How firms transform into digital superpowers

Helsinki, February 22, 2018 – Digital disruption has left Europe’s leading companies struggling to sustain growth and competitive advantage. Groundbreaking new research reveals how European companies can learn from US digital superpowers to speed up adoption of business model innovation, drive new revenues and get greater value from their core business.

Today, firms that adopt a portfolio of business models which are asset light and include network effects are perceived by investors and the market as most likely to generate future growth. They therefore have a much higher market value in comparison to companies with traditional business models. Companies who diversified their business models improved their valuation in 2016 by 65% in comparison to those who maintained a mono-business model. Furthermore, between 2011 - 2016 they managed to generate a growth of 8% versus 4%.

These findings are at the heart of a new digital competitiveness report developed by the BearingPoint Institute, the research arm of management and technology consultancy BearingPoint. In partnership with OpenMatters, an AI firm specializing in business models and machine learning, the report is the world’s first AI-based analysis of the top 3,500 publicly traded companies in Europe and the US from 2010-2017.

European organizations looking to compete in today’s fast moving digital economy need to understand the different business models, the fundamental role that network effect plays in the digital economy, and the overarching potential of building on open digital platforms.

Eric Falque, Partner and Global Leader of the Go Digital initiative at BearingPoint, commented:

“European leaders need to think seriously about their future in the digital economy. Optimization strategies have been the story of the past decade, but to be competitive, our research shows that new ‘business models’ generate growth by benefiting from today’s network based, ecosystem and data driven models.”

Angus Ward, Partner and CEO Digital Ecosystem Management at BearingPoint, said:

“Organizations looking to maximize value in the digital economy must think like investors – reallocating their capital to change their business model portfolio and looking to include assets that are light, data centered and involve partner ecosystem innovation. Business model change doesn’t need to be radical or high risk, there are many ways in which it can be an evolution that increases value and changes the relationship with customers.”

The study ends with a five-step approach on how businesses can adopt digital platforms with network effects and reconceive its business model. The approach can be adapted to fit any existing business model and work within any transformation program.

To learn more about the research findings, please read the paper on the BearingPoint Institute website: https://www.bearingpoint.com/en/our-success/thought-leadership/re-thinking-the-european-business-model-portfolio-for-the-digital-age/

About OpenMatters

OpenMatters is an AI company that focused on using today’s machine learning tools to analyze the performance of companies around the world. It focuses on using neural network and natural language processing to analyze the thoughts, actions and outcomes of global business and operating models. Its founders are lead researchers of network based business models at Wharton’s SEI Center and are authors and regular publishers at HBR.org.