Title: An innovative business model for marketing service value networks in the logistics and supply chain industry

Authors: Konstantinos Panou

Addresses: Department of Shipping, Trade and Transport, University of Aegean, Korai 2A, Chios 82100, Greece

Abstract: So far research in service value networks (SVNs) has focused on technical interoperability, including the development of standards for message exchanges and service process coordination. Business concepts, however, such as customer value and other business dependencies cannot be tackled with technical specifications. As a consequence, interoperability and business models become difficult to keep aligned. To address this issue, this paper focuses on the interaction of business model research and developments in SVNs with the aim to investigate how the free value strategy delivered via the freemium model can be used for marketing supply chain SVNs. To facilitate this, an adaptation of Osterwalder's business model ontology is applied to a case study from the container management service industry. The research shows that a freemium model can provide the means to coordinate the business and technological dependencies of a supply chain SVN while actually promoting its real value and long-term monetisation.

Keywords: supply chain integration; supply chain management; SCM; container management; service industry; SVNs; service value networks; supply chain services; open business models; service-based business models; freemium model; logistics; marketing; interoperability; business model ontology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISM.2015.070512

International Journal of Integrated Supply Management, 2015 Vol.9 No.4, pp.251 - 275

Received: 23 Nov 2013
Accepted: 09 Oct 2014

Published online: 09 Jul 2015 *

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