Open, online, flexible, technology-enhanced… and sustainable? Understanding new business models...

Open, online, flexible,

technology-enhanced… and

sustainable? Understanding new

business models for distance

and blended learning

The Online, Open and Flexible Higher Education

Conference 2017 Milton Keynes, 26th October 2017

Dr. Dominic Orr, [email protected]

Prof. Martin Weller, [email protected]

Dr. Robert Farrow, [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]



The OOFAT Question

What do sustainable models of open, online, flexible and

technology-enhanced (OOFAT) approaches to higher

education look like?

Background

• Diverse institutional forms of HE “delivery”

• Nearly all employ some aspects of OOFAT

• What are the different approaches, combinations?

• What strategies are HEIs following? What works?

• Can we draw general conclusions, identify exemplars?

Methodological approach

• Steering committee

• Prototypes of different providers

• Desktop research

• Survey

• Interview

• Analysis

The OOFAT Conceptual model

3 core processes

• Content development

• Delivery of learning

• Recognition of learning

2 dimensions

• Flexibility (organizational

openness)

• Inclusion (social openness of

processes)

Specifications of the OOFAT model

Category Sub-categories Dimension: Flexibility Dimension: Inclusion

Content Resources How adaptable is the content to

an individual learner?

How open is the provision of

content?

Assessment Is assessment static, and one

size fits all?

Are there restrictions on who

can be assessed?

Who does the assessing (e.g.

peer review)?

Delivery of HE Access to content How flexible is delivery by

time/location/pace

How open is the institution to all

learners?

Access to

guidance and

support

How flexible is access to full

support?

Who can access support?

Who can provide support?

Recognition Content and

process

Can different elements

contribute to recognition?

Are there flexible paths to

recognition?

Is recognition available from

multiple groups or one body?





• Survey

• Interview

• Analysis





• Survey

• Interview

• Analysis

Products /services

Target group

Communication

channels

Value chain

Competitive advantage

Networks

Profitability /sustainability

Open University of China

Defender-related characteristics versus Prospector-related characteristics

Business model innovation typology

Taran, Boer & Lingdren (2015)

Global coverage

• Coverage: the study covers 49 HEIs from 26 countries

• HEIs whose provision is: primarily online, primarily

distance or primary campus-based

• Mega-universities and small HEIs from public and private

sectors





• Survey

• Interview

• Analysis

Mode of provision by size of enrolment 47 cases that provided full data

75%

33%

33%

50%

20%

8%

50%

25%

47%

58%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Less than 1,000 (n=4)

1 – 20,000 (n=15)

20 – 100,000 (n=12)

More than 100 ,000 (n=10)

Primarily online providers (n=21)

Primarily distance and correspondence providers (n=9)

Primarily campus-based providers (n=17)

Technologies used 47 cases that provided full data

5%

14%

52%

33%

71%

33%

57%

29%

43%

57%

43%

81%

95%

71%

86%

86%

0%

0%

33%

44%

44%

11%

56%

0%

22%

56%

11%

78%

44%

78%

78%

89%

6%

18%

18%

29%

29%

35%

35%

41%

41%

65%

71%

71%

82%

82%

94%

94%

Artificial Intelligence

Digital Badging

Learning Analytics

Teleconference

Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)

Wikis

Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)

Blogging and micro-blogging

Eportfolios

Videoconference

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

Mobile Learning

Online Assessment

Social Media

Open Educational Resources (OER)

Learning Management System (LMS)

Primarily online (n=21) Primarily distance/correspondence (n=9)

Primarily campus-based (n=17)

Inclusivity and exclusivity of core processes49 cases that provided full data

Number of HEIs by profile focus40 cases that provided full data

OOFAT visual models – even

OOFAT visual models – star

OOFAT visual models – single peak

OOFAT visual models – open access

Access to content -Flexibility

Access to content -Openness

Access to support -Flexibility

Access to support -Openness

Content -Personalisation

Content -Origin/Collaboratio

n

Assessment -Flexibility

Assessment -Recognition

OOFAT visual models – manifold

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Dual Peak Even Star Single Lopsided Manifold

OOFAT Cases by shape analysis

OOFAT Profile Distrubution

OOFAT business modelling strategyCore aspects Defender-like approach Prospector- like approach

Products and services We deliver and/or support core institutional

provision

We offer something different, complementary or

alternative to the main provision

Target group We target an existing market We are targeting a new (or non-traditional) market

Communication channels We interact with learners through traditional

channels

We interact with learners through new or innovative

relationship channels (physical or virtual)

Legacy or new value chain We develop, produce and deliver the provision by

making the most of legacy knowledge

We develop, produce and maintain our offering

through exploration of new approaches and innovation

Competitive advantage Our competitive advantage comes from traditional

competences (e.g., market knowledge, expertise,

improvement of existing technology)

Our competitive advantage comes from new,

unfamiliar, competences (e.g., new or emerging

technologies, innovation in working practices)

Networks We operate primarily within traditional institutional

or cultural parameters

We operate primarily in non-traditional or (dynamic)

networks (e.g., alliance, joint-venture)

Profitability and

sustainability

We maintain profitability through incremental cost

cutting and efficiencies

We maintain profitability through new processes to

generate revenues, or cost-cutting in existing

processes

OOFAT business strategy – examples

*Based on: Miles, R. E., & Snow, C. C. (1978). Organizational Strategy,

Structure, and Process. McGraw-Hill and Taran, Y., Boer, H., &

Lindgren, P. (2015). A business model innovation typology.

https://doi.org/10.1111/deci.12128

Products /services

Target group

Communication

channels

Value chain


Networks




OOFAT business strategy – examples

*Based on: Miles, R. E., & Snow, C. C. (1978). Organizational Strategy,

Structure, and Process. McGraw-Hill and Taran, Y., Boer, H., &

Lindgren, P. (2015). A business model innovation typology.

https://doi.org/10.1111/deci.12128

Products /services

Target group

Communication

channels

Value chain


Networks




Products /services

Target group

Communication

channels

Value chain


Networks


OERu


OOFAT business model strategies

OOFAT business strategies – complexity

Defender-like strategies

• The fixed core model – maintaining core, innovating on the edges

• The outreach model – maintaining core, but focus on new

relationships with their target group

• The service-provider model – focus on target group, innovating on the

edges

Prospector-like strategies

• The entrepreneurial model – innovating in all areas

• The entrepreneurial model with fixed core – innovating in all areas

apart from the core

OOFAT business strategies – emerging profiles

Conclusion

• The data shows OOFAT is being used to support a variety of

purposes globally

• Some HEIs are using OOFAT as part of an ambitious

organizational change strategy (prospectors), whilst others are

integrating it into existing services (defenders)

• Technological innovation tends to be somewhat conservative

• Our OOFAT model can be used to contrast and compare cases

• Exemplary cases are still being identified but could help identify

sources of future innovation

• The final report will be made available to ICDE soon

Thanks for listening!

[email protected] / @philosopher1978


Open, online, flexible, technology-enhanced… and sustainable? Understanding new business models...

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