From process to capabilities: Designing the business model and business process of an intermediary company

Hallbert is a company specialized in finding outsourcing solutions in Asia for European-based small and medium size enterprises (SMEs). Hallbert provides sourcing for are a wide range of both paper and plastic bags for the retail industry. However, when opportunities arise, the company also sources for products in other markets as well. Because Hallbert can still be considered a start-up business, the organization and the way it operates are as yet somewhat unstructured. Now, with continuing growth, Hallbert is facing new and different challenges with the provision of outsourcing services. The central problem of the underlying study therefore becomes: “Which business model and supporting operational processes will enable Hallbert to expand their business beyond packaging products toward more diversified products and outsourcing services?” In order to answer this research question, theoretical perspectives in the fields of business model, and business process design and outsourcing are reviewed and selected in order to be used as the theoretical framework in which this research evolves (Chapter 2). We collected data by means of semi-structured interviews, literature study, the comparison of Hallbert to similar organisations (benchmarking), and by means of participant observation.