Research On An Evaluation Method Of Business Models

With the rapid changing of Internet technology and business environment, new business models of free or semi-free as bright spots are constantly emerging. Enterprises need an urgent solution to make a reasonable assessment of business models. However, the research results of business model evaluation were scattered, and can’t objectively evaluate the "free" element of business models. Based on the competitive advantage theory by Michael·Porter, the thesis proposed a business model evaluation system, and verified the rationality of the evaluation system by empirical cases.Firstly, the thesis put forward the nature of business model (the way of value activities in enterprises) and the core logic of business model (value creation and value realization). It explored the influence of "free" element in Internet business models, and found the "free" led to a separation of the core logic. By constructing an economic mathematics model, it demonstrated the higher degree of "free", the more unfavourable development of enterprises, and the uniqueness of products is the premise of "free" strategies.Secondly, on the basis of the Competitive Advantage Theory by Michael Porter, the thesis put forward the evaluation aspects of business models (profitability, sustainability, compatibility). The thesis used the Classical Grounded Theory on multi-case study, concluded and coded fifty evaluation cases of business model. Then it put forward the evaluation index of business models. Through the combination of evaluation aspects and evaluation index, it built the evaluation system of business models. By analyzing and comparing, the thesis chose the Group Analytic Hierarchy Process to determine the weight of evaluation index, and chose the Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Method to calculate scores of evaluation objects.Finally, the thesis used the evaluation system of business models for evaluating six well-known enterprises (three pairs of enterprises in contrast). After comparing the evaluation results with the present situation of enterprises, it found that the evaluation results can explain the advantages and disadvantages of each company’s business model. On the basis of evaluation results, the thesis put forward the opinions of the improvement and the priorities of improvement to business models of the enterprises.