Business Model Innovation Coaching in a Three-Dimensional Continuum

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the process and role(s) of coaches in coaching Business Model Innovation (BMI) according to the definition of BMI [14] to find a BM and BMI language or framework about coaching university students in developing Business Model Innovation competencies. From the 6–9 November 2017, CGC center at Aarhus University did a field study in Business Model Innovation Challenge at the Biogas 2020 conference in Skive, Denmark. The three-day long challenge was based on 3 Nordic Businesses challenge-cases represented by Thise Dairy (Denmark), VEAS Biogas (Norway) and Smögenlax (Sweden). For three days Master students from the three countries worked in 3 student teams to solve a Business challenge-case. They worked in Business Model Cubes and were observed by 360 degrees fixed cameras combined with participated observation and facilitation by 2 BMI coaches. According to our hypothesis, our pre-findings shows that BM and BMI coaching seems to take place in a kind of a three-dimensional guidance continuum of 4 different didactical styles: teaching, guidance, consulting and inter-vision, in a process from ‘direction the answers to seeking the answers by questions’. This includes that the BMI coach has to master several roles and processes (levels): BM Tools, BMI processes along with team processes, and that the BMI coach must be very flexible and manage to change his/her position and perspective several times according to the student’ position. This study invites to closer investigation in the transitions of each shift in the coaching phases and roles combined with shift in processes in the three-dimensional model. What are the characteristics of these shifts and how are they visible and understandable for the team - together with the purpose of investigate the communication, especially the questions appearing in the different phases when facilitating the students' learning process.