Organizational Re-Design for Business Model Innovation while Exploiting Digital Technologies: A Single Case Study of an Energy Company

Vito Maria Manfredi Latilla, Andrea Urbinati, Angelo Cavallo, Simone Franzò and Antonio Ghezzi
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Vito Maria Manfredi Latilla: Politecnico di Milano, School of Management, Via R. Lambruschini 4/b, 20156, Milano (MI), Italy
Andrea Urbinati: LIUC Università Cattaneo, School of Industrial Engineering, Corso G. Matteotti 22, 21053, Castellanza (VA), Italy
Angelo Cavallo: Politecnico di Milano, School of Management, Via R. Lambruschini 4/b, 20156, Milano (MI), Italy
Simone Franzò: Politecnico di Milano, School of Management, Via R. Lambruschini 4/b, 20156, Milano (MI), Italy
Antonio Ghezzi: Politecnico di Milano, School of Management, Via R. Lambruschini 4/b, 20156, Milano (MI), Italy

International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), 2021, vol. 18, issue 02, 1-28

Abstract: Digital technologies are bringing a wide spectrum of business opportunities as well as significant organizational challenges for incumbent companies operating in traditional industries such as the energy one. The diffusion of new technologies is changing the way energy solutions are consumed and experienced, while consumers increasingly take ownership of their consumption, acting as “prosumers”. In this evolving scenario, incumbents are urged to reshape their business models, explore new opportunities and change their organizational structures accordingly. Still, the required organizational re-design process that enables companies to undergo business model innovation (BMI) while exploiting digital technologies is partially neglected in literature. Hence, this study explores how established companies embrace organizational re-design process to innovate their business model. To this end, we leverage a single case study methodology focused on an incumbent energy company. Our findings show how the establishment of a business unit dedicated to digital technologies exploitation has enabled the company’s BMI. More specifically, we point at the critical role played by the know-how and the industrial capabilities to sustain not only the innovation activities of the new business unit, but also the overall company performance and the shift towards a renewed business model.

Keywords: Organizational re-design; digital technologies; business model; business model innovation; energy industry (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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DOI: 10.1142/S0219877020400027

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