University's Graduate Business School: Business Model Canvas Analysis

This presentation analyzes the Business Model Canvas of the Graduate Business School (GBS), a part of a UK university, encompassing key elements such as key partners (the University), key activities (MBA and MSc programs), value propositions (accredited courses, online options), customer segments (international, national, and working professionals), customer relationships, key resources (infrastructure, brand reputation), channels (online and on-campus courses), cost structure, and revenue streams. The analysis highlights the importance of digital presence, expanding online course offerings, and strategic partnerships for future growth. The presentation suggests incorporating the Blue Ocean strategy to reduce competition and create new markets, particularly focusing on international students. The business model canvas provides a structured framework for understanding the business, identifying areas for improvement, and making strategic decisions to enhance its offerings and revenue streams.

CASE STUDY
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Slide 1: Introduction
The business model canvas is an effective tool for understanding the business model in a
structured and the straightforward way (Zhang & Huang, 2015). Use of the canvas enables the
management to get a deeper insight on the customers the business needs to serve. Use of the
business model canvas also enables the organizations to identify the channels which offer the
value proposition for earning the profit.
The Graduate Business School (GBS) is a part of the University with about 17000 full and part
time students in England. The University is one of the top ranked institutions in the UK. The
current presentation deals with analysis on the business canvas model of the institution.
Slide 2: Elements of business canvas model
 Key partners
 Key activities
 Value propositions
 Customers relationships
 Customer Segments
 Key Resources
 Channels
 Cost structure
 Revenue stream
Slide 3: Key partners
Key Partner: The University
Key Resource Obtained: Infrastructure and the brand reputation
Key Activity performed: Providing the institution with guidelines execute its activities
Future approaches: Identification of digital partners to increase the scope of providing the digital
education.
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Identification of the key partners for an organization facilitates the businesses to recognize what
are the key resources the businesses obtain from the partners and what are the key activities that
the partners perform (Toro-Jarrín et al.2016). For GBS, the key partner is the University under
whose flagship the organization works. From the University, the institution obtains infrastructure
and the brand reputation.
Currently the institution offers several on-campus and the online courses. The demand of online
courses is increasing worldwide because of the higher level of convenience and flexibility
offered to the students (Gonçalves & da Silva, 2017). Incorporation of the Blue Ocean strategy is
effective to reduce the competition by creating the new market. GBS can focus on identify new
partners which can enable the institution to conduct online courses for the international students.
Initiating the online courses for the international students can create the new market for the
institution.
Slide 4: Key activities and value propositions
The key activities of GBS are –
 1 year FT MBA programme
 2 year PT MBA programme (on-campus)
 MSc programmes (Marketing, Public Relations, International Business, Operations and
Logistics Management, Accounting and Finance, and International Finance)
 Online short CPD course for managers on mindfulness
 Courses start two times in a year -- in January and September
Future approach: Starting new online courses for the international students
Analysis on the key activities performed by the organizations is effective to identify the
functions that the organizations execute for creating value proposition (Fritscher & Pigneur,
2015). Discussion on the value proposition is effective for the businesses to identify which
problems of the customer are going to be addressed. In case of GBS, the institution conducts part
time and full time MBA courses that fit the need of both national and the international students.
Some of the MSc programs are accredited which enhances the value to the students. The courses
are conducted in two academic sessions and some of the courses are delivered online. All of
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these make the courses more convenient for the students. In the future, the institution can start
more online courses for attracting the students who are unable to join the full time courses and
need more flexibility.
Slide 5: Customer Segments
 International students
 National students
 Working professionals
It is necessary for the organizations to identify the customer group for whom the value needs to
be delivered (Gonçalves & da Silva, 2017). GBS focuses on three types of students – the
international students, the national students and the working professionals. The institution gives
importance on making the courses valuable and more convenient for the students by offering
those through multiple sessions and also in online mode.
Slide 6: Customer relationships
 Increasing scope to join online programs by enhancing the digital presence of the
institution
The organization need to determine how the relationship with a particular group of customers
can be maintained (Fritscher & Pigneur, 2015). Currently the organization maintains the
relationship with the students by offering the on-campus and one online courses. In future, GBS
need to give more importance on enhancing digital presence of the organization so that more
students get the opportunity to join the online programs. The Blue ocean strategy of business
enables the organizations to create the new markets through innovation of it products and
services. In case of GBS also, the organization is focusing on creating new opportunities of the
online courses for the international students. It can create new business opportunities for the
institution also.
Slide 7: Key Resources
Key resources that GBS utilize are –
 Infrastructure
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 Brand reputation from the University
Future approach: In future, the organization should focus on utilizing the resources for
imparting the digital education
An organization needs to utilize its key resources effectively for obtaining optimum benefit. GBS
utilizes its infrastructure and the brand reputation of the University for attracting the students. In
future the institution needs to give importance on developing the resources required for offering
digital education to higher number of students to create new business opportunities.
Slide 8: Channels
 Online courses
 On-campus courses
Identification of the channels is efficient to determine the ways using which the businesses can
offer the value propositions to the customers (Fritscher & Pigneur, 2015). For GBS, the online
and the on-campus courses serve as the channels for generating the money. Increasing the
number of online courses can create new channels for earning profit.
Slide 9: Cost Structure
 Cost for creating infrastructure
 Cost for offering the courses
Managing the financial resources in the right way is the key to increase the revenue for
business. In case of GBS, the institution gives importance on managing the costs for creating
the infrastructure and offering the courses is necessary to earn revenue.
Slide 10: Revenue Stream
 Online courses
 On-Campus courses
Future approach: Increasing the number of online courses
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Identification of the revenue stream helps the businesses to understand how the activities of
customers are generating revenue for them (Fritscher & Pigneur, 2015). In case of GBS, more
students focus on pursuing the courses, higher the revenue the organizations earn. Increasing
the opportunity for online courses is favorable for earning more revenue.
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References:
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