Executive Post-Graduate Diploma in Management-Platform

(EPGP Platform)

Term- III

Digital Business Models (DBM)

(Credit 1.5)

Institute Name: IIM Kozhikode

Course Description:
Business models systematically analyze the complex business environment and help firms
succeed competitively through value creation. As the business world is rapidly digitizing,
disruptive innovations are transforming the dynamics of business operations, product/service
offerings, and business strategy. In this era of transformative technologies like mobile apps, IoT,
and analytics, businesses have to realign their value propositions to meet the networked customer
expectations and thrive in the digital ecosystem. The purpose of this course is to offer an
understanding of the transforming landscape of businesses, and how they can develop digital
business models to succeed in this era. The course provides an overview of various frameworks
for digital business models, with a discussion on disruptive technologies that has led to the
transformation of the business space. Discussions on digital transformations introduce the
students to the disruptive innovations that are destroying the traditional barriers and opening up
new opportunities. The various topics on social media, sharing economy, and platform-based
businesses offers an understanding on how businesses operate, succeed, and fail, in this heavily
digitized ecosystem.

Learning Objectives:
The broad objectives of this course are:

- Awareness about role of technology in success of a company’s business models

- Sensitization about various types of digital business models

- Ability to analyze, design and develop digital business models

Pedagogy:
The teaching will include discussions on the topics, case studies and the learning process
includes discussion by the students on the various topics covered. The write up
submissions add to the learning as students understand the implications of the study in
the industry.
Evaluation

Assessment Methods in Alignment with Intended Learning Outcomes

Students will be evaluated on the basis of case analysis, project, quizzes, class
participation, individual assignments, and end-term exam. The weightage given to each
of these units is listed below:

Specific Assessment Method Weightage

50%
END-TERM EXAMINATION
QUIZZES 15%

WRITE-UP SUBMISSION/ ASSIGNMENTS 15%

20%
PROJECT

Group Project

The group project will be one of the most important learning tools of the course. Each
group will comprise of approx. five students. Each group will propose a digital business
model based on the frameworks discussed in the class. Groups will analyse the strategies
hat their proposed business can adopt to compete in the market and become profitable
using the concepts discussed in class.

Group Project Report: A project report in the recommended format shall be submitted by
each group as per the deadline announced. Guidelines and report format provided at the
end.

Recommended Text Book / Reference Book / Journals / Website

Text Book (TB)

Srinivasan, R. Platform Business Models. Springer, 2021.

Reference Books

Weill, P., & Woerner, S. (2018). What's Your Digital Business Model?: Six Questions to Help
You Build the Next-generation Enterprise. Harvard Business Press.
Course Outline: Sessions / Cases / Case Problems / Reading Material
Session Topic
Session 1:  What is a business model?
Introduction  Building Blocks of A
to Digital business; When is a new
Business business model needed?
Models  Business models for digital
era: Ecosystem Driver,
Modular Producer,
Omnichannel, Supplier
Session 2:  Digital Business Ecosystem;
Digital Disruptive Innovations
Disruption  Characteristics of Disruptive
Entrants
 Strategies to respond to a
potential disrupters
 Digital Transformation
Session 3:  Platform Business Models
Platform  Platform Architecture
Business  Value Creation in Platforms
Models
Reading Material/Case
Readings:
 Joan Magretta. (2002). Why Business
Models Matter’. Harvard business
review, 87-92.
 Johnson, Mark W., Clayton M.
Christensen, and Henning Kagermann.
Reinventing your business
model. Harvard business review. 86.12
(2008): 57-68.
Additional Readings:
 Weill, P., & Woerner, S. L. (2015).
Thriving in an increasingly digital
ecosystem. MIT Sloan Management
Review, 56(4), 27.
 Disruptive Technologies: Catching the
Wave? By Joseph L. Bower and
Clayton M. Christensen, Michael E.
Raynor, and Rory McDonald, Harvard
Business Review, 1995
 Berman, S. J. (2012). Digital
transformation: opportunities to create
new business models. Strategy &
Leadership.
 Case: AccorHotel’s digital
transformation: A response to
hospitality disruptor Airbnb
Additional Readings:
 Bughin, J., Zeebroeck, N. V., (2017).
The best response to digital
disruption. MIT Sloan Management
Review, 58(4).
 TB Chp 1
 TB Chp 5
 TB Chp 13
 Case: Swiggy, Foodora & Yelp :
Hyperlocal Platforms ( TB Ch 6)
Session 4 : Readings:
 Power of Network Effects
Network  TB ,Chp 3
 Network mobilization
Effects  TB, Chp 7
 Winner-take-all strategies
 TB, Chp 15
 Platform Envelopment
 TB, Chp 17
Case: Tarnea Technology Solutions (TB,
Chp. 18)
Session 5:  Pricing strategies for Digital Readings:
Competing, Business Models  TB , Chp 11
Profits &  Barriers to adopting free  TB, Chp 13
Revenue strategies  Bryce, D. J., Dyer, J. H., & Hatch, N.
Generation  Competing with Free W. (2011). Competing against
free. Harvard Business Review
 Case : Zomato Gold: Platform
Overreach ( TB Chp. 12)

Session 6:  Power dynamics between Readings:

Power Platforms & Sellers  TB, Ch 19, 21
dynamics,  Strategic implications of  Edelman, B. (2014). Mastering the
long tail and Long Tail for Platforms & intermediaries. Harvard business
contemporary suppliers review, 92(6), 86-92.
issues  Contemporary Issues  Elberse, A. (2008). Should you invest in
the long tail?. Harvard business
review, 86(7/8), 88.
 Hagiu, A., & Yoffie, D. B. (2009). What's
your Google strategy?.

Final Project Report Format

Each group will propose a digital business model based on the frameworks discussed in
the class. The analysis should contain the following details:

1. Describe the company and its business model of the company using frameworks
discussed in the class
2. Analyse the strategies it can company adopt to compete in the market and become
profitable using the concepts discussed in class. (You may have covered various
frameworks in other subjects as well which could be applied here. But given the
word limit, I suggest you give preference to frameworks & concepts from DBM)
3. Any other information that you may wish to add

Instructions:
  Submit your answers in a pdf file named as “Group no – DBM_Project”
 Keep the analysis crisp and focused.
Please mention correct group numbers in your report along with names of group
members.
 Please keep the length of pdf report within 5 pages.

Note :

All the assignments go through a plagiarism check before being evaluated. Any
submission with high percentage of plagiarised content will not be considered as a valid
submission and will be awarded zero marks.

You are free to refer to various sources online, but I expect you to assimilate all those
understanding, use it in your answers and provide appropriate references. Copying the
entire content in your answers will not be appreciated.