Title: Mobile internet business models in emerging markets

Authors: Katri Hanninen, Jukka Hallikas, Mikko Pynnonen

Addresses: DataInfo Oy, P.O. Box 725, 00051 Sonera, Finland. ' School of Business, Lappeenranta University of Technology, P.O. Box 20, FIN-53851, Lappeenranta, Finland. ' Technology Business Research Center, Lappeenranta University of Technology, P.O. Box 20, FIN-53851, Lappeenranta, Finland

Abstract: The spread of the mobile internet into emerging markets has created interest in developing strategies and new business models suitable for doing business in the emerging markets. This requires the identification of alternative business model structures and fitting business models in different business environments. This study was conducted using both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Internally homogeneous country clusters of European countries were formed with cluster analysis. The selected four country clusters allowed for the designing of suitable business models for different kinds of markets. Analytical methods were used for assessing the priorities of market attributes in each cluster and evaluating the business model fit in each cluster. The main contribution of this paper is the systematic methodology and process to segment the countries and to analyse the fit of business models to these segments. The paper also reveals the critical business model elements and the business models profiles for each market.

Keywords: country clusters; diffusion; innovation; mobile internet; world wide web; AHP; analytical hierarchy process; quality function deployment; QFD; business strategies; alternative business models; Europe; cluster analysis; priorities; market attributes; evaluation; model fits; segments; segmentisation; critical elements; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Georgia; Greece; Moldova; Poland; Portugal; Russia; Serbia; Montenegro; Turkey; Albania; Belarus; Bosnia; Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Kazakhstan; Macedonia; Romania; Ukraine; Belgium; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Finland; France; Germany; Hungary; Malta; Slovakia; Slovenia; Sweden; Austria; Estonia; Ireland; Italy; Netherlands; Holland; Spain; Switzerland; United Kingdom; UK; business environment; emerging markets.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBE.2010.037600

International Journal of Business Environment, 2010 Vol.3 No.4, pp.427 - 444

Published online: 20 Dec 2010 *

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