Sebastian Kortmann

Open Business Models and Closed-Loop Value Chains: Redefining the Firm-Consumer Relationship

Driven by recent socio-economic developments, manufacturing firms increasingly adapt their business models along two dimensions. Apart from vertically integrating the entire product life cycle, traditionally separated tasks are re-allocated into new forms of horizontal stakeholder collaborations. Incorporating these two dimensions, this article develops a framework of nine business model archetypes that holistically capture the increasing openness of business models towards consumers in the emerging closed-loop value chain. Using illustrative examples, it demonstrates their broad applicability in different industries and derives important managerial implications for firm-consumer relationships, the relevance of consumer communities, new product development activities, and the sustainability of business models.

The relationship between organizational structure and organizational ambidexterity: a comparison between manufacturing ans service firms

In strategic management and organizational theory, organizational effectiveness denotes the broadest domain of business performance. What is the optimal structural configuration for organizational ambidexterity and to what extent is it contingent upon firm type? To answer this research question, this study employs a two-step approach. In the first step, Sebastian Kortmann determines a structural configuration that generally supports organizational ambidexterity. Then, in a second step, he draws upon structural contingency theory and investigates to what extent this optimal structural configuration is dependent on firm type.

The Impact of Global Knowledge Sourcing and Ambidextrous Capabilities on Business Model Innovation

International firms are more frequently faced with transformation of their business models than ever before. While the importance of business model innovation is widely acknowledged in internationa...