How Business Models Evolve in Weak Institutional Environments: The Case of Jumia, the Amazon.Com of Africa

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Peprah, Augustine Awuah; Giachetti, Claudio; Larsen, M. Marcus; Rajwani, S. Tazeeb
• 署名单位: Vienna University of Economics & Business; Universita Ca Foscari Venezia; Copenhagen Business School; BI Norwegian Business School; University of Surrey
• 刊物名称: ORGANIZATION SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1047-7039
• DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2021.1444
• 发表日期: 2022
• 页码: 431-463
• 关键词: business models; Institutional voids; imitation; INNOVATION; AFRICA

摘要

We advance research on the antecedents of business model design by integrating institutional and imitation theories to explore how the business model of new ventures evolves in a weak institutional environment. Based on a case study of Jumia-an online retailing company in Africa established with the aim to emulate the success of Amazon.com-we propose a process model entitled imitate-but-modify that explains how business models evolve through four distinct phases (i.e., clarification, legitimacy, localization, and consolidation). In essence, this model explains how new ventures sur-rounded by considerable uncertainty deliberately seek to learn vicariously by imitating the business model template of successful firms. However, because of significant institutional voids, the ventures' intentional imitation is progressively replaced by experiential learning that blends business model imitation with innovation.