Microbusiness: A new social business model to alleviate poverty in developing countries?

Poverty alleviation views have shifted from seeing the poor as victims or as potential consumers, to seeing them as gainers. Social businesses include microfinancing and microfranchising, which engage people at the bottom of the pyramid using business instead of charity. There are, however, social business firms that do not fit to the existing social business model theory. These firms provide markets to poor producers and mix traditional, local craftsmanship with western design. Social business models evolve faster than the academic literature can study them. This study contributes to filling this gap. The purpose of this Master’s thesis is to develop the concept of social business as poverty alleviation method in developing countries. It also aims; 1) to describe the means for poverty alleviation in developing countries; 2) to introduce microbusiness as a social business model; and 3) to examine the challenges of microbusinesses. Qualitative case study is used as a research strategy and theme interviews as a data collecting method. The empirical data is gathered from four interviews of Finnish or Finnish-owned firms that employ microbusiness – Mifuko, Tensira, Mangomaa and Tikau – and this is supported with secondary data including articles on case companies. The results show that microbusiness is a valid new social business model that aims at poverty alleviation by engaging the poor at the bottom of the pyramid. It is possible to map the value proposition, value constellation, and economic and social profit equations of the case firms. Two major types of firms emerge from the results; the first consists of design-oriented firms that emphasize the quality and design of the products, and the second consists of bazaar-like firms whose product portfolio is less sophisticated and who promote more the stories of the products – not the design. All microbusiness firms provide markets, promote traditional handicrafts, form close relationships to their producers, and aim at enhancing lives through their businesses. The attitudes towards social businesses are sometimes negative, but this is changing for the better. In conclusion, microbusiness answers to two different needs at the same time – consumers’ needs for ethical products and the social needs of the producers – but the social need is the ultimate reason why the entrepreneurs started business. Microbusiness continues as a poverty alleviation tool that sees the poor as gainers; by providing them steady employment, microbusiness increases the poor’s self-esteem and enables them for a better living. Academic literature has not been able to offer enough alternative business models to cover all social businesses; the current study contributes to this by concluding that microbusiness is another social business model.

Service offering classification for logistics services

This thesis studies the development of service offering model that creates added-value for customers in the field of logistics services. The study focusses on offering classification and structures of model. The purpose of model is to provide value-added solutions for customers and enable superior service experience. The aim of thesis is to define what customers expect from logistics solution provider and what value customers appreciate so greatly that they could invest in value-added services. Value propositions, costs structures of offerings and appropriate pricing methods are studied. First, literature review of creating solution business model and customer value is conducted. Customer value is found out with customer interviews and qualitative empiric data is used. To exploit expertise knowledge of logistics, innovation workshop tool is utilized. Customers and experts are involved in the design process of model. As a result of thesis, three-level value-added service offering model is created based on empiric and theoretical data. Offerings with value propositions are proposed and the level of model reflects the deepness of customer-provider relationship and the amount of added value. Performance efficiency improvements and cost savings create the most added value for customers. Value-based pricing methods, such as performance-based models are suggested to apply. Results indicate the interest of benefitting networks and partnership in field of logistics services. Networks development is proposed to be investigated further.

Launch communications best practices: Online newspaper paywall context

The goal of the thesis is to identify the best practices of marketing communications in the context of online newspaper paywall launch. Theoretical point of views emphasize the value for the customer as an antecedent for a workable value proposition and marketing communications. Value-based communications contribute to the customer loyalty. The empirical evidence for this benchmark study was collected in seven company interviews. These firms represented several kinds of Finnish newspaper companies which had recently gone through the paywall launch and launch communications process. The results imply that there are multiple factors influencing on launch communications choices. However, recommendations can be drawn based on the common practices. The main managerial results were that the companies should utilize the online newspaper content and usage value as the core of the launch message, target both new and current readers and use multiple online and offline communications channels to reach the target audience. The launch communications message should be started with the emotional appeal, complemented with the more informative message later.

Gearing Towards Omnichannel Grocery Retail Through Business Model Innovation

Technological innovations and the advent of digitalization have led retail business into one of its biggest transformations of all time. Consumer behaviour has changed rapidly and the customers are ever more powerful, demanding, tech-savvy and moving on various plat-forms. These attributes will continue to drive the development and robustly restructure the architecture of value creation in the retail business. The largest retail category, grocery yet awaits for a real disruption, but the signals for major change are already on the horizon. The first wave of online grocery retail was introduced in the mid 1990’s and it throve until millennium. Many overreactions, heavy investments and the burst IT-bubble almost stag-nated the whole industry for a long period of time. The second wave started with a venge-ance around 2010. Some research was carried out during the first wave from a single-viewpoint of online grocery retail, but without a comprehensive approach to online-offline business model integration. Now the accelerating growth of e-business has initiated an increased interest to examine the transformation from traditional business models towards e-business models and their integration on the companies’ traditional business models. This research strove to examine how can we recognize and analyze how digitalization and online channels are affecting the business models of grocery retail, by using business mod-el canvas as an analysis tool. Furthermore business model innovation and omnichannel retail were presented and suggested as potential solutions for these changes. 21 experts in online grocery industry were being interviewed. The thoughts of the informants were being qualitatively analysed by using an analysis tool called the business model canvas. The aim of this research was to portray a holistic view on the Omnichannel grocery retail business model, and the value chain, in which the case company Arina along with its partners are operating. The key conclusions exhibited that online grocery retail business model is not an alterna-tive model nor a substitute for the traditional grocery retail business model, though all of the business model elements are to some extent affected by it, but rather a complementary business model that should be integrated into the prevailing, conventional grocery retail business model. A set of business model elements, such as value proposition and distribu-tion channels were recognized as the most important ones and sources of innovation within these components were being illustrated. Segments for online grocery retail were empiri-cally established as polarized niche markets in contrast of the segmented mass-market of the conventional grocery retail. Business model innovation was proven to be a considera-ble method and a conceptual framework, by which to come across with new value proposi-tions that create competitive advantage for the company in the contemporary, changing business environment. Arina as a retailer can be considered as a industry model innovator, since it has initiated an entire industry in its market area, where other players have later on embarked on, and in which the contributors of the value chain, such as Posti depend on it to a great extent. Consumer behaviour clearly affects and appears everywhere in the digi-talized grocery trade and it drives customers to multiple platforms where retailers need to be present. Omnichannel retail business model was suggested to be the solution, in which the new technologies are being utilized, contemporary consumer behaviour is embedded in decision-making and all of the segments and their value propositions are being served seamlessly across the channels.

Digitalisaatio ja kuljettajakoulutusyrittäjyys

Digitalisaation myötä myös liikenteestä tulee yhä älykkäämpää. Valtiovalta purkaa sääntelyä ja sallii digitaalisten menetelmien laajempaa käyttöä. Kuljettajakoulutusta pidetään toimialana kuitenkin hyvin konventionaalisena. Diplomityön tarkoituksena on tutkia, mitä digitalisaatio tarkoittaa kuljettajakoulutusyritysten liiketoimintamalleille. Empiiristä aineistoa saatiin teemahaastatteluin ja aineistoa analysoitiin laadullisin menetelmin. Työssä esitellään alan vahvuudet, heikkoudet, mahdollisuudet ja uhat sekä tulevaisuuden skenaariot. Digitalisaatio aiheuttaa merkittäviä muutoksia kuljettajakoulutusalan yrityksille. Auto ei ole enää entisenlainen statussymboli eikä rahan käytön kohde. Digitaaliajan ihmiset eivät aina kaipaa fyysistä liikkumista, kun vielä kivijalkakaupatkin vähenevät. Ajokorttia ei useinkaan koeta välttämättömäksi aikuistumisriitiksi. Uusi teknologia voi kuitenkin radikaalisti parantaa alan yritysten suorituskykyä: palvelut muuttuvat ajasta ja paikasta riippumattomiksi sekä skaalautuviksi. Kuluttajien kannalta digitalisaatio puolestaan parantaa asiakaslähtöisyyttä. Alan liiketoimintamallien kehittymiseen vaikuttaa neljä taustavoimaa: digitalisaatio, perinteet, sääntely ja yrittäjyys. Liiketoimintamalli sisältää opetukselliset ydintoiminnot, sisäiset prosessit, liiketoiminnan tukitoiminnot ja arvoehdotuksen asiakkaalle. Liiketoiminnan kehittäminen vastaamaan digitalisaation vaatimuksia edellyttää proaktiivista innovaatiostrategiaa. Siihen perustuvien innovaatiomenetelmien avulla yritys voi kehittää liiketoimintamalliaan digitalisaation tarjoamien ja tiedon asymmetriasta kumpuavien mahdollisuuksien hyödyntämiseksi.

Elintarvikeverkkokaupan haasteet ja mahdollisuudet Suomessa

Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on kartoittaa elintarvikeverkkokaupan kohtaamat haasteet Suomessa ja sitä kautta selvittää miksi elintarvikeverkkokaupat eivät ole saavuttaneet jalansijaa muiden verkkokauppojen tavoin. Tavoitteena on lisäksi selvittää, mitkä ovat elintarvikeverkkokaupan tärkeimmät kehityskohteet sekä haasteet ja mahdollisuudet tulevaisuudessa. Ruokakaupat hallitsevat maailman suurimpien yritysten listaa, mutta niiden verkkokauppatoiminta on vielä hyvin pienimuotoista. Erityisesti Suomessa elintarvikeverkkokauppa on hyvin rajoittunutta ja kilpailu olematonta verrattuna esimerkiksi elektroniikan tai kirjojen verkkokauppaan. Vuodesta 2010 vuoteen 2014 mennessä elintarvikkeiden ostaminen verkosta onkin kasvanut yli 500 prosenttia. Suuresta kasvusta huolimatta verkkokaupasta ostetun ruoan osuus Suomen koko päivittäistavarakaupasta on tällä hetkellä alle puoli prosenttia, joka vastaa yhden pienen lähikaupan vuosimyyntiä. Elintarvikeverkkokaupan laajentumisen esteenä on useita haasteita, jotka ovat tiivstetty tutkimuksen lopussa. Lähes koko elintarvikeverkkokaupan kokonaisprosessi vaatii kehitystä, jotta läpäisykykyä saadaan tehostettua. Prosessin sisäisesti suurimmaksi kehityskohteeksi osoittautuu keräilyteknologian kehitys. Se tulee olemaan toiminto, joka onnistuessaan vauhdittaa alan kasvua tai epäonnistuessaan hidastaa alan kehitystä. Tutkimuksen perusteella elintarvikeverkkokaupan tulevaisuus näyttää kuitenkin valoisalta.

Plan de Negocio Almacenes Eco

El presente trabajo tiene el fin de mostrar el modelo de negocio de Almacenes Eco y el plan de empresa para el mismo. El objetivo principal es el diseño del plan para un primer establecimiento físico que luego será escalable y repetible para los siguientes almacenes. Las características principales de este proyecto son: la propuesta de valor, modelo de negocio, orientación estratégica, análisis de mercado, plan financiero, plan económico, estrategias de mercadeo, operativa y administrativa. El surgimiento del proyecto fue a causa de la inexistencia de cadenas de almacenes que ofrecen productos económicos de buena calidad en Colombia. En países como Inglaterra, Estados Unidos y Canadá existen cadenas de almacenes como: Poundland, 99p stores y family dollar quienes ofrecen productos relacionados con bebidas y comidas; salud y belleza; jardinería y hogar; entretenimiento; celebraciones y fiestas; niños y bebes y todo lo relacionado con las temporadas del año a un solo precio o un precio inferior al señalado. La metodología empleada para la investigación se realizó con una serie de encuestas, entrevistas, investigación documental e investigación de campo que permitió conocer las necesidades reales de los habitantes de la localidad de suba.

TASKGURU

La revolución del internet ha llevado a muchos cambios. Con el paso del tiempo, dependemos menos de los papeles y más de los archivos digitales. Los niveles de información han incrementado exponencialmente y la interconectividad que han brindado servicios como redes sociales se encuentra en niveles jamás pensados hace media década. Sin embargo, el mercado laboral tradicional ha visto pocos cambios; a pesar de que han surgido numerosas ocupaciones y desaparecido puestos del mismo modo, la gran mayoría de personas se ven obligadas a buscar el sustento propio y de sus familias dedicándole una cantidad considerable de tiempo a su trabajo y dejando de lado muchos otros asuntos pertinentes al hogar, a los negocios e incluso asuntos personales. El sistema de adquisición de servicios se encuentra completamente estancado. En Colombia, según cifras de 2011 del Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadistica (DANE), existen más de 10 millones de viviendas y más de 500.000 establecimientos de comercio, que por lo menos una vez por año tienen un reparo para hacer, por esta razón, se genera una amplia demanda en la prestación de este tipo de servicios. Miles de personas continúan sin encontrar servicios específicos a sus necesidades en el momento adecuado, incluso cuando existe dinero destinado hacia los mismos, en gran parte debido a los esquemas tradicionales y la inhabilidad de conectar necesidades con servicios. Este emprendimiento busca cambiar ese esquema tradicional de las páginas amarillas, los clasificados y otras fuentes que se han quedado en el siglo XX como medio publicitario de trabajos realizados por independientes en temas relacionados con el hogar u oficina y abrir camino hacia una nueva forma de encontrar un apareamiento en tiempo real y enfocado en los consumidores, creando una sitio web y posteriormente aplicaciones móviles, en la que cada cliente puede comparar los precios estandarizados de cada servicio del hogar, pagar electrónicamente lo pactado y dejar calificaciones del servicio posteriormente; cambiando el estilo de negociación de modo más formal y bajo un esquema que logre acuerdos mutuamente beneficiales. En el corto plazo, se busca que las personas puedan considerar alternativas a los esquemas existentes para dar a satisfacer sus necesidades. En el mediano y largo plazo el objetivo del 4 proyecto es romper los paradigmas en los mismos que se han mantenido desde tanto tiempo y revolucionar su funcionamiento conforme a las herramientas existentes en la actualidad. El siguiente proyecto tiene como propuesta proveer una solución completa para los hogares y establecimientos comerciales en términos de adquisición de servicios prestados por personas independientes y con poca o nula regulación en el mercado actual. Es una propuesta que permite cambiar la logística y el modelo de negociación de mediante una herramienta virtual que adicionalmente brinde una respuesta más rápida y facilidad de uso.

SUSHILANDIA Take Away

Sushilandia take away es un restaurante que ofrece variedad de ingredientes para la selección por parte del cliente, bajo el concepto de “comida para llevar”. El sistema de funcionamiento se basa en la puesta de un menú estándar que le permite al cliente seguir una cadena dentro del sistema de producción de su comida. Inicialmente están dispuestos tres cortes diferentes de sushi, una vez el cliente escoge el que quiere pasa a la zona de proteínas, seguido de vegetales y adiciones. Seguidamente, el personal se encarga de armar el rollo, cortarlo y empacarlo. Se propone una alternativa ágil y saludable dirigida a la población que habita, trabaja y visita al sector de Quinta Paredes en Teusaquillo, aprovechando la fuerte y creciente presencia de hoteles, entidades públicas y privadas, así como lugares de convenciones – ferias y hogares. El objetivo del modelo de negocio que se ha previsto es eliminar el tiempo perdido dentro de la experiencia en los restaurantes, motivo por el cual se ha creado un proceso de producción que permite entregarle al cliente su comida en cuatro minutos. Sushilandia posee un plan de negocios que cuenta con los equipos y personal necesarios para cumplir su propuesta de valor y satisfacer los requerimientos, necesidades y anhelos del segmento escogido.

A prática de marketing e a formação de gestores na indústria de tecnologia da informação

As atuais tendências da indústria de tecnologia da informação (TI) provocam mudanças nas estratégias de marketing das empresas de TI, que abandonam o foco na venda de produtos e serviços para a venda de soluções baseadas em conceitos de mais alto nível, como cenários e estratégias de negócios. À medida que os profissionais de marketing passam a examinar os vários processos de negócios dos clientes, a empresa de TI tem que rever o posicionamento do seu negócio e as suas práticas de marketing. Este novo cenário traz a necessidade de reflexão e investigação sobre os tipos de organizações de marketing que estão sendo implementadas pelas empresas de TI, bem como os perfis de profissionais procurados e os programas de formação mais adequados. O presente estudo reflete sobre estas questões, de modo a contribuir para que a EAESP/FGV possa oferecer conteúdos programáticos que formem os profissionais para as empresas de TI.

When a local competitor (slightly) shakes up the global giant: a case on the soft drink market

As marcas globais mantiveram muita atenção no campo do marketing (Kotler, 1997; Holt, Quelch, e Taylor, 2004; Özsomer e Altaras, 2008), enquanto as marcas locais foram subestimadas (Ger, 1999; Schuiling e Kapferer, 2004). No entanto, o debate adaptação contra padronização foi amplamente discutido. Centra-se na definição de como uma empresa internacional deve construir a sua estratégia: ao padronizar sua estratégia de marketing ou, adaptando para melhor atender a cultura e às necessidades locais (Levitt, 1983; Subhash, 1989; Herbig, 1998; Holt, 2004; Melewar e Vemmervik , 2004; Heerden e Barter, 2008). No entanto, este assunto não foi discutido no contexto específico do consumo alternativo oferecido por concorrentes locais específicos. Hoje em dia, um aumento na oferta de produtos alternativos é observado. O consumo socialmente responsável está crescendo (Sen e Bhattacharya, 2001; Holt, 2002; Loureiro, 2002; François-Lecompte e Valette-Florence, 2006). O mercado dos refrigerantes de cola é de interesse particular. Colas alternativas são refrigerantes de cola que surgiram durante a última década em algumas regiões ou zonas específicas do mundo. Estas colas claramente posicionam-se como uma alternativa ao refrigerante global Coca-Cola. A alternativa não é baseada no preço mas nas características especiais dos produtos que constituem uma proposição de valor específica, diferente da Coca-Cola. Na França, desde uma década, o número de colas regionais aumentou, sendo mais de quinze hoje. O refregirante Breizh Cola foi lançado em 2002 e atinge quase uma quota de mercado de 10% na região Bretanha hoje. Em 2009, a Coca-Cola Entreprise iniciou uma campanha de marketing específica, na Bretanha, baseada em recursos visuais e parcerias regionais. Este caso de adaptação em um contexto de concorrência local específico é explorado nesta dissertação que incide sobre as razões da preferência para Breizh Cola, de um lado, e sobre as acções empreendidas pela Coca-Cola na Bretanha, do outro lado. Este estudo mostra que a Coca-Cola anda nos passos de Breizh Cola, a fim de melhor atender às expectativas local.

Development and evaluation of a range anxiety-reducing business model for connected full electric vehicles

This thesis develops and evaluates a business model for connected full electric vehicles (FEV) for the European market. Despite a promoting political environment, various barriers have thus far prevented the FEV from becoming a mass-market vehicle. Besides cost, the most noteworthy of these barriers is represented by range anxiety, a product of FEVs’ limited range, lacking availability of charging infrastructure, and long recharging times. Connected FEVs, which maintain a constant connection to the surrounding infrastructure, appear to be a promising element to overcome drivers’ range anxiety. Yet their successful application requires a well functioning FEV ecosystem which can only be created through the collaboration of various stakeholders such as original equipment manufacturers (OEM), first tier suppliers (FTS), charging infrastructure and service providers (CISP), utilities, communication enablers, and governments. This thesis explores and evaluates how a business model, jointly created by these stakeholders, could look like, i.e. how stakeholders could collaborate in the design of products, services, infrastructure, and advanced mobility management, to meet drivers with a sensible value proposition that is at least equivalent to that of internal combustion engine (ICE) cars. It suggests that this value proposition will be an end-2-end package provided by CISPs or OEMs that comprises mobility packages (incl. pay per mile plans, battery leasing, charging and battery swapping (BS) infrastructure) and FEVs equipped with an on-board unit (OBU) combined with additional services targeted at range anxiety reduction. From a theoretical point of view the thesis answers the question which business model framework is suitable for the development of a holistic, i.e. all stakeholder-comprising business model for connected FEVs and defines such a business model. In doing so the thesis provides the first comprehensive business model related research findings on connected FEVs, as prior works focused on the much less complex scenario featuring only “offline” FEVs.

Impacto da servitização no modelo de negócio de empresas manufatureiras : o caso Scania

Muitas empresas manufatureiras buscam aumentar a participação dos serviços em seus negócios. Essa estratégia é conhecida como servitização e significa aumentar a oferta de pacotes combinados de produtos e serviços com foco nos clientes e seus negócios. Porém, a servitização constitui um grande desafio para essas empresas, pois seus modelos de negócio tradicionais tem foco no desenvolvimento, produção e venda de produtos. Esta pesquisa investiga como uma empresa manufatureira modifica seu modelo de negócio para aumentar sua servitização. A pesquisa também analisa quais são as motivações para que uma empresa busque isso e quais são os desafios que ela enfrenta nessa busca. Com esses objetivos, realizou-se um estudo de caso de uma montadora de veículos pesados com operações globais e presença consolidada no Brasil. Conduziu-se entrevistas com 8 executivos da empresa, responsáveis por Vendas, Serviços, Marketing e Produção no Brasil e América Latina. As entrevistas foram combinadas com análise de documentos da empresa entre os anos de 1996 e 2011. Utilizou-se o conceito de modelo de negócio como unidade básica de análise, já que este conceito explica como uma empresa cria, entrega e captura valor. Os resultados mostram que o modelo de negócio da empresa está em transição, de seu foco tradicional em produto, para maior centralidade do cliente e suas operações. A proposta de valor da empresa passou a enfatizar o desempenho de seus pacotes de produtos e serviços nas operações dos clientes, ao invés do foco tradicional na qualidade dos produtos. A empresa também criou novas organizações, processos e métricas com foco nos clientes e novos modelos de receitas, baseados em contratos de risco e na venda de desempenho e disponibilidade. Os resultados mostram que a empresa possui motivações estratégicas, financeiras e de marketing para buscar a servitização. Eles também mostram que o alinhamento das diversas áreas da empresa e de sua rede de parceiros, para maior foco nos clientes e em serviços, ao invés do seu foco tradicional no produto, ainda representa um importante desafio empresarial.

An evaluation of the Business Model Canvas by technology-oriented startups in Brazil : a qualitative study about the usage of the tool by Brazilian entrepreneurs

The following paper was conducted with the support of several entrepreneurs and startups from Brazil. The aim of the research was to find out which impact the Business Model Canvas, further abbreviated as BMC, has on technology-oriented startups in Brazil. The first step of the study was identify some general concepts of entrepreneurship, as well as the conditions and environment of the country. Afterwards, it was focused on defining and comparing different business model tools and concepts to the BMC. After the literature review and meeting with several professionals in the area of entrepreneurship and startups, a questionnaire was formulated in order to conduct the qualitative study and identify the main impact of the tool. The questionnaire was answered by ten startups. In order to check the validity and credibility of the research outcomes, theory and investigator triangulation was used. As a result, the usage of the BMC could be evaluated by obtaining the outcomes and the theory, which showed that Brazilian tech startups are using Osterwalder’s model for the reason of idea creation and testing, validating and pivoting their business model. Interestingly, the research revealed that the entrepreneurs are using the tool often not in the traditional way of printing it, but rather applying it as a thinking approach. Besides, the entrepreneurs are focusing mostly on developing a strong Value Proposition, Customer Segment and sustainable Revenue Streams, while afterwards the remaining building blocks are built. Moreover, the research showed that the startups are using also other concepts, such as the Customer Development Process or Build-Measure-Learn Feedback Loop. These methodologies are often applied together with the BMC and helps to identify the most sustainable components of the business idea. Keywords: Business