Developing a business model for a micro operator in 5G environment in campus use case in Finland

• Main Author: Sipola, E. (Erika)
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: University of Oulu 2017
• Subjects: Management and International Business
• Online Access: http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-201711293192; http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:fi:oulu-201711293192

The approaching 5G technology is expected to offer new opportunities for business especially in the indoor networks. Researchers have estimated that a new actor, a micro operator could take some part of the traditional mobile network operators’ role in the future. This research takes a future-oriented coopetitive perspective and examines the micro operator within its coopetitive ecosystem in 5G environment in campus context. The research aims to identify possible future business model elements for the micro operator in the 5G campus environment. This research is conducted with a qualitative anticipatory action research approach. The qualitative methodology facilitates the creation of fundamental understanding of the researched subject that is required. Anticipatory action learning combines future studies and action research. This corresponds well with the target to vision the future business models and creates new knowledge for organizational change. The empirical data was gathered through background interviews and a co-creational workshop. The knowledge developed in the workshop is not static but co-created by players from the micro operator’s ecosystem with various perspectives. The empirical data is analyzed from coopetitive, 4C and openness perspectives. The results of the study show promise. Many possible ways to generate a new business model were identified in the study. Three potential service entities were recognized for the campus use case. In total three service entities possess fifteen individual business opportunities. From the coopetition perspective, most of these fifteen potential business opportunities lies on the creation of new markets but also on the efficiency in the resource utilization. From the 4C business model perspective, the potential is mainly located on the content and context levels. The micro operator is operating in the coopetitive ecosystem. Thus, some level of openness is anticipated. This kind of business model’s elements are the core and extensions. They can both be closed and operated by one company or they can be developed together within the ecosystem if the core or extensions or both are open. The research offers insight for academics and practitioners. It contributes to the scarce literature related to the coopetitive business models of micro operators. The study depicts how coopetition enables creation and capture of additional value that could not be created without coopetition. Thus, the coopetition can be valuable as part of the individual company’s business model. However, coopetition can be demanding for the managers as they coordinate the company’s conflicting goals. The study presents various potential business models that managers can evaluate and utilize in practice. The reliability and validity can not be used as measurements in future-oriented research. The quality of the research is measured by the probability based on trends, the plausibility based on events that could occur in the future and the preferability based on the future we would like to have. The quality of the research is also enhanced by transparency as the choices and the research process are explained in detail.