Tool-Business Ecosystem-Mapping-Short-Format PDF
Tool-Business Ecosystem-Mapping-Short-Format PDF
Tool-Business Ecosystem-Mapping-Short-Format PDF
About Ecosystems
Traditionally,peoplehaveseencompaniesasrivalswhobattleeachotherfordominanceandprofit.
Todaysorganizationsoperateinamorecomplexworld.Theycompeteandcooperateininnovativeand
unexpectedwaysandtheyneedeachotherinordertosurvive.Thisisthenewworldofbusiness
ecosystems.
Abusinessecosystemisadynamicstructureofinterconnectedorganizationsthatdependoneachother
formutualsurvival.
JamesF.Moore,whocoinedtheterm,explainsthatbusinessecosystemsincludethosetypically
consideredtobepartofacorporation:thoseinsidetheorganizationswallsplusdistributionchannels
anddirectsuppliers.Theyalsoincludetheextendedenterprise:directcustomers,standardsbodies,
suppliersofcomplementaryproducts,andsoon.Finally,theyincludethosewhocanhaveasignificant
effectonthecorebusinessbutwhoareoftenconsideredafterthoughtsorpeskyoutsiders:trade
associations,regulatorybodies,unions,investors,andsoon.
Ecosystemshaveintenseimplicationsforhowcompaniesplanforthefuture,andtheyignorethose
implicationsattheirownrisk.Learningaboutbusinessecosystemsandthetoolsandmethodologies
neededtosucceedwithinthesecomplexentitiescanhelporganizationsimproveeffectiveness,
managerisk,andbreakthroughtonewinnovations.
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Mapping Ecosystems
OurpreferredmethodofmappingbusinessecosystemsisbasedonVernaAlleesValueNetwork
Analysis(VNA)methodology.InVNA,thereareentitiesandtransactions.
Entitiesareindividuals,teams,groups,orcompanies.Examplesofentitiesare:
Individuals,suchasFunder,Sponsor,Lawyer
Groups,suchastheMarketingTeam,EngineeringDepartment,corporatelawyers,project
managersandallinvolvedinprocurement(inandoutoftheprocurementdepartment)
Providers,suchasvendors,contractors,andsuppliers
Customers,suchasendusers,clients,andresellers
Organizations,suchasindustryanalysts,mediaoutlets,andtheIRS
Transactionsareexchangesbetweenentitiesinanecosystem.Examplesoftransactionsinclude:
Payment Advice
Document Security
Equipment Feedback
Contract Approval
Schedule Criticism
Workbook Assurance
Transactionscanbetangible.Thesetransactionsaremandatedbythesystem.Theyrenecessaryfor
successfulproductorservicedelivery.
Theextras,activitiesthatarenotmandatedbythesystemandprovidedinordertoshareknowledge,
accelerateprogress,orsmoothdelivery,arecalledintangible.
Entitiesarerepresentedbycirclesonabusinessecosystemmap.Transactionsarerepresentedsolid
linesfortangibledeliverablesandbydottedlinesforintangibledeliverables.Arrowsshowthedirection
ofthetransaction.Eacharrowislabeledwiththespecificdeliverablepassedfromoneentitytothe
other.
TangibleDeliverable
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Ebays Ecosystem Map
Heresanexampleofanecosystemmap.ThisimageshowsasimplifiedversioneBaysecosystem.
FromAllee,TheFutureofKnowledge
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Mapping Your Business Ecosystem
Mappingyourbusinessecosystemwilltakeabout30minutesifyoudoitalone.Mapsareusuallymore
completeandusefulwhendevelopedbyagroupofindividualswithdifferentviewsintohowthe
ecosystemoperates.Ifyougothisroute,allowatleastanhour.
1. Identifyroles.
Listatleast15rolesplayedinyourorganizationsecosystem.Dontworryaboutspecifics.Instead,
focusontypes.Forexample,rolesinBostonsdiningindustryincludesuppliers,distributors,
restaurants,governmentregulators,customers,andsoon.
2. Getspecific.
Writedownsomespecificexamplesofeachroletojogyourthinkingwhenyoureturntothemapin
thefuture.Forexample,youmightlistClioandUpstairsontheSquareasupscalerestaurants,
Russosasadistributor,andWalthamFarmsasalocalfarmer.
3. Beginyourecosystemmapbydrawingroles.
Startbydrawingonecircleforeachrole(NOTforeachspecificentity)onyourmap.Makesure
theresenoughroombetweenthem.Youmaywishtospacethosethatyoubelievehavemore
interactionsclosertogether.
4. Tellthestory.
Tellthestoryofhowrolesinteractintheecosystem.Startwiththecustomer.Whodoesthe
customergotoforservice?Whatdotheyrequest?Thenwhathappens?Howaretherequests
fulfilled?Whosinvolved?Asyoutellthestory,drawarrowsbetweenentitiestoshowtheflowof
transactionsthroughtheecosystem.Sinceyourestartingwiththecustomer,thefirstlineshould
travelfromthecustomertoanotherentity.Remembertolabellineswiththeirdeliverable.
5. Analyzeyourecosystem.
Lookatyourecosystemmapandanalyzewhatyousee.Ifyougetstuck,trythesequestions:
Howmuchreciprocityistherebetweenroles?Aresomerolesgivingmuchmorethanreceiving?
Areothersreceivingmorethantheyregiving?
Dospecificrolesprovideresources,work,and/orsustenanceforothersintheecosystem?How
dependentisyourcompanyontheseroles?Howstablearethecompaniesthatfilltheseroles?
Whatpartdoesyourcompanyplayintheecosystem?Doesitprovidealowcost,commodity
servicethatcaneasilybereplacedbysomeoneelse?Doesitfightforlimitedresourceswith
manyothercompanies?Doesitsetthepaceforotherentities?
6. Useyourecosystemmap.
Hereareafewwaysyourecosystemmapcanbehelpful:
Orientingnewemployeestoyourcompany/department.
Demonstratingthevalueofapotentialpartnershiptoothersinyourcompanyorecosystem.
Givingyouaquickviewoftheenvironmentyouneedtomonitorfordisruptivechangesand
opportunities.
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Learn More
Thistoolprovidesonlyabriefoverviewofbusinessecosystems.Tolearnmore,trytheseresources:
Adler,R.W.&Hiromoto,T.(2012).AmoebaManagement:LessonsFromJapansKyocera.MITSloan
ManagementReview.Availableathttp://bit.ly/PXyblK20
Allee,V.(2003).TheFutureofKnowledge:IncreasingProsperitythroughValueNetworks.Availableat
http://amzn.to/UJ5olB.
Allee,V.&Schwabe,O.(2011).ValueNetworksandCollaboration.
[http://www.valuenetworksandcollaboration.com].
Hurst,D.L.(2012).WhyWalmartIsLikeaForest.Strategy+business.Availableathttp://bit.ly/T5JeIU.
Iansiti,M.&Levien,R.(2004).TheKeystoneAdvantage.Availableathttp://amzn.to/TahUi3.
Iansiti,M.&Levien,R.(2004).StrategyasEcology,HarvardBusinessReview.Availableat
http://bit.ly/Pf5RiL.
Moore,J.F.(1993).PredatorsandPrey:ANewEcologyofCompetition.HarvardBusinessReview.
Availableathttp://hvrd.me/QPp06g.
Moore,J.F.(1997).TheDeathofCompetition:LeadershipandStrategyintheAgeofBusiness
Ecosystems.Availableathttp://amzn.to/Uo1t32.
Townsend,M.(2009).PlanningYourBusinessStrategyintheCorporateEcosystem.CIO.com.Available
athttp://bit.ly/DqzDf.
Contactustolearnmoreabouthowwecanhelpyourcompanyworkmoreeffectivelywithinits
businessecosystem.
617.395.8396
[email protected]
www.partneringresources.com
Value Mapping Definitions
advice
Developer Architect
Problem solver Customer Project manager
Customer
feedback