Master 2023/2024

Innovative Business Models

Type: Compulsory course (Marketing: Digital Technology and Marketing Communications)

Area of studies: Management

Delivered by: Department of Marketing

Where: Graduate School of Business

When: 2 year, 1 module

Mode of studies: offline

Open to: students of one campus

Instructors: Andrei Starkov

Master’s programme: Маркетинг: цифровые технологии и маркетинговые коммуникации

Language: English

ECTS credits: 3

Contact hours: 24

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This course introduces students to the concept and practical application of the business model as a strategic and managerial tool. It delves deep into its analytical uses (assessing existing businesses) and design uses (creating new businesses). Central to both is the role of marketing. Strategic marketing bridges the perspectives of customers, competitors, and the company, offering vital insights into the business modeling process. Students will master the business model framework to holistically analyze organizations, with an emphasis on refining their value propositions, positioning, and market-entry strategies. They'll also cultivate the skills needed to thrive as both entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs. Our teaching approach combines theory-rich lectures peppered with illustrative case studies and hands-on group sessions centered on case method teaching, enabling students to apply learned concepts and tools through collaborative and individual tasks.

Learning Objectives

• To familiarise students with a notion of business model as a concept and as a managerial tool which can be used for both analytical (analysis of existing business) and design (development of a new business) purposes.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Understands a concept of a business model, knows main theoretical research streams in business models studies and can list main building blocks of a business model.
• Knows examples of typical business models patterns, can list advantages and disadvantages of each pattern, can determine which business model pattern to choose under various contextual circumstances.
• Knows business models innovation strategies, can apply the such strategies in designing business models from scratch, can apply such strategies to amend existing business models
• Can use the following business models frameworks as analytical and design tools: Business Model Canvas (A. Osterwalder). Business model navigator (O. Gassmann). 4W approach (Girotra K.)

Course Contents

• Theoretical foundations of business models
• Frameworks for business model analysis and design
• Classifications of business model patterns
• Overview of business model patterns
• Managing business models

Assessment Elements

• Examination test
  The exam will take place offline in a computer auditorium (Startexam platform without proctoring). The test will consist of a selection of questions and assignemtns of various types: true/false questions (10 questions, 1 point per correct answer), multiple choice questions (5 questions, 3 points per correct answer), checkboxes (3 questions, 5 points per correct answer, partly correct answers don't count), connections (2 questions, 5 points per correct answer, partly correct answers don't count), open questions (3 questions, 10 points max per answer) and essay (1 question / 20 points max). For open questions and for essay the following evaluation criteria will be used: quality of argumentation, usage of the concepts covered in the course, completeness of the submission. Students who could not accomplish other elements of control for a good reason the exam weight will be 80% the final grade with the rest 20% coming from the group presentation element which can be accomplished on the individual basis.
• Collaborative work on Perusall
  Perusall is a social learning tool which helps students to engage with the course materials and make reading a social experience. A selection of articles and other content pieces (e.g. podcasts, videos) will be offered for reading, listening and watching, leaving coments and engaging into discussions with peers.
• Group Presentation
  There is no rigid structure for your presentation. However, certain topics are required to be covered. Please give an overview of the BM pattern, any history behind it’s popularity and development over time. You can mention companies or brands which pioneered the pattern and developed it to the next level. - Provide some analysis on the BM pattern — pros and cons, when to employ etc. - Illustrate the pattern with the help of examples. If possible use your own examples. Also would be great if you coould look at russian companies. Here you might want to employ the Business model canvas (BMC) to demonstrate the interdependancies within the BM blocks on the example of a specific company. Some BM patterns can be easily analysed with the help of BMC, some are more challenging to think about using that framework. So use your best judgement. BM patterns as they are conceptualised by Gassmann et al. are essentially approaches to do business so don’t expect that you would be able to talk about all 9 blocks of BMC presenting your pattern. Some BM patterns are focused on ways how companies obtain revenue, some are about ways to design and position yourself in freames of the value chain, some are about innovative ways to define value proposition, and some offer avenues to grow the business. The main goal for your presntation is to familiarise your groupmates with the BM pattern and prepare the materials which will be used by the group in prepartion for the exam. So please make your slides content rich or provide links to the sources.
• Extra assignments
  Additional assignments are meant to give students an opportunity to earn additional points which will be added up to the final grade. These assignments are optional and will be designed around topical issues of business models scientific and research discourse.
• Tests
  The tests will be held at the beginning of each seminar session and will be based on case studies which are assigned for respective seminars.

Interim Assessment

• 2023/2024 1st module
  0.2 * Collaborative work on Perusall + 0.4 * Examination test + 0.2 * Group Presentation + 0.2 * Tests

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• A business model for entrepreneurship, Verstraete, T., 2011

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Business model generation : a handbook for visionaries, game changers, and challengers, Osterwalder, A., 2010
• Evolving business models : how CEOs transform traditional companies, , 2017