Business model dependencies: towards conceptualizing dependencies for extending modeling languages for business models

Abstract

Digital innovation continues to give technical and economic dependencies within and between business models an increasingly important role. Despite the steadily growing interest in business models in various disciplines such as software design, amongst others, there is no common understanding about the constituent parts of business model dependencies that define the relationships within and between business models of different market participants. On the basis of a literature analysis across more than 250 articles from business model research, we comprehensively review the understanding of business model dependencies. Thereby, we identify dependencies that are specific to business models. In doing so, this study pursues two objects: First, to explicate tacit knowledge about dependencies in business model research. Second, to review this knowledge to conceptualize business model dependencies. This study proposes five distinct types of business model dependencies and thereby lays the ground for conceptualizing business model dependencies. In this way, this study contributes to information systems research and software design by providing the basis for extending modeling languages for business models by introducing business model dependencies.