The social dimension of business models: an Actor-Network Theory perspective

We developed BIZ2BIS (from Business Models to the Blueprint of the Information System), an approach to help design, discuss, and evaluate inter-organizational business models, and also derive high-level requirements for their underlying IS. It consists of an iterative process that involves the various stakeholders in seeking a set of value propositions that ensure that the various elements are willing to participate in a sustained manner, thus ensuring a resilient value network. Our exhaustive literature review on business models pointed to the importance of accounting for a socio-technical nature, so we grounded our approach on Actor-Network Theory (ANT). Our proposal has been successfully used in designing the business model for a 2M€ project involving multiple independent players in the wine industry.

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