The idea for this research grew from observations in the business press. The press is replete with stories suggesting that the way firms develop business models (that interact with and shape markets) is likely to affect their ability to compete internationally. Take for example, Nintendo, producer of the Wii game console. This disruptive technology has emerged from the development of a new business model and the reshaping of markets and, some business analysts claim, the entire 'gaming industry'.

The stagnant US and Japanese games markets of 2003, together with escalating development costs of state-of-the-art game consoles, forced Nintendo to question their target market. The high skill levels of gamers required investments of time and money from customers. Nintendo reshaped the market to leverage their international competitiveness. By 2007 Japanese women had overtaken men to become the biggest users of Nintendo in a seismic shift that the company said would "transform the video games industry" (Lewis, 2007). Read more...

For more information please contact Katy Mason on k.j.mason@lancaster.ac.uk