Disruptive Innovations and Business Models
Author
Hansen, Mikkel Bo
Term
4. Term
Publication year
2010
Pages
42
Abstract
Denne specialeafhandling undersøger, hvordan disruptive innovationer og forretningsmodeller har påvirket solcelleindustrien (photovoltaics) og sætter analysen ind i den bredere udfordring, som virksomheder møder, når væksten stagnerer, og aktiemarkedet samtidig forventer vedvarende overperformance. Med udgangspunkt i teorien om disruptiv innovation (bl.a. Christensen & Raynor) afklares de innovative hovedudfordringer, forskellen mellem vedligeholdende og disruptive innovationer samt to overordnede former for disruption. Afhandlingen gennemgår samtidig den relativt umodne litteratur om forretningsmodeller, herunder skellet mellem strategi og forretningsmodel samt forretningsmodellens rolle som en situationsbestemt (contingent) faktor. Metodisk anvendes en deduktiv tilgang, hvor teoretiske begreber testes mod sekundære data fra artikler og virksomhedernes hjemmesider (interviews har ikke været mulige pga. tids- og ressourcemæssige begrænsninger). På dette grundlag udvikles et analytisk udgangspunkt, der anvendes på solcellebranchen med fokus på branchestruktur, de fem største aktører og læringspunkter fra konkrete virksomheder (herunder First Solar). Formålet er at belyse, hvordan virksomheder kan opbygge evnen til at innovere og tilpasse sig markedets skift, samt hvordan forretningsmodelvalg kan understøtte eller hindre disruption. Uddraget rummer ikke de endelige empiriske resultater, som præsenteres senere i afhandlingen.
This master’s thesis examines how disruptive innovations and business models have influenced the photovoltaic (solar) industry, framing the analysis within the broader challenge companies face when growth stalls while capital markets continue to demand outperformance. Drawing on disruptive innovation theory (notably Christensen & Raynor), the thesis clarifies key innovation challenges, the distinction between sustaining and disruptive innovations, and two main categories of disruption. It also reviews the relatively nascent business model literature, including the distinction between strategy and business model and the role of the business model as a contingent factor. Methodologically, the study adopts a deductive approach, testing theoretical concepts against secondary data from articles and company websites (interviews were not feasible due to time and resource constraints). Based on this, it develops an analytical lens applied to the solar sector, covering industry structure, the top five firms, and lessons from specific companies (including First Solar). The aim is to understand how firms can build the capability to innovate and adapt to market shifts, and how business model choices can enable or hinder disruption. The excerpt does not include final empirical findings, which are presented later in the thesis.
[This summary has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project (PDF)]
Keywords
Documents