Adaptation Model for Corporate Car Sharing in the Car Rental Industry
Matthes, Martin (2016)
Matthes, Martin
Metropolia Ammattikorkeakoulu
2016
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2016112116631
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2016112116631
Tiivistelmä
The focus of this thesis was on developing an adaption model for implementing a corporate car sharing service within the existing infrastructure of a car rental company. The investigated case companies were a leading Finnish car rental franchisee and an international car sharing subsidiary, largely owned by the car rental franchisor, which offers corporate car sharing solutions in major European countries. Adapting this new service in Finland will help the car rental franchisee to assert its position as one of the market leaders in the competitive car rental industry. Due to confidentiality reasons, the case companies in this study are referred to as the “car rental franchisee”, its “franchisor” and the “car sharing subsidiary”.
Primarily qualitative research methodology was utilised in this study. The conceptual framework of the thesis was based on common business modelling theories, which were used to analyse and compare business operations of the case companies. The resulting gap analysis, information collected from public sources, and interviews with stakeholders formed the basis for an adaptation plan.
The evaluation of the gap analysis and interviews with stakeholders revealed that the initial approach of utilising the car sharing subsidiary’s technology platform does not represent the ideal solution for a corporate car sharing service in Finland. Operational procedures, on the other hand, can serve as blueprint to a large extent. The outcome of this study is an adaptation plan, including managerial recommendations for the first phase of the implementation process.
The author recommends that a corporate car sharing service from the car rental franchisee in Finland will be executed as independent business operation, which matches the perception of the interviewed stakeholders. The recommended technology platform can be operated as a stand-alone system and does therefore not require any integration into the existing IT infrastructure. Key resources, partners and the car rental network are to be utilised on operational level.
Primarily qualitative research methodology was utilised in this study. The conceptual framework of the thesis was based on common business modelling theories, which were used to analyse and compare business operations of the case companies. The resulting gap analysis, information collected from public sources, and interviews with stakeholders formed the basis for an adaptation plan.
The evaluation of the gap analysis and interviews with stakeholders revealed that the initial approach of utilising the car sharing subsidiary’s technology platform does not represent the ideal solution for a corporate car sharing service in Finland. Operational procedures, on the other hand, can serve as blueprint to a large extent. The outcome of this study is an adaptation plan, including managerial recommendations for the first phase of the implementation process.
The author recommends that a corporate car sharing service from the car rental franchisee in Finland will be executed as independent business operation, which matches the perception of the interviewed stakeholders. The recommended technology platform can be operated as a stand-alone system and does therefore not require any integration into the existing IT infrastructure. Key resources, partners and the car rental network are to be utilised on operational level.