This graph illustrates the change (y-axis) and time (x-axis) required to move from a given existing business model at time t0 towards a selected new future business model, chosen from a set of 4 different generated business model prototypes (selected from the "business model innovation cloud"). The new business model is expected to be implemented at time t3...
x-axis: degree of change
If your company functions according to a particular business model and wants to move towards a new business model, you can choose between more or less radical options. For example, the toy company Lego introduced "Lego Factory", a tool that lets users design, upload, and purchase their own unique Lego creations on the company's website.
This represents a nice innovation of their existing business model, but (surprisingly) did not require too much change. According to Michael McNally, Lego's senior brand-relations manager this was just a matter of rejiggering their fulfillment process and their packing process (read about Lego at Wired and at Fast Company).
An example of a big change in terms of business model innovation would be if Sony Music Entertainment moved from their traditional model of music discovery and distribution towards a pure online model à la MySpace.com.
y-axis: implementation time
Business Model innovation and change takes time. A certain amount of time is required to change the structures, processes, mindsets, and systems of a company in order to make a new business model work and thrive.
In other words, if your company wants to move towards a new business model it will take time from the moment you chose a new business model design until the whole thing is actually operational.
This time necessary to move from an existing business model towards a new one depends on the degree of change, but also on many other factors such as the availability of financial & human resources, willingness to change, organizational culture, etc. This is why a radical business model change does not imperatively take more time than a modest business model change.
It all depends on the context. In an innovative company, culture change management will be much easier than in a change resistant culture. These are all factors that must be considered during the selection of new business models from a set of possible business model scenarios.
