Failure and Success of B-to-B Exchange Business Models: A Contingent Analysis of Their Performance

The purpose of this paper is to investigate business models of active e-marketplaces, to understand which features make the difference between suc- cessful initiatives and failures. The paper is based on a survey of a sample of European exchanges located in Italy. Alternative business models are described through a cluster analysis along with three dimensions: content, structure, and govern- ance. By comparing performances of the alternative business models, the analysis is able to show key features of successful business models for B-to-B e-marketplaces.