Business model innovation as problematizing: A discursive framework

Abstract

Despite the widespread interest in business models, relatively little is known about how organizations innovate business models. We conceptualize business model innovation as problem-atizing, i.e. a specific kind of ‘discursive practice’ that challenges the dominant paradigm under which a given collective operates. Therefore, we transplant the concept of problematizing from the literature on discourse theory to the literature on business models. Moreover, we develop four ideal types of problematizing that matter for the business model innovation process (determined prob-lematizing, exhaustive problematizing, pragmatic problematizing and symbiotic problematizing). Each of these types signifies a distinct probability whether the ‘ideated’ business model will be ‘implemented’ into the organization. We argue that the occurrence of these types is influenced by the degree of compatibility between different institutional logics of ‘ideating units’ and ‘imple-menters’ of business models, as well as their power balance.