Thomas Rosenfall

Associate Professor

Marketing has always interested me - and this I am trying to convey through education and research.

Teaching and research in marketing and strategy

My research focused on business models for commercial open source. The models I found, is now used by all players in the open source community. Nowadays, I am interested and teach about the brands within the B2B and SME. I meddle a little in open innovation and social media marketing.

Marketing, a lifelong interest

Marketing has always interested me. From me selling newspaper in the age of twelve, through role-playing conventions and student radio, to being a marketing manager of a company. This is also an area that is constantly evolving, thus making it interesting to follow.

Research on business models for commercial open source

I studied commercial open source companies and how their business models worked. I looked at, for example, the Swedish MySQL (now part of Oracle) and American Red Hat.

Results

I found essentially two different business models. The Red Hat model, with subscription revenue models, is the leading commercial open source today. As the industry streamlined itself, business models were not as interesting to investigate further.

Brand’s significance for relationships of small and medium-sized enterprises

It is more interesting to explore the brand's importance to small and medium-sized companies working between companies Business-to-Business (B2B). I want to find out how much does minor corporate brands affect customers and suppliers.

Publications

2012

Christina Öberg, Christina Grundström, Thomas Rosenfall (2012) The role of identity for open-source software innovations

Thomas Rosenfall (2012) Open Source Vendors' Business Models

Christina Grundström, Thomas Rosenfall, Christina Öberg (2012) Community Interaction - Impact on Innovation and Open-source Business Models

2010

Anna Öhrwall Rönnbäck, Thomas Rosén, Claes-Olof Olsson, Göran Goldkuhl (2010) Innovative Business Models Enhancing Open Source Software in the Public Sector

2008

Thomas Rosén (2008) Open Source Business Model: Balancing Customers and Community

Research

AI generated picture of a city in aquarelle style

Centre for Business Model Innovation

The centre for business model innovation (CBMI) takes a starting point in the role of businesses in society, and the way in which business models are changed and renewed over time in order to adapt to societal and business changes.

Short facts

Academic exam

PhD. Linköping University 2012
Licentiate in Business Administration. Linköping University 2008
Master in Business Administration. Uppsala University 2008
MBA, Uppsala University 2002
BA. Art and Visual Culture, Linköping University 1996
College degree: Humanities, Linköping University 1993

Commitments

Chairman at Brunneby Musteri until 2019
Referee: International Conference on Information Systems 2010

Teaching

Industrial Marketing (TEIM11)
Industrial Marketing (TEIM32)
Industrial sales (TEIE42)
Marketing Communications (TEIE56)
Industrial Economics (TEIE84)
Industrial Economics (TEIE06)
Graphic profiling and trademarks (TNGD22), Graphical projects with an international focus (TNGD28)

The supervisor and examiner for the thesis on Industrial Economics (TQI33) and Graphic Design and Communication (TQD10).

Collaboration

2010 - The association Sambruk; expert on open source.

2013: Competence Reinforcement in municipal open data - a VINNOVA-funded project led by Morus AB, Sambruk was a partner. Participated as Sambruks research representative.
2012 - 2013: “Framtidsföretag” (Future Enterprises) in Östergötland - a joint project between Almi and Linköping University, funded by the European Regional Development Fund “European”, Regional Council Östsam, Almi and Linkoping University. Participated as a business advisor.
2009 - 2011: Business Models for Open Source Software in the Public Sector: New Opportunities for Customers and Suppliers (Bossanova) - a collaboration between VINNOVA, Sambruk and Linkoping University. This resulted in my dissertation, among others.
2005 - 2008: Open source software as a strategic resource - a project funded by Lundberg Foundations. The result was my licentiate thesis, among others.

Organisation

Forming an action plan for their new project

Industrial Management (INDEK)

The division is a part of the Department of Management and Engineering and educates and carries out research in the three areas - industrial economics, industrial marketing, and economic information systems.

Department of Management and Engineering (IEI)

The Department of Management and Engineering (IEI) strengthens and develops tomorrow’s industry, business world and society by ground-breaking research, education and innovation.

Studenthuset on Campus Valla in Linköping

About LiU

Linköping University, LiU, offers innovative education and boundary-crossing research. The students are among the most desirable in the labour market and international rankings consistently place LiU as a leading global university.