Title: Mobile information and entertainment services: business models and service networks

Authors: Carleen F. Maitland, Elisabeth A.M. Van De Kar, Uta Wehn De Montalvo, Harry Bouwman

Addresses: The School of Information Sciences and Technology, The Pennsylvania State University, PA 16802, USA. ' Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands. ' Institute for Strategy and Technology Policy Unit, TNO, The Netherlands. ' Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands

Abstract: The mobile telecommunications industry is undergoing a rapid change, which is increasing the interdependency of firms in the sector. This trend increases the likelihood that mobile information and entertainment services will be delivered through inter-organisational networks of firms. These networks are the topic of this research. In particular, we examine service networks and the possible influence of business models on their characteristics. Using data from five case studies of mobile service networks, we examine the influence of revenue models and network membership benefits on network characteristics. The results of this exploratory research demonstrate that revenue models have a relationship with governance and that both revenue sharing agreements and governance mechanisms become less standardised with greater distance from the end user. In the conclusion we discuss the implications of these findings for research on both inter-firm service networks and business models.

Keywords: mobile services; inter-firm networks; business models; network governance; mobile communications; wireless communications; m-business; mobile business; entertainment services; information services; revenue models; network membership benefits; m-services.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMDM.2005.005965

International Journal of Management and Decision Making, 2005 Vol.6 No.1, pp.47 - 64

Published online: 08 Jan 2005 *

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