Business Model Patterns

This Business Model Pattern playbook is a powerful tool for innovating and improving your company’s business model, but it is only effective if you have a thorough understanding of all of its patterns. These patterns allow for creative imitation and recombination, but it’s important to remember that simply copying is not enough. Instead, a business model must be adapted to fit your specific situation and fully understood in terms of its overall purpose, key success factors, and unique characteristics. With this understanding, the potential for recombination and creative imitation is unlocked.

Here are a few rules of thumb when applying the business model pattern playbook:

• Don’t Re-invent the Wheel. There’s no need to start from scratch. Many successful innovations in the past can be traced back to at least one of the business model patterns. These patterns provide a foundation and a starting point, saving you the time and effort of trying to come up with something entirely new.
• Flexibility Across Industries. A business model pattern is not limited to a single industry, but can be applied in various different settings. The key to successful innovation is finding a way to use a pattern in a context it hasn’t been applied to before. This allows you to take advantage of the benefits of a proven business model while still making it your own.
• Rethink and revitalize. The business model patterns provide a valuable foundation for rethinking and revitalizing your current business model, or for creating entirely new models. These patterns offer a starting point and a framework for your ideas, and can be used as a guide while still allowing room for creativity and innovation. Whether you’re looking to make changes to your current model or start from scratch, the patterns can be a valuable resource as you consider your options.
• Not set in stone. While the business model patterns provide a useful foundation and a starting point for innovation, they should not be seen as rigid or inflexible. Instead, you can use them as a guide and allow for creative thinking and recombination. As you work with the patterns, you may find that new and innovative concepts emerge. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and allow your ideas to evolve as you go.