Business is a system.  When business is perceived as a system, business model could became a system configuration issue and designable. In recent years, the business model has been the focus of substantial attention from both academics and practitioners. The business model is emerging as a new unit of analysis and that business models emphasize a system-level, holistic approach to explaining how firms “do business”.

Traditional strategy researches focused on firms’ competition issues in a competitive context. This scenario supposed that the industry already exists and the business models of companies have established. The major issue to be dealt with is the competition among a few competitors under existed game rules. However, the world has changed dramatically since the Internet era. Most companies have been facing an unknown situation. Some new industries or emerging markets have not yet been clearly defined and the value delivery is still fuzzy. It has shown us that business model matter, and matter greatly in this dynamic environment. It is a new opportunity for both academics and practitioners to propose the business model design principles for their business system to face the dynamic environment.
 

Business models are the creations of entrepreneurs or business school. Some scholars were aware of the problems and limitations for developed themes in the domain of management.  They have regarded business strategy as architecture, design, and craft.  How to quickly design of new business model has become an important issue. If the academia can propose methodology about business model design principle, then practitioners or entrepreneurs are able to create their new business without burning huge money to try-and-error. The lessons from venture tide around the emergence of the Internet age tell us the matter of business model design.  Consequently, it is interesting and valuable for practitioners and scholars in business school to collaborate for solving the puzzles of new issues of management and proposing useful methodology for entrepreneurs.

Accordingly, the agenda for TAITA seminar was drawn up below.  It’s my great honor to have this opportunity to talk to people with entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley. Hope that we all will enjoy this seminar.

1.      Business Model vs. Business Strategy

2.      Business Model Innovation and Business Model Design

3.      Design Patterns for Business Model

4.      Practical Applications and Case Studies

5.      Q&A