Business Model Change and Refinement along Business Model Lifecycle: Evidences From a Multiple Case Study on Mobile Telecommunications New Ventures

Few studies describe in depth the dynamic aspect of the design process of the business model (BM) construct. This dynamic feature is interrelated with the changes in the environment, and this is specifically true for new ventures in rapidly changing context, who need to adjust their BMs several times to succeed. This research attempts to clarify the mechanisms of BM change during a firm's startup phase. The study aims at: (i) understanding the main phases constituting the business model lifecycle (BML), and (ii) analyzing in which BM dimensions entrepreneurs focus their design efforts during the refining cycle of the BML. The analysis was conducted through the case study methodology, by interacting with 12 mobile new ventures. Our findings offer an original representation of the BM development in Mobile New Ventures through the BML, and suggest a correlation between founders' background and the refinement activity on some BM dimensions.