Modelos de negócio para produtos/serviços baseados em internet das coisas: o caso de uma empresa de automação residencial

Abstract

The Internet of Things (IoT) is an evolution from ubiquitous computing, which concept is the pervasive presence around us of a variety of smart objects and things. The IoT inspires innovative business models, which forces organizations across industries to adjust their strategies in order to succeed in digital market environments. Many companies have difficulties to capture the unprecedented complexity and to develop adequate business models to address digital innovation. In this way, this study aims to analyze how a business model to Internet of Things (IoT) products and services can be generated, identifying key components, opportunities and challenges that could be faced in such technological context. A qualitative approach, in an exploratory level, was chosen to be followed as well as a design science method, named as Design Research (DR). The DR was applied to instantiate a business model to an IoT product, having Business Model Canvas as guidance. In order to get empirical data and evidence, this study was conducted in an electronic solutions company, focused on home automation. Several activities were executed along with managers of this company, which included work sessions and semi-structured interviews. The purpose of these activities were understanding the problem to be addressed during the research and the motivation behind this initiative, designing a business model, and validating it and the research method applied afterwards. This research main outcomes suggest that a business model to IoT products and services could be generated from the Business Model Canvas, although there are specific elements that need to be considered, especially those related to technological matters and an integrated product and services offering. Besides that, there have been found eight opportunities and seven challenges concerning business model generation to IoT, which contributes as an enhancement to this topic literature and as reference to managers when conceiving new business models to IoT products and services.