Uncovering business model innovation contexts : a comparative analysis by fsQCA methods

Abstract

Business model innovation purports to create new business values in uncharted market ecologies. In addressing questions of how business contexts can shape and impose urgency on business model innovation, this research reviews and puts forth five classes of contextual antecedents, namely, business eco-networks, the business actors' behavioral orientation, mastery of technology, rules and governance, and business complexity. The research also posits that the configurations of these contextual antecedents mediate two business model performance outcomes: adaptive agility, and resource capability. This research conceives the antecedents that mediate outcomes in complex multiconfiguration contexts, and analyses their relationships using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) methods. Using data from an empirical survey of 42 innovation start-ups, this research corroboration concludes with relevant implications for managing business model innovation. The research results identify seven antecedent configurations multimorphologically leading to the same outcomes. As uncovered by the analysis, the mastery of technology and business complexity are the most salient, necessary antecedents. This research contributes to the business strategy literature, as well as to innovation management, by characterizing the configurative conditions for the effective pursuit of business model innovation.