Abstract
Business models are crucial for explaining firm performance. In practice, managers apply business models to increase firm’s advantage. Particularly, innovative business models solve many economic and social problems in emerging economies. To show the knowledge development in the field, we explored the knowledge network and identified the role of business models in emerging economies.
To examine the primary topics in business model studies, we reviewed the academic literature and applied main path analysis (MPA) to explain the development in this field since 2000. The valid sample of this study comprised 665 papers, and citation information was used in the MPA. We further investigated the role of business models in emerging economies through keyword analysis and case analysis.
The results for the main path indicate that the development of business model studies proceeded in three stages. In general, the literature in business model studies has transitioned from discussing internal and external value to framing business model structures. Specifically, in the latest stage, sustainability in a business model was conceptualized, and studies focused on how a business model can function as a structured model for explaining how various businesses operate. Moreover, studies on emerging economies have noted the importance of sustainable business models and model adaptations for firms in developing countries.
