an empirical study on entrepreneurial networks from an ... · adaptive case management vs. business...

Software Engineering for Business Information Systems (sebis) Department of InformaticsTechnische Universität München, Germany

wwwmatthes.in.tum.de

An Empirical Study on Entrepreneurial Networks from an Adaptive Case Management PerspectiveMaster Thesis – Pascal Stegmann

Motivation

2

Source: deutsche-startups.de, gruenderszene.de

Kick-Off MA Stegmann 14-12-2015

How to find a working business model?

Kick-Off MA Stegmann 3

Identify opportunityWrite

business plan

Get funding Build product

Try to sell it...

Past

14-12-2015




business plan


Try to sell it...

Wrong assumptions

Long feedback cycle

Past

Environment changes rapidly Customers’

needs change

14-12-2015




business plan


Try to sell it...

Wrong assumptions

Long feedback cycle

Past


needs change

TodayBuild

MeasureLearn

Identify opportunity

Source: Lean Startup

Sell product solving validated need

14-12-2015




business plan


Try to sell it...

Wrong assumptions

Long feedback cycle

Past


needs change

TodayBuild

MeasureLearn

Identify opportunity

Short feedback cycle

Early involvement of

customer

Fast test and adaption of

assumptions Source: Lean Startup

Sell product solving validated need

14-12-2015

Start-ups interact with many different stakeholders

Entrepreneurial network


Startup

Customers

Investors

…

ResearchMentors

…

…

Other Startups

14-12-2015

Vision for InCoBate

InCoBate - Platform


Collaborative Platform for Entrepreneurial Networks

Startup

Customers

Investors

…

ResearchMentors

…

…

Other Startups

14-12-2015

Adaptive Case Management vs. Business Process Management

Approaches to managing work


Routine work Knowledge workSpectrum of work




Process

BPM• Structured,

predictable work• Process-oriented• Design and

implementation• Top-down• Fixed processes

14-12-2015

Routine work Knowledge workSpectrum of work




Process People

ACM

• Unstructured, unpredictable work

• Goal-oriented• Empowerment of

user• Bottom-up• Adaptive, Emergent

processes

BPM• Structured,



14-12-2015

Knowledge workRoutine work Spectrum of work




Process People

ACM

• Unstructured, unpredictable work

• Goal-oriented• Empowerment of

user• Bottom-up• Adaptive, Emergent

processes

BPM• Structured,



14-12-2015

Knowledge workRoutine work Spectrum of work

Promising approach for entrepreneurial work?

Research approach


1) How do entrepreneurial networks work in the early phases? Focus on systems perspective (i.e. stakeholders, concerns, relationships, etc.)2) What are patterns and challenges relevant for software support?3) What guidelines can be derived for software support of entrepreneurial networks?

Research Questions

• Exploratory and qualitative approach: Conduct semi-structured interviews

• Literature research

Methodology

14-12-2015

Research approach: Design Science


People

Organizations

Technology

Foundations

Methodology

Build/Develop

Justify/Evaluate

Environment IS Research Knowledge Base

Business Needs

Applicable Knowledge

Application in environment Addition to knowledge base

Assess Refine

Source: Hevner (2004)

14-12-2015

Research approach: Design Science


People

Organizations

Technology

Foundations

Methodology

Build/Develop

Justify/Evaluate

Environment IS Research Knowledge Base

Business Needs

Applicable Knowledge

Application in environment Addition to knowledge base

Assess Refine

Source: Hevner (2004)

Interviews&

Literature

Critical discussion

Patterns & Guidelines

Concepts in literature on

incubators and IS solutions

14-12-2015

How to pick the right interview partners?


Source: startupcommons.org

14-12-2015

Focus on proxy organizations for interviews


Accelerators

Incubators

Company Builders

Venture Capital

Source: startupcommons.org

Focus on these organizations • Proxy for startups• Companies in similar phases• Structured approach to

entrepreneurial process

14-12-2015

Current state - Interview partners

Organization Type AgeESA Business Incubation Center Incubator 1-5 years

Allianz Digital Accelerator Incubator/Innovation Lab 1-5 years

LMU Entrepreneurship Center Incubator >5 years

Hanse Ventures Company Builder >5 years

Media Lab Bayern Accelerator/Incubator <1 year

TechFounders Accelerator <1 year

Accelerate Stuttgart Accelerator <1 year

Holtzbrinck Digital Venture Capital >5 years


Variety in…- Age and experience- Objectives- Types and industry focus- Approaches to incubation

Current state – Preliminary Findings


1. Important relationships 2. Incubator as community of practice

4. Variance in used methodology/tools3. Importance of personal communication

Startup

MentorStartup

Incubator

Incubator

Startup

Startup

Startup

Startup

…

14-12-2015

Timeline


October November December January February March April

Identify & contact interview partners

Develop interview guideline

Conduct interviewsExploration

Literature research

Entrepreneurship; Identified Topics

Evaluate findings Conduct interviews

Write Thesis - Synthesize results

Identify & contact

interview partners

Develop interview guideline

Evaluate findings

✔

✔

✔

14-12-2015

Technische Universität MünchenDepartment of InformaticsChair of Software Engineering for Business Information Systems

Boltzmannstraße 385748 Garching bei München

Mobile +49 151 419 [email protected]

wwwmatthes.in.tum.de

Pascal StegmannGraduate Student

Thank you! Questions?

14-12-2015Kick-Off MA Stegmann 22

Backup

A typical intervention

23

Pivoting a business model

FoundersHow to pivot our business

model?

CoachBusiness Modelling

Workshop

Business Model CanvasCustomer Interviews

Analogies between Entrepreneurship and Medical Care

24

Patient A

Primary Doctor

Patient B

Specialist Nurse

Startup A

Investor

Startup B

Consultant Coach

Health SuccessSymptom KPI

Illness IssueMedication Intervention

Icons: DaPinoGraphics(.com)

Startup Health Record

25

Example

Name

Members

012345Team

Product

MarketFinancials

Legal

Overview

Q2/2015 Q3/2015

Recent Activity

18.09.2015 Pitch to customer XYZ

07.09.2015 Design Thinking workshop Product

26.08.2015 Due Dilligence Meeting A Capital

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

Q4/2014 Q1/2015 Q2/2015 Q3/2015

Revenue

Revenue (IS) Revenue (Target)

KPIs Q3/2015

Customers6

Conversion Rate3%

Customer Lifetime Valuen/a

Customer Acquisition Costs160 EUR

ABC Services

Documents

Business Plan.doc

Financials.xls

Recent Challenges

19.09.2015 How to decrease our burn rate?

What if there was a Startup Health Record?

26

FoundersHow to pivot our business

model?

CoachBusiness Modelling

Workshop

Business Model CanvasCustomer Interviews

The social network canbe leveraged moreeffectively

Project Vision

27

Technical Platform

InCoBate PlatformAuthentication, User Management, Analytics, Storage, Messaging, …

Investor

DashboardApp

Business Modelling Canvas

App

Persona Creation

App

IdeationApp

IntroductionApp

Startup A Startup B

Project Vision

28

A Collaborative Platform for Entrepreneurship Networks

Startups

Investors

ResearchService

Providers/Suppliers

Customers

§ Venture Capital Funds

§ Business Angels§ Incubators§ Accelerators

etc.

Project Vision

29

Value Propositions

Investors

Startups

Service Providers

Research

§ Up-to-date Reporting of Key Metrics§ Portfolio dashboard

§ Self-monitoring§ Re-use of information§ Access to domain experts§ Access to vertical apps for particular problems (e.g. ideation)§ Networking

§ Single point of truth§ Re-use of information§ Insights into the history of the project

§ Identification of (anti-)patterns for collaboration in entrepreneurship projects