Case analysis of Nanophase-纳米分析案例-Review the business model of Nanoph

Case analysis of Nanophase
Question1: Review the business model of Nanophase. What are the key elements of the model?
Review of its business model
Nowadays, business model has widely used by both business entities and consultancy. It is an conceptual tool to simply describe the way how the companies do their businesses. The conceptual model includes value proposition, target customer segments, distribution channels, customer relationships, value configurations, core capabilities, partner network, cost structure and revenue model. The business model is used to decompose the whole business process. From the business model perspective, we can see how the Nanophase be operated. Nanophase is a company supplying certain products like nanocrystalline and service including research etc. They win most of their revenues by clearly learn the unsatisfied needs of their customers. (Chesbrough H. Richard S. 2002) Nanophase delivers the value to the customers mostly using direct Marketing and trained agents, distributors for selected markets. (Rainer A. 2001)Besides, they are also engaged in other areas to bring more revenue. In addition, team work plays an important role on the business.
Key elements of the model
Although the whole business model contains nine parts, but we can find the following important parts of the model in this context.
Value proposition: Nanophase uses its proprietary technology and their products to satisfy the customers' unsatisfied needs. And all the materials are engineered for the customers.
Target customer segment: Nanophase's main target customers are those whose application needs nanocrystalline materials or their research and business alliances.
Question 2: Summarize the marketing strategy used by Nanophase. What is the role of collaboration and relationship marketing in the strategy? What problems (if any) do you see in the strategy?
Marketing strategy summary
Question 3: What strategy do you think a competitor might use to compete against Nanophase?
Probable strategy of competitors
Reference

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marketing_Strategy#cite_note-0
2. http://www.nanophase.com/aboutnanophasehistory.aspx?
3. Chesbrough H. Richard S. (2002). The role of the business model in capturing value from innovation: evidence from Xerox Corporation's technology spin-off companies. Industrial and Corporate Change, 11 ( 3), pp. 529-555.
4. Rainer A. (2001). Introduction to Special Section - Business Models. The International Journal. 11(1), pp. 1019-6781.
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6. Christian G. (1991). The Marketing Strategy Continuum: Towards a Marketing Concept for the 1990s. Management Decision.1991, 29(1).
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8. Benjamin M. Bolker (1999). Spatial Moment Equations for Plant Competition: Understanding Spatial Strategies and the Advantages of Short Dispersal. The American naturist.1999,153(6).p:575-602.
9. Judy A. Libra (2003). Competition strategies for the decolorization of a textile-reactive dye with the white-rot fungi Trametes versicolor under non-steril