Impact Driven


René Bohnsack, PhD, is Professor for Strategy and Innovation and expert in the field of business model innovation, digital transformation and sustainable innovation. René has published his research in the leading international management and innovation journals (e.g. Research Policy, Journal of Business Venturing, Journal of International Business Studies), received the Best Paper Award at the Academy of Management ONE Division in 2019, in Sustainable Entrepreneurship in 2016, and the 3rd prize for the best innovation management paper 2013. René is the academic director of the Lisbon MBA and is leading two labs at Católica-Lisbon which work on advanced business model innovation (Business Model Design Lab) and wellbeing in urban areas via sustainable technologies and digital transformation (Smart City Innovation Lab). Next to René’s academic accomplishments, he is also an avid entrepreneur and has founded several companies, for instance a virtual events platform (SCOOCS.co), an e-Health company (fitbase.de), or a business modelling platform (venturely.io).

Research


In my research I focus primarily on business model innovation. That includes how to use business model patterns to train algorithms to develop business models, business model internationalization, as well digital transformation. I am particularly interested in sustainable technologies and traditional industries, e.g. mobility, energy, or fashion.

Research Field: Business Model Innovation

Business model patterns, path dependence, institutional influences.

Research Field: International Business

Global technology trajectories and international business.

Research Field: Digital Transformation

Digital mindsets, growth-hacking, patterns.

Presentation of Research

In this TEDx talk I present my vision of business model innovation in the future, based on a configurational perspective, using patterns.

Selected Publications

Article: Business models for sustainable technologies: Exploring business model evolution in the case of electric vehicles

Embedded in the literature on business models, this paper explores how incumbent and entrepreneurial firms’ path dependencies have affected the evolution of business models for electric vehicles. Based on a qualitative analysis of electric vehicle projects of key industry players over a five-year period, the paper identifies four business model archetypes and traces their evolution over time. Findings suggest that incumbent and entrepreneurial firms approach business model innovation in distinctive ways. Business model evolution shows a series of incremental changes that introduce service-based components, which were initially developed by entrepreneurial firms, to the product. Over time there seems to be some convergence in the business models of incumbents and entrepreneurs in the direction of delivering economy multi-purpose vehicles.

Article: Value propositions for disruptive technologies: Reconfiguration tactics in the case of electric vehicles

How do firms reconfigure their value proposition as a way to overcome the technological inferiority of disruptive technologies? Based on evidence on the commercialization of electric vehicles, this paper explores the tactics firms use to reconfigure value propositions to increase market acceptance from mainstream customers. The paper develops a framework showing three reconfiguration tactics: compensating, enhancing, and coupling tactics.

Article: When Incumbents Change Their Mind: Framing Strategic Reorientation in Emerging Fields

How actors evaluate the prospects of novel, sustainable technologies is unlikely to remain stable over time. The qualitative study explores how the German car industry gradually shifted from opposing to supporting electric mobility over the past 25 years. How actors such as incumbents communicate about the prospects of an emerging field and their own role in this field is important because it guides meaning-making and action by other actors. Insights into the question how incumbents handle the phase-out of old technologies and the phase-in of new technologies can support a better understanding of incumbent behavior in sustainability transitions.

Teaching


I teach and give workshops in degree, executive and corporate programs. These focus mostly on themes at the intersection of business model innovation, strategy, and digital innovation.

Business Model Bootcamp

For one of our corporate partners we developed a custom program, focused on smart cities, business model innovation and implementation. In this video you see the result of the program.

MSc/BSc

Digital Business Models, International Strategy

MBA

Business Model Innovation, Sustainable Business

Executive Education

Strategy, Innovation Management, Entrepreneurship & New Technologies

Outreach: Labs, Keynote Speaker & Conference Host


As the director of the Smart City Innovation Lab and Business Model Design at Católica-Lisbon, I have been invited to give talks, organize workshops and host conferences. Examples include TEDx, GRONEN 2020, Smart City Conferences, Brisa Summit, CBRE, MIT, Babson, CENTRUM to name a few.

Entrepreneur & Investor


In addition to my academic work, I am engaged as an entrepreneur, investor, and advisor. At the moment, I am involved in SCOOCS.co (formerly iChair.org), venturely.io, and ergofox.me. Previous ventures include fitbase.de, flight-claims.de (both exits) and several smaller engagements.