Translating knowledge through business model tensions. A case study

Translating knowledge from research producers to research users is the key for firms to achieve competitive advantage in the long term. Translation and exchange seldom rely on the design and use of knowledge maps that help to identify and visualise the key constructs and the primary connections among them. Despite the existing literature on knowledge translation has analysed various practices, it has neglected to use tensions as a means to translate, transfer, and create new knowledge. This research aims at cross-fertilising business model literature with tensions to show how a business model framework can be used to identify and solve tensions in a firm’s strategic choices. This paper employs a longitudinal case study observing a leading company in the professional ovens industry. The research expands on the Value Triangle by arguing that tensions can be encompassed in complex frameworks that visualise a business model. It also shows to what extent leveraging on tensions can help researchers translating knowledge to practitioners and other stakeholders. The literature has analysed several tools and techniques to translate knowledge. However, no previous studies have investigated the role of the tensions’ analysis of business models as an effective method to translate knowledge.