Business model innovation (BMI) has recently become a topic of interest for research as well as corporate practice. However, we lack specific insights into actors, drivers, and different forms of BMI as the concept is by now mainly addressed in a very general way. In this paper, we analyze how BMI takes place in strategic alliances with the focus of enhancing the recent knowledge about BMI by developing a concept that links firm‐level BMI with alliance‐driven innovation of business models. Against the background of an in‐depth explorative qualitative study, we shed light on the basic nature business model innovation alliances (BMIA) and their effects on both, alliance level and firm level. We develop a process model of BMIA that is the first model providing a holistic picture of this particular type of BMI. Our findings allow for deep insights into BMI processes in incumbent companies and uncover in detail the importance of boundary spanning activities in this realm. By providing these insights, we pave the ground for a new stream of BMI research that focuses on the in‐depth understanding of the role of collaboration and network effects in recent BMI processes. In addition, we show practical benefits for partners in BMI alliances. These insights may help to overcome the traditional fear of negative effects that is still very often prevalent in companies when it comes to issues of partnering with firm external players in strategic issues.

中文翻译：

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战略联盟中的业务模型创新：多层视角

商业模型创新（BMI）最近已成为研究和公司实践的关注主题。但是，由于目前主要以非常笼统的方式解决这一概念，因此我们对行为体，驱动因素和不同形式的BMI缺乏具体见解。在本文中，我们分析了战略联盟中的BMI发生方式，重点是通过开发将公司级BMI与联盟驱动的业务模型创新联系起来的概念，来增强有关BMI的最新知识。在深入的探索性定性研究的背景下，我们阐明了基本性质的业务模型创新联盟（BMIA）及其对联盟级别和企业级别的影响。我们开发了BMIA的过程模型，这是第一个提供这种特定类型BMI整体图的模型。我们的发现可以深入洞察现有公司的BMI流程，并详细揭示跨边界活动在此领域中的重要性。通过提供这些见解，我们为BMI研究的新潮流奠定了基础，其重点是对最近BMI流程中协作和网络效应的作用的深入了解。此外，我们为BMI联盟的合作伙伴展示了实际的利益。这些洞察力可能有助于克服传统上对负面影响的恐惧，这种恐惧在企业与外部公司在战略问题上建立伙伴关系的问题中仍然很普遍。我们为新的BMI研究奠定了基础，该研究重点是对最近BMI流程中协作和网络效应的作用的深入了解。此外，我们为BMI联盟的合作伙伴展示了实际的利益。这些洞察力可能有助于克服传统上对负面影响的恐惧，这种恐惧在企业与外部公司在战略问题上建立伙伴关系的问题中仍然很普遍。我们为新的BMI研究奠定了基础，该研究重点是对最近BMI流程中协作和网络效应的作用的深入了解。此外，我们为BMI联盟的合作伙伴展示了实际的利益。这些洞察力可能有助于克服传统上对负面影响的恐惧，这种恐惧在企业与外部公司在战略问题上建立伙伴关系的问题中仍然很普遍。