Abstract

The cultural event sector is an essential part of the global economy, and digital platforms have revo-lutionized how cultural events are promoted and commercialized. Cultural event platforms (CEPs) not only allow users to find events that might interest them, but also provide additional (data-driven) services. As these services offer new ways of creating, delivering, and capturing value, it is crucial for CEPs to develop an innovative business model to that end. However, this is currently challenging due to (1) a lack of empirical knowledge about possible business model elements and (2) significant differences among platform providers. To address these challenges, we propose a classification ap-proach in the form of a business model taxonomy for CEPs. Using well-established taxonomy devel-opment methods, we conduct a literature review and analyze business models of existing CEPs. By capturing the various characteristics of CEP business models, our taxonomy enhances both innova-tion on and the financial sustainability of these platforms. This research informs practitioners devel-oping and managing CEPs about the variety of business model characteristics they can choose from, thus providing the foundation for a cumulative stream of research on business models for CEPs. In future research, we will evaluate the robustness of the taxonomy.

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