En studie kring processen att som IT-konsult skifta affärsmodell genom försäljning av en standardiserad lösning.
Due to increasing international competition and new technology IT-consultants has been forced to oversee their business models lately. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the process and consequences of a shift in business model for a consultant by using a methodology based on action research. The empirical foundation consists of a field study with observations, notes, interviews and business related documents. The case describes a consultant?s process of shifting business model from profits based on man-hours to selling a standardized system. The process is analyzed using theoretical models such as the uncertainties and abilities of buyers and sellers, customization vs. standardization, relationship vs. transactional marketing, etc. The main conclusions are that a shift of business model is an iterative process that not only is based on the internal supplier situation, but also on needs and desires at the customer side. The study has showed that a shift in business model effect the relationship with customers. The level of interaction decreases as the relationship is more focused on a pre-produced product than a service. However, the study indicates that the supplier can affect this by improving the delivery process and by increasing the customer uncertainty as implied by Ford.