Reconsidering the Notion of “Operating Model” in the context of Innovation and Transformation. A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

The notion of Operating Model (OM) is frequently used in the academic and practitioner-related literature, as well as in publications written by major consultancy firms. Despite its popularity, the concept is not unambiguously used, creating some issues in interpretation, and understanding. To fill this gap, we offer a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) to better capture the dynamic environment in which businesses take part. We have looked at the use of the concept in a context defined by innovation and transformation. Our goal was to investigate which decisions are made using the lens of OM. We have compared definitions, listed properties and boundaries of the notion of OM, as well as identified decision topics. We end this article by providing avenues for future research.