Business model analysis of a case company in knowledge intensive business sector Case: Oy Integro Finland Ab

Abstract

This study initiated with the need of analyzing the case company’s business model, and evaluate its suitability to the new market territory of the case company. The objectives of this study include understanding of business model concept and its importance, learning to apply the business model framework to the case company, finally testing and modifying the business model framework of Rajala et.al in a general level of application.

The study begins with concept introduction and discussion, include definition of business model, importance of business model, definition of business strategy, introduction of Knowledge-intensive business services, and concept of behavioural analysis/profile etc. Not only include the concepts mentioned before, this study also introduces the development trend of these concept and their relevance to the case company’s situation. The business model framework used in this study was developed by Rajala et al. for software business companies, which share quite much similarities with KIBS companies.

After literature review, there is the empirical study of this thesis, which is mainly based on the case company. The empirical study is made based on questionnaires and interviews. The result is analyzed based on Rajala et al.’ business model framework (2001). Conclusion has been drawn after the analysis, and suggestions have been made to the case company.

After the case company analysis, the study has been developed to a general level – for all KIBS companies. And the business model framework used in this study has been slightly modified to suit better for the KIBS companies’ situation.

Besides the analysis of the case company, and the recommendation has been made to the case company, there is another result, which is more on a general level, that the Rajala et al.’s business model framework (2001) has been modified as follow: firstly, the customer has been moved to the center of the framework, in order to bring people’s attention to the significance of customer; secondly, business partner has been added into the framework, in order to emphasize the importance of business partner to a company’s success.