Design principles for route optimization business models: A grounded theory study of user feedback

The article generates design principles for business models offering route optimization software. Route optimization is a widely relevant activity in logistics, as it is its purpose to optimize the amount of time and the associated cost that a vehicle needs to reach its intended destination. The article presents a Grounded Theory study of user reviews drawn from the comparison portal Capterra to uncover possible design principles for these business models. User reviews are suitable data for that purpose as they are a rich source to derive basic requirements for a product. The data are analyzed qualitatively, adhering to established coding guidelines, and aligned with established business model components to achieve a link between empirical research and the underlying knowledge base. The synthesis of the data to design principles enables practitioners to adequately process and instantiate them into real-life design decisions that enhance the possibility of designing a successful business model.