Sustainability of Business Ecosystems for Next Generation Cognitive Networks

This paper analyzes the viability and sustainability of business ecosystems for next generation self-growing, reconfigurable, and energy-aware networks. Focus is placed on how interactor relationships in business ecosystems can affect and act as barriers for commercial success of energy efficient solutions. For this, the paper combines a multi-actor framework (MACTOR) with a Business Model approach. The paper examines the business ecosystem of a new self-growing and energy efficient technology – CONSERN. The main actors, their balance of power, and convergence and divergence with respect to strategic positions are analyzed and visualized using the MACTOR framework. From this, implications for key actors, their relationships and the viability of the business ecosystem are derived.