Place to Space: Migrating to Ebusiness Models

As the second wave of the e–business revolution plays out, traditional firms – not ephemeral dot–coms – will do the hard work of making e–business both viable and profitable. But while established companies no longer question why they must migrate from traditional marketplace businesses to a combination of offline and online presence, most still struggle with how to do so. An indispensable e–business guidebook for established firms in all industries, "Place to Space" provides a simple but powerful strategic framework for analyzing, choosing, and implementing successful e–business enterprises. Based on several years of research and a detailed study of fifty online initiatives in a variety of traditional firms, authors Peter Weill and Michael R. Vitale describe eight atomic business models that they argue represent the core building blocks of all e–business ventures. Using powerful real–world case studies of international companies including Lonely Planet, GE Supply Company, Cisco, Reuters, and others, the authors illustrate each atomic business model–direct–to–customer, full–service provider, whole–of–enterprise/government, intermediary, shared infrastructure, virtual community, value net integrator, and content provider–in practice, and reveal the strategic objectives, sources of revenue, core competencies, critical success factors, and necessary IT infrastructures required for implementation. The authors also introduce a new diagnostic tool – the e–business model schematic – and show how leaders can create company–specific schematics that empower them to assess their current business models, identify the atomic e–business models that best suit their organizations, and combine those models to create powerful and customized value propositions for customers. The first book to provide a structured, practical approach for traditional firms migrating to the Web, this hands–on book will give leaders in all industries–from CEOs and senior managers to marketing and IT executives – the insight and confidence they need to operate successfully in both place and space.

From the back cover:

"The emerging Internet economy is based on a set of atomic e–business models. Weill and Vitale provide the most rigorous, relevant, and readable analysis of these basic building blocks that I‘ve encountered. Understanding models like these is the difference between alchemy and science, ignorance and knowledge, and ultimately, failure and success. I heartily recommend this book."
––Erik Brynjolfsson, Codirector of the Center for eBusiness, MIT

"Cutting through the swirling mist of dot–com business models with penetrating simplicity, Place to Space delivers the essential for dissecting our Internet strategy, truly understanding its internal workings, and then–most important–explaining it to our bankers. The authors‘ concise case studies, interspersed with astute observations, make for truly intriguing reading."
––Steven Hibbard, CEO, Lonely Planet Publications

"Place to Space provides breakthrough value along with actionable advice. The atomic business model paradigm gives CEOs a practical tool for redesigning their businesses to unlock new assets. Executives can use this book––unlike any other––to exploit "place" and "space" and create a sustainable economic advantage over the competition."
––Dr. John J. Sviokla, Vice Chairman, DiamondCluster International, Inc.

"Place to Space is a first–rate, reliable, imaginative, and intensely realistic guide for creating e–businesses upon solid foundations and principles. Weill and Vitale provide executives with the business models and initiatives they need, so that their companies can meet the challenges, exploit the opportunities, and minimize the risks of e–business."
––Peter Keen, author of From .Com to .Profit and The E–Process Edge

About the Author:

Peter Weill is Director of the Center for Information Systems Research and Senior Research Scientist at MIT‘s Sloan School of Management.