Designing a Business Model for Digital Media Based on Creating a Distinctive Brand

There are specific frameworks and criteria for activity in the traditional and non-digital fields and also there are appropriate models for organizing the digital media activities and their branding in the majority of countries; nonetheless, the lack of appropriate, accurate, and efficient business models in the field of digital media and online activities in Iran has caused a lot of confusion. Consequently, no specific rights and responsibilities have been set even for those involved and employees in this field. This may facilitate the likelihood of unauthorized activities and prepare the ground for the violation of public rights. The purpose of this research is to design a digital media business model based on creating a distinctive brand in the Digital Media Lab Agency. For this purpose we will examine these two issues: how can the media business model affect value creation in the organization and what tasks (derived from the digital media business model) can become key factors in creating value.

Therefore, "interpretativism" paradigm was used in this research. Since detailed information will be used in this research and a general verdict will be inferred by examining the relationship between the components, and the observations focus on specific events in a sample of the media industry, the findings will be generalized to all members of the industry based on observations of events. "Inductive" research approach will be employed for this qualitative research, because it seeks to create a new theory and expand the knowledge regarding the digital media business model. The present research aims to explore the data collected through semi-structured interviews. Moreover, the data-driven theory method has been used in this research. The statistical population of the present study includes all the people active in the digital agency of the media laboratory. Based on the estimated statistical sample size, fifteen managers, experts, deputies, and members of the board of the Digital Agency of Media Lab were selected for this study.

The results of this qualitative study indicate that the design and implementation of media business model can help increase sales, intra-organizational interactions, and organizational productivity; it can also improve stakeholders’ satisfaction and the use of distinction in business processes. The present study includes the categories of intra-organizational knowledge and technologies in the field of business, sharing ideas, technology development in business, providing and receiving authentications to conduct business activities, and redefining the business model. In addition, digital media business model is categorized based on creating a distinct brand that includes classifying and exploiting the company's internal knowledge, acquiring companies and using their knowledge, as well as creating partnerships with customers and investing in ideas.

The results showed that the present study includes categories related to knowledge and intra-organizational technologies regarding business, sharing ideas, developing technology in business, obtaining permission to conduct business activities, and redefining the business model. Moreover, the following categories were classified: digital media business model based on creating a distinct brand, which includes categorizing and exploiting the company's internal knowledge, acquiring companies and using their knowledge, collaborating with customers, and investing in the idea. According to the findings, designing a media business model can increase external interactions and, consequently, increase sales. In terms of internal interactions, it can help increase company productivity and the satisfaction of those involved in the business processes as well as improve the utilization of distinctive business processes.