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Creating Meta-Narratives: How Analogies and Metaphors Support Business Model Innovation

Business Models and Cognition

ISBN: 978-1-83982-063-2, eISBN: 978-1-83982-062-5

Publication date: 30 November 2020

Abstract

We investigate how Salesforce’s key people used analogies and metaphors during the deployment of their (then) radical business model innovation. Our analysis shows how Salesforce’s entrepreneurial team skillfully used a mix of analogies and metaphors to communicate its innovations and differentiate the company from its competitors. We also show how business model innovators can weave together analogies and metaphors to create distinct meta-narratives that elicited strong emotions and helped construct a memorable organizational identity that galvanized stakeholders around the firm’s ecosystem appeal. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings for business model and cognition research.

Keywords

Citation

Podoynitsyna, K., Snihur, Y., Thomas, L.D.W. and Grégoire, D.A. (2020), "Creating Meta-Narratives: How Analogies and Metaphors Support Business Model Innovation", Sund, K.J., Galavan, R.J. and Bogers, M. (Ed.) Business Models and Cognition (New Horizons in Managerial and Organizational Cognition, Vol. 4), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 135-167. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2397-521020200000004007

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

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