Supporting SME Collecting Organisations: A Business Model Framework for Digital Heritage Collections

Authors

  • Darren Peacock University of South Australia
  • Paula M.C. Swatman University of South Australia
  • Nhiem Lu University of South Australia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3127/ajis.v16i1.558

Keywords:

business model, digital, online, e-business, collections, cultural, heritage, scientific, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

Abstract

Increasing numbers of heritage collecting organisations such as archives, galleries, libraries and museums are moving towards the provision of digital content and services based on the collections they hold. The collections sector in Australia is characterised by a diverse range of often very small organisations, many of which are struggling with the transition to digital service delivery. One major reason for this struggle is the lack of suitable underlying business models for these organisations as they attempt to achieve a sustainable digital presence. The diverse characteristics of organisations within the collections sector make it difficult, if not impossible, to identify a single business model suitable for all organisations. We argue in this paper that the development of a flexible e-business model framework is a more useful strategy for achieving this goal. This paper presents a preliminary framework based on the literature, utilising the Core + Complement (C+) Business Model Framework for Content Providers initially developed by Krueger et al. (2003) and outlines how the framework will be refined and investigated empirically in future research within the Australian collections sector.

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Published

2009-11-01

How to Cite

Peacock, D., Swatman, P. M., & Lu, N. (2009). Supporting SME Collecting Organisations: A Business Model Framework for Digital Heritage Collections. Australasian Journal of Information Systems, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.3127/ajis.v16i1.558

Issue

Section

Research on Small and Medium Sized Enterprises