Management Research: The Journal of the Iberoamerican Academy of Management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reflect on competitiveness by using the business model concept and to understand the need to adapt business models to changes in the environment.

Design/methodology/approach – Using Catalonia as a context, the paper derives recommendations by presenting and analyzing examples of companies, referred to as “new generation companies,” that have innovated in their business models. The case studies illustrate the contributions of the business model notion to the competitiveness debate.

Findings – Reviewing the history and contemporary practice of Catalan firms, examples of “new generation” companies are analyzed to derive recommendations for managers seeking to reconfigure their business models to support innovation and internationalization. Since business models sit at the core of competitiveness, they must be the focus of managers aiming to create efficient firms that foster sustained competitive advantage.

Research limitations/implications – The analysis is based on a small number of case studies.

Originality/value – The business model approach described in this paper enriches the current debate on competitiveness by focusing the analysis at the level of the firm.