Business model innovation, strategic information and the role of analyst firms

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of analysts in providing information to support business model innovation. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on initial research by two of the co-authors on business models (Stott et al., 2016), to which is added the experience of members of the team in working in strategic analyst firms or in working closely with clients of business analyst firms and further secondary data. Findings The findings of this paper show that analysts could do more to help their clients capture the opportunities and meet the threats of business model innovation, but this may require business leaders and analyst firms to think differently about their mutual relationship, particularly the briefs that clients provide analysts and how analysts aggregate information to provide a clearer picture of business model choices and their likely consequences. Research limitations/implications This paper needs confirmation of views by primary empirical research. Practical implications This study identifies the need for firms to brief their analysts to provide much enhanced information concerning business model opportunities and threats, and for teachers and researchers in marketing to become more closely acquainted with the business model literature and analyst reports and processes. Social implications As the idea of business model change becomes a more acceptable part of the strategic armoury of firms, the understanding of the information requirements to support such change to become more widely understood, and business model change to be consequently more common can be expected. This paper contributes to the understanding of the information requirements involved in such changes. Originality/value This study highlights the gap in the discussion of information provision to business leaders concerning business model innovation requirements and threats.