneur 2010), as probably the most widelyknown tool for business model visualization, has been responsible for the increasing adoption of the business model concept in practice. As models help to abstract from reality and thus facilitate understanding and communication, they can play a major role in supporting platform and ecosystem thinking (Arreola González et al 2019).…”

“…The most prominent example for this is probably the e 3 -value modelling approach, which is "designed to help define how economic value is created and exchanged within a network of actors" (Gordijn and Akkermans 2001: 11). Recently, there have been many more advances in moving business model visualization more towards the realm of platforms and ecosystems (Arreola González et al 2019). All these approaches acknowledge the importance of deliberately shaping the external contributions to value creation.…”