Towards Business Model Tools for SMEs – Knowledge Boundaries in Business Model Innovation Projects

Gollhardt, Torsten

Zusammenfassung

Business model tools play a key role in business model innovation as they facilitate knowledge-sharing among different actors. Academia has already explored knowledge boundaries in business model innovation in large enterprises and how business model tools help to overcome them. To investigate knowledge-sharing in business model innovation projects implemented in SMEs, we conducted a field study in a German publicly-funded digital innovation unit. Our preliminary results indicate five communities of practice and four knowledge boundaries relevant for SMEs. This research-in-progress provides the foundation for the design of business model tools tailored to business model innovation projects in SMEs.