Applications of the Business Model in Studies of Enterprise Success, Innovation and Classification: An Analysis of Empirical Research from 1996 to 2010

Although there is no widely agreed upon definition and composition of the business model concept, it is evident from the continued presence of the term in both scholarly and broader business literature, that managers and researchers alike find it a useful descriptive and analytical construct. This paper reviews research in the field of business models from 1996 to 2010. Electronic database searches of scholarly journals spanning 1996 when the term business model first appeared in multiple publications to 2010 reveals 69 articles that use the business model concept in empirical research. The empirical studies are analyzed revealing that European information, media and telecommunications firms feature most frequently. Three themes emerge from an analysis of the papers: (1) the business model as the basis for enterprise classification, (2) business models and enterprise performance, and (3) business model innovation. This paper identifies, organizes and analyzes existing empirical research to highlight the value of the business model as a research construct and improve the general understanding of the business model concept.