HP Labs Technical Reports

e-Whatever Businesses Framework : a Cunning Plan to Find Winning e-Services

I'Anson, Colin

HPL-1999-147

Keyword(s): electronic services; e-services; business framework; appliances; capshare

Abstract: Each day more and more electronic services appear, some will blossom many will fade and die. We see much talk in the press and almost boundless enthusiasm in the stock markets for these offerings. Individually and as companies, entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs, develop ideas that could become part of this e- whatever economy but how can we develop these ideas as businesses? How can we convince sponsors to provide the necessary finance? What is worthy of investment? What ones might succeed in today's competitive environments? In this area simple financial metrics are not very illuminating with many highly innovative startup companies making significant losses. Sceptics would argue the game is about building up an 'interesting' e-whatever company with a long list of registered customers. This company is then sold to a major player in the industry creating a huge income for the originators, their backers and venture capitalists. The long list of registered customers is the valuable port of the company and therefore it is often valued as such. How, many of these new businesses will produce a conventional return on investment remains a mystery. This paper draws upon a number of business modelling techniques and utilises them together to create a framework for analysing e- business proposals. This framework can be used for analysing opportunities, directing discussion, and for creating a better understanding of the business case.

17 Pages

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