商業模式(Business Model)，簡單的說，就是一個企業如何創造、傳遞及獲取價值的手段與方法。我們可以透過解構其中關鍵的要素來幫助企業思考自身的定位與競爭策略，進而創造出收益。「商業模式」一詞雖然在60年代就已出現，但卻是在90年代末期電子商務興起後才吸引更多的學者投入研究，而隨後網路的蓬勃發展與資訊科技不斷的進展，更帶來許多的商業模式創新與非凡的新創。本課程希望藉由介紹與探討不同的資訊科技新創個案與其商業模式，包含過去失敗的案例，培養學生創新能力與創業精神(entrepreneurship)，以應對新科技帶來的挑戰和機遇。

在探討個案時，我們會著重在資訊科技帶來的商業模式創新，例如通過新的價值主張、定價模式、服務模式或渠道帶來的創新。個案包括共享經濟的AirBnB、Uber Eats、WeWork。我們還將以三個創新路徑：挑戰現狀、尋找未被滿足的需求、以及洞察趨勢、掌握機會來討論不同的創新個案。最後，大多數商業模式都可以模仿，所以商業模式創新只能帶來短期優勢。因此，創新者在思考商業模式創新時，也必須思考如何從這種短期優勢中構築競爭壁壘，以抵禦後進者的威脅。

註：要修本課程學生請注意，本學期課程在9/14、9/21的課程因故必須調整至9/13、10/4晚上 6:30-9:10補課 (但課程會錄影供無法出席學生觀看)。

A business model is essentially the means and methods by which a company creates, delivers, and captures value. By deconstructing its key elements, we can help businesses think about their positioning and competitive strategies, thereby generating revenue. Although the term “business model” appeared in the 1960s, it wasn't until the late 1990s, with the rise of electronic commerce, that more scholars became interested in researching it. The subsequent flourishing of the Internet and continuous advancements in information technology brought about numerous innovations in business models and extraordinary startups.

This course aims to introduce and explore various information technology startup cases and their business models, including past failed cases, to cultivate students' innovation capabilities and entrepreneurship spirit in order to address the challenges and opportunities brought by new technologies.

When discussing these cases, we will emphasize business model innovations brought about by information technology, such as innovations through new value propositions, pricing models, service models, or channels. Cases include sharing economy platforms like Airbnb, Uber Eats, and WeWork. When going through the cases, we can see that innovations arise in the following three pathways: challenging the status quo, identifying unmet needs, and discerning trends and seizing opportunities to discuss different innovative cases. The three pathways, therefore, shed some light on opportunities for innovation.

It is also worth noting that most business models can be imitated, leading to only short-term advantages. Therefore, when contemplating business model innovation, innovators must also consider how to construct competitive barriers based on these short-term advantages to defend against threats from newcomers.