Adam Dymitrowski

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how firms’ motivations for implementing business model innovation (BMI) differ and how these motivational configurations are associated with changes in the perceived importance of actors in firms’ business networks following BMI implementation. Design/methodology/approach: The study adopts a mixed-method research design combining qualitative and quantitative data from BMI technology-based firms. Findings: The findings identify distinct motivational configurations ranging from strategically articulated and market-oriented motives to more operational and ad hoc considerations. The results further show that BMI implementation is associated with changes in the perceived importance of business network actors over time, and that the magnitude of these changes differs systematically across motivational configurations. Firms driven by strong strategic and market-oriented motives exhibit the most pronounced re-evaluation of actor importance, particularly with respect to external actors. Research limitations/implications: Although the study examines perceived changes in actor importance before and after BMI, it limits the ability to fully capture the dynamic evolution of relationships during the BMI process. Future research could apply longitudinal or process-based designs to better understand how relational changes unfold over time. Practical implications: The findings suggest that successful BMI requires active management of relationships within business networks. Managers should reassess the strategic importance of partners and treat relational capabilities as key assets supporting transformation. Firms driven by strategic BMI motives are more likely to achieve meaningful network change, highlighting the importance of collaboration, partner integration and co-creation practices. Managers should also strengthen partnerships with universities, research institutions and public organizations and develop structured approaches to network orchestration and ecosystem coordination. Social implications: By highlighting the growing importance of collaboration with universities, research institutions and public organizations, the study underscores the societal role of interorganizational networks in supporting innovation and technology diffusion. Stronger cooperation between firms and knowledge institutions may accelerate capability development and contribute to more dynamic innovation ecosystems. Additionally, the shift toward customers as active co-creators of value suggests more participatory and user-centred innovation processes, which may enhance the societal relevance and responsiveness of technology-based business models. Originality/value: The study contributes to BMI research by bringing the Industrial Marketing & Purchasing Group’s interaction perspective directly into the discussion of business model change. It suggests that BMI is not only about redesigning how a firm creates and captures value, but also about how managers reconsider the importance of actors in the firm’s business network. By linking motives for BMI with changes in actor evaluations, the paper shows that different motivational configurations are associated with different patterns of perceived actor importance. In this way, the study offers a relational and motive-based understanding of BMI.

The business model has emerged as a central construct in management research, yet its conceptual underpinnings remain fragmented. Despite sustained interest from both scholars and practitioners, the literature is marked by ambiguities surrounding its definition, theoretical foundations, typologies, and constituent elements. This study undertakes a systematic literature review to clarify these issues and consolidate existing knowledge. The analysis disentangles the definitional landscape of the business model, maps its theoretical foundations – spanning frameworks, analytical perspectives, and related constructs – and synthesises the dominant typologies discussed across the field. Moreover, it delineates the core elements that form the architecture of a business model. By integrating these insights, the study advances a more coherent conceptualisation of the business model, providing a foundation for future theoretical development and practical application.

Existing literature underlines the importance of an open approach towards interactions with business actors to generate innovative solutions. However, companies can present an open approach in some cases and remain closed in others. The chapter investigates how business model innovation based on new technologies influences a company’s competitive advantage, taking into account different levels of openness. To address this objective, an empirical study was conducted employing both qualitative (focus group interviews) and quantitative (CATI) methods. The findings reveal distinct levels of openness linked to specific activities undertaken by companies implementing business model innovation based on new technologies. Moreover, the analysis demonstrates how these varying degrees of openness shape a company’s competitive advantage. The results contribute to the advancement of the open innovation framework and provide practical insights for managers seeking to enhance competitiveness through business model transformation.

Motivation: The cornerstone of this paper is the assumption that in order to accelerate the internationalization process, companies trying to enter foreign markets have to “borrow” relationship capital from one or several mediating agents. The concept of relationship mediating agents fits into the network approach to internationalization and explains why entities with a dense network of connections tend to be more successful than single players. Aim: To examine the phenomenon of relationship capital mediation by different actors (agents) in the internationalization process as to the availability of these agents and their impact on the success of internationalization process. Results: The network perspective on internationalization is refined through the concept of relationship capital mediation. The paper introduces a typology of RCMA and outlines the relationship resources they provide in different timeframes related to the internationalization process, before, during and after the actual business project.

Fierce market rivalry between companies has forced a need to search for new ways of competing. One such way is to innovate the company’s business model innovation with the use of new technologies. In order to do so, companies often take advantage of relationships with different market actors. Although the existing literature provides some general insight on this matter, there is still a significant research gap concerning the use of specific market actors by companies characterized by BMI based on new technologies. The aim of the paper is to assess the role of relationships developed by companies characterized by BMI based on new technologies with different types of entities. In order to achieve the aim of the paper, it was decided to perform both qualitative and quantitative research. For the qualitative research, a focus study with 12 participants was performed, and for the quantitative study, a computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) with representatives from 483 companies was carried out. The data collection method included not only primary sources (interviews with managers) but secondary sources (e.g., company materials) as well. The main conclusion drawn from the presented research is that it is beneficial (in terms of technology as well as performance indicators — profits, sales, market share, and ROI) for companies characterized with BMI based on new technologies to develop relationships with various types of entities. These various types should not only include suppliers or buyers, but competitors, the company’s internal and external units, universities and research centers, financing agencies, and government or local government administration as well. The results presented in the paper add significant value to the existing knowledge. Not only is the paper one of a few which touch on the matter of relationships developed by companies characterized by BMI based on new technologies, it also provides new information. It adds a new block to the theories of open innovation and resource-based view.

The aim of the paper is to determine the influence of BMI based on new technologies on a company’s competitive advantage. In order to accomplish the aim a quantitative research was performed using the computer assisted telephone interview (CATI) method. There are two main outcomes of the research. Firstly, BMI based on new technologies has a positive influence on a company’s competitive advantage. Secondly, it was proven that the greater the use of technologies for BMI the greater a company’s competitive advantage is. Taking into account the research results, the paper explains how they contribute to the development of two theories—the theory of innovation as well the theory of competitive advantage. Several recommendations for business practice as well as policy makers are also formulated.

Motivation: In the dynamically changing environment companies are looking for new ways to build competitive advantage. One of them could be business model innovation. Despite the rapidly increasing number of research on business model innovation, understanding its role for company's development is still difficult. Aim: The aim of the paper is to identify the role of business model innovation for company's development. Results: A map of up-to-date information derived from the literature was delivered. It not only helped to identify the common standpoints within existing research, but determined relationships between business model innovation and company's development. Additionally, identifying directions for future research was possible.

The aim of this paper is to identify the changing roles of actors involved in successful innovation transfer within a multinational enterprise. This should help in understanding how multinational enterprises are paving the way for performance management and management control in the innovation network. In examining successful innovation transfer, we identify how the internal (HQ, subsidiaries) and external actors contribute to innovation transfer and how this involvement changes over time. For the analysis, we use case studies of four different multinational enterprises and their chosen successful innovation transfer assessed from the perspective of their subsidiaries. In the analysis, we apply the idea of developing, producing and using settings of innovation derived from industrial network analysis. Our study makes a useful contribution to existing literature by shedding more light on the phenomenon of successful innovation transfer and providing a new, dynamic perspective on the roles of internal and external actors of multinational enterprises in this innovation transfer. We identify the changing roles of headquarters and subsidiaries in successful innovation transfer, indicate the importance of sister subsidiaries for this process and the lack of necessity to involve external customers in order to achieve a successful innovation transfer.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the role of a company’s external informal relationships in the internationalization process.Design/methodology/approach: To achieve the aim of this paper, a qualitative research was undertaken. The data used for analysis were obtained through face-to-face interviews with representatives of 20 companies.Findings: There are two main findings of the research. First, on the basis of the analysis of the interviews, it was possible to identify 14 different outcomes of informal relationships with external actors in the internationalization process. Second, the outcomes have been assigned to different stages of the internationalization process, thereby covering the whole range of a company’s development timeline.Originality/value: This paper illustrates and confirms the important and positive role of the informal relationships developed by a company with external actors in the internationalization process and indicates that it can change over time depending on the stage of the internationalization.