e3value user guide

1.1 Value networks

Network organizations have existed as long as businesses have existed. Every business, no matter what technology it uses, interacts with a network of suppliers, customers, partners, sponsors, regulators, malicious actors, competitors, and other actors. For example, Ikea is part of a value network of designers, manufacturers, suppliers of raw materials, logistics companies and others who cooperate to deliver furniture to customers. Without its value network, Ikea has nothing to offer. Hence, we view its offer of furniture as an offering made by its entire value network.

The concept of a value chain is not sufficient to describe this network, because the actors with which a company interacts do not form a linear chain. Other terms that have been used are network organization, joint venture, modular corporation, value-adding partnership, virtual corporation, extended enterprise and value web [1, 4]. We use the term value network.