E – Strategic Transformation to Value-Centred Business Models

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Andreas Eggert, since 2/2021
• Subject Area: Accounting and Finance
• Term: from 2018 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 407478805

Academic and managerial literature alike advise manufacturing firms to shift their focus from goods-centred to value-centred business models. Yet, while the idea of value-centred business models is widely accepted, firms struggle with bringing the idea into action. Faced with idiosyncratic constellations of barriers and drivers, manufacturing companies vary substantially in their strategic transformation to value-centred business models. To date, however, extant literature has paid limited attention to the strategic transformation of B2B firms. Consequently, the questions remain open (1) why and how manufacturing firms transform to value-centred business models and (2) when this strategic move entails beneficial outcomes for them.This is the starting point for project E, which pursues four goals. First, we aim to capture companies’ strategic transformation and identify different transformative paths to value-centred business models. Second, we aim to investigate the drivers and barriers of strategic transformation to value-centred business models. Third, we aim to examine the relational and financial consequences of strategic transformation. Lastly, we aim to identify configurations of salesforce-oriented change management initiatives that facilitate beneficial outcomes of strategic transformation to value-centred business models.To accomplish these goals, we will carry out five work modules over a period of three years. Module 1 will build the conceptual and theoretical background for our research project. This module will comprise an in-depth literature review, a theoretical analysis, and the development of the conceptual model.In Module 2, we will conduct an exploratory qualitative study to confront our conceptual model with reality and gain practitioners’ perspectives on strategic transformations to value-centred business models. Specifically, we will prepare an interview guide, conduct expert interviews, transcribe and code the data, and analyse the interviews.In Module 3, we will conduct a quantitative survey with longitudinal character. To accomplish this, we will develop the survey, recruit participants, conduct the survey, collect secondary data, and create a matched data set. We also plan to conduct a second survey wave with a reduced version of our questionnaire one year after the initial survey.Module 4 comprises the data analysis of the matched data set. Addressing the different goals of the research project, we will perform different types of data analysis, i.e., latent class analysis, structural equation modelling, and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis.Module 5 will promote the dissemination and publication of project results. We will present the results at international conferences and company round tables and submit our manuscripts to leading marketing journals.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigators: Professor Dr. Jan Wieseke; Professorin Dr. Nancy Viola Wünderlich
• Ehemalige Antragstellerin: Professorin Dr. Eva Böhm, until 1/2021