The business model bank: conceptualizing a database structure for large-sample study of an emerging management concept

Abstract

The business model represents an increasingly important management concept. However, progress in research related to the concept is currently inhibited from inconsistencies in terms of formalizing and therewith also empirically measuring the business model concept. Taking this as a starting point, this paper offers a conceptualization for building a scalable database to rigorously capture large samples of business models. The following contributions are made: First, we suggest a concept for dimensions to be modeled in the database. Second, we discuss issues critical to the scalability of such an endeavor. Third, we point to empirical and simulation-based studies enabled by the population of such a database. Considerations for theory and practice are offered.