business model innovation

An essential component of digital value creation is the innovation of digitally networked business models. By networking different actors and service bundles, new customer value can be created. However, this networking leads to increased complexity, which makes it difficult for tradition- al industrial companies in particular to exploit these opportunities in a meaningful way. For this reason, a system is presented that reduces com- plexity through modelling and makes it possible to compare the effort and benefits of business model ideas at an early stage.

In the project CrimpProd-S the integration of decentralized, self-learning production control systems in the context of Industry 4.0 in combination with additive manufacturing is investigated. The overall target is the economic evolutionary integration of lot size 1 in existing production facilities. Therefore a procedure model and customized methods are developed to analyze the potentials regarding the existing company’s strategy, value chain as well as the business model. This integrated procedure guarantees the efficient and customer-oriented transformation.

An investigation of Industry 4.0 project examples of selected companies with a focus on possible resulting business model innovations shows that these innovations can certainly be triggered by Industry 4.0 projects. How-ever, the results of our investigation also show that the share of business model innovations with 22% out of the 158 selected companies is, however, at a rather low range. Disruptive business model innovations are mainly found in companies of the manufacturing industry. Their focus is no longer only on the production or processing of products, but also on a clear added value for the customer. In this article, these aspects are further elaborated and selected study results are presented.

The digital transformation of business models plays a special role, because business models contain different elements, which can be digitally transformed. The complexity of production and logistics systems generates the demand for robust and error-resistant control options in the pursuit of corporate objectives. The control of production and logistics systems, especially, is often inadequately managed with methods of exact mathematical specifications alone. The objective of the following contribution is to define introduce a roadmap, including some examples for some instruments.

Additive manufacturing is today increasingly used to produce final products and not only prototypes in product development. Like many technologies before breakthrough it is mainly applied in niche markets, where it is overcoming its current limitations. Afterwards, it has the potential to transform industries as MP3 and iPod have done with the music business. The economist even speaks of the next industrial revolution [1]. This article supports companies in evaluating the strategic implications of additive manufacturing of final products in the mid- to long-term.