An IoT-based E-business model of intelligent vegetable greenhouses and its key operations management issues

The widespread popularization of Internet has brought about various Internet-based business models as well as well-known Internet giants such as Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Alibaba. Similarly, the application of internet of things (IoT) is fermenting IoT-based business models in various fields. In our work, we present an IoT-based e-business model of intelligent vegetable greenhouses with details on the basic process and key nodes of the e-business model. Information, capital and logistics flows are recognized in the industry chain consisting of ingredient suppliers, IoT-equipped greenhouses, IoT-based e-business platforms, payment and delivery service providers, and end consumers. The value chain is also analyzed according to Michael Porter's value chain model, which is helpful for greenhouses to focus on main activities in the business model. Moreover, we recognize key operation issues including big-data-driven pricing, planting structure and time optimization, water and fertilizer integrated control, plant light supplement, and order-driven picking and packing. The characteristics brought about by IoT techniques to these operation issues are analyzed, and corresponding mathematical models are formulated, which may attract more efforts in the future.