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This conceptual study explores the alignment between servitization—a shift from selling products to offering services—and circularity principles. The study introduces institutional confluence—a configuration of institutional pressures that enhance business model legitimacy to stakeholders and facilitate operational success— which can serve as a driver aligning servitization with circular principles. Institutional confluence has the capacity to trigger novel business models, shape resources and processes, enhance value capture, and inhibit unsustainable business models. The study develops the concept and underscores the role of institutional confluence in promoting this alignment and subsequent environmental sustainability. The article utilizes illustrative case examples from servitization and circular business models to develop the concept of institutional confluence serving sustainable servitization. The study offers strategic insights for managers and policymakers, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach that integrates servitization and circularity from the outset of business model design. It advocates for policies that leverage regulatory, normative, and mimetic pressures to foster sustainable business practices. The article contributes to the servitization literature by delineating the mechanisms through which institutional forces facilitate or hinder the integration of servitization and circularity, offering directions for future research to explore these dynamics across different contexts and industries. • Management scholars have tended to view the uptake of servitized circular business model frameworks through an internal business model lens, with firm-level innovation capabilities. We look beyond the focal company and consider how business model development interacts with wider societal development. • This paper utilizes institutional influences as explanatory drivers for this process. • The paper introduces the concept of institutional 'confluence', a mutually reinforcing process of interactivity between institutional pressures, for servitized circularity. • Policymakers are encouraged to enhance normative socio-cultural pressures for servitized circularity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Product service systems (PSS) are an example of a novel business model billed as having the potential to significantly reduce the environmental burdens of production and consumption processes. However, despite widespread interest in PSS, consensus regarding their actual environmental impacts, particularly with regard to salient issues such as global warming, is lacking. Hence this paper explores existing research to investigate the state of the art regarding the climatic impacts of PSS, alongside the set of factors that influence climatic impacts. The paper comprises a systematic review of peer-reviewed academic literature, quantifying the extent to which different types of PSS have the capacity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across multiple product categories. Our study shows that significant reductions in climatic emissions are possible, but PSS are in many cases associated with more modest reductions and, in some cases, increased emissions. Further, we observe no clear differences in climatic impacts according to the type of PSS model that is deployed. Rather, differences in climatic impact are influenced by factors such as production and design alongside use-phase impacts and contextual factors such as transportation and the energy mix. The study argues that further research is needed to establish a more robust baseline upon which to draw conclusions regarding the sources of climatic impacts, and outlines fruitful ways for companies to tackle the complexities of climatic emissions that are beyond their control. • In some cases, product service systems can reduce climatic impacts by up to 80%. • In other cases, climatic impacts increase compared to traditional product sales. • Climatic impacts are influenced by use intensity, transportation and production. • Other contextual factors such as the energy mix play a role. • More quantitative assessments are needed with less reliance on estimations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional business models increasingly less accurately accommodate changes taking place in the market. Growing competition, sharing economy, digital transformation, corporate environmental responsibility, and increasing customer requirements exert pressure on enterprises to change their business mentality. One can easily observe the need for integrated, environment-friendly solutions that generate new value added to customers. To achieve that, we need new business models that would allow to discover new potential in new markets. In the face of dynamic market changes, traditional business models are increasingly less capable of addressing the growing competition, sharing economy, digital transformation, corporate environmental responsibility, and the rising demands of customers. There is a clear need for integrated, environmentally friendly solutions that generate new added value for customers. Achieving this goal requires the development of new business models that enable the discovery of potential in new markets. Therefore, searching for and creating new business models that would stand up to requirements is vital. These problems could be solved by a PSS considered a personalized business model operating in an extended time horizon. PSS is an opportunity to sell product functions and availability, as well as a perspective for multiple uses of products. This paper presents a pioneering attempt to develop a Product-Service System (PSS) business model specifically tailored for the plastics industry. An innovative approach consists in the integration of a machinery and a tool into a production unit and adding an array of services to it. This groundbreaking research, unprecedented in its scale, involved a comprehensive questionnaire-based study conducted across 60 plastics processing plants employing prevalent production techniques. The study is unique in its extensive scope and depth, as such an analysis of PSS business models within the plastics industry has not been previously explored in the open literature. The research methodology applied is thorough, covering a wide range of practical aspects crucial for the effective implementation of PSS in the plastics sector. This paper stands out for its detailed examination of 60 enterprises in the plastics industry, focusing on their interest in 95 services essential for the optimal operation of plastics processing plants and their engagement with representatives from the plastics industry. This extensive study offers valuable insights into the usage of machines and tools in plastics processing, as well as the specific needs, requirements, and challenges faced by businesses in this sector. Results of analyses demonstrate that interest in services differs depending on the size of an enterprise, processing technique, having a toolroom or not, product range, and the duration of breakdowns. A new PSS business model for plastics processing was built based on the analysis of PSS design methods and sectors to which they are addressed, PSS used in practice, plastics processing sector, questionnaire-based studies conducted among plastics processing plants, statistical analyses, advice and consultancy sessions with experts from the investigated industry, finances and trade patterns for machines. Until to date the question of precise design of such a business model for the plastics processing sector has neither been examined nor discussed or evidenced. The paper aims to bridge this gap. The approach to the issue was innovative, based on a questionnaire survey and consultations with experts which allowed to faithfully reproduce the current condition of the investigated sector. In addition, each service added on to the production unit underwent a detailed statistical analysis. The hereto presented business model is extremely comprehensive as it can be used in plastics processing plants of different sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in mining-related social conflict around the globe can only be partly attributed to broader societal factors such as communities becoming more assertive, empowered and connected. The aggressive growth strategies of mining companies have also been a contributing factor, as this has taken them into areas which are socially and politically more challenging and has increased the potential for conflict with other land users. While mining companies may have embraced the language of ‘trust’, ‘shared value’ and ‘partnership’, they remain locked into a business model that periodically threatens these values. Given the constraints of this business model, there has to be a practical focus on creating stronger external, as well as internal, drivers for companies to improve how they engage with communities and other stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A decade ago, Mobility as a Service (MaaS) has emerged as a revolutionary concept destined to change the traditional transport paradigm. Indeed, MaaS envisions an integrated and on-demand transportation ecosystem where users have access to a variety of mobility options via a unified digital platform that centralizes information, ticketing, and payment systems for different service providers. Recognizing its disruptive potential, in this paper we examinate the effects of MaaS introduction in the market, with a particular focus on businesses within the industry. Specifically, we aim at investigating the dynamic nature of business model innovation within the MaaS business ecosystem, thus capturing the changes, adaptations, and innovations that organizations have undergone, providing valuable insights into the new value creation, capture and delivery mechanisms that have emerged. To achieve these goals, we have employed an inductive, multiple case study approach, focusing on a total of six renowned organizations representing two key actor categories within MaaS ecosystems: service providers and technology providers. Our findings reveal that, despite their heterogeneity, both service and technology providers have adopted similar strategies in their transition to MaaS. Utilizing the value creation, capture, and delivery framework, we developed distinct models for each of these categories. We have identified common firm-specific mechanisms which have been categorized into broader macro-level mechanisms of value creation, capture, and delivery, drawing from existing literature. The findings of this study contribute to the ongoing academic literature related to MaaS and to business model innovation. Furthermore, they offer valuable practical insights for managers and policymakers, providing a guidance for strategic decision-making aimed at fostering the development and sustainability of innovative MaaS systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collaborative networks (CNs) are joint entities of autonomous partners that work towards a common goal with shared resources and roles. In 2016, the United Nations announced 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) as part of the 2030 agenda. SDG 17 is "Partnerships for the goals" highlighting the importance of cross-country and cross-company collaborative action. Although the link between CNs and sustainable development is frequently declared, no study in the literature investigates the connection between CNs and the SDGs. This systematic literature review (SLR) follows the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Based on the SLR results, a context-interventions-mechanisms-outcomes (CIMO) framework for CNs is proposed, serving as a tool to comprehend the types of CNs to achieve the SDGs. Only 10 out of 77 articles mentioned the SDGs they address. The norm is to focus on a single SDG per study and not assess the dimension of the impact on the SDGs or the trade-offs that can be established between them. The most frequently mentioned SDGs in the text are SDG 9 and SDG 12, with only 2 articles focusing on the social dimension. SDG 10 and SDG 16 were not mentioned in any of the articles. The majority of articles are case studies and technical papers, developing scale-up solutions and creating value from waste. The identified gaps lead to the proposition of several potential research areas: 1) the need for developing mechanisms that allow CNs to effectively implement interventions that achieve specific SDGs; 2) the lack of studies incorporating the social dimension given the social nature of the SDGs; 3) few SDGs are addressed by CNs (particularly SDG 9 and SDG 12) and majority of SDGs are ignored; 4) there is a scarcity of studies targeting the tertiary sector; 5) the need for alignment of CNs' business models with the SDGs; 6) a lack of studies addressing specific SDGs (6, 10, and 16); and 7) the necessity of studies demonstrating collaboration between industry and academia for systemic change. The study aids decision-makers in identifying policies that facilitate the formation of CNs aligned with the SDGs. • This review of the state-of-the-art of CNs research within SDGs establishes a foundation for future research. • A conceptual framework for research on CNs within SDGs is designed. • A research agenda was presented based on what is emerging and what is missing from the literature. • Using the CIMO framework, prescription rules are established to guide actions or decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular economy (CE) strategies are largely adopted in the manufacturing sector. Nevertheless, the benefits of circular strategies could be reduced by the occurrence of the rebound effect (RE), defined as resource overuse due to improved efficiency in a system. Understanding the causes, mechanisms, and characteristics of CE's REs is therefore crucial for the effective implementation of CE strategies in the manufacturing sector. The main gap concerns the limited understanding of the occurrence of RE within CE in manufacturing. To this concern, five domains (i.e., business models, drivers, product lifecycle management (PLM), circular manufacturing ecosystem, and socio-economic aspects) have been initially identified in the twofold CE-RE domain. Starting from these, the paper aims to investigate and map the relations among these dimensions and unveil the related type of RE for each of them. To address this objective, a conceptual map, grounded on a systematic literature review (SLR), has been obtained to explore the five dimensions. The conceptual map showed the relations between the five dimensions and the possible occurrence of RE types (i.e., direct, indirect, economy-wide, and transformational). It turned out that the five dimensions are closely related. For example, socio-economic aspects were influenced by the adoption of circular business models and have a role in PLM strategies. Instead, from a RE perspective, socio-economic aspects dimension, linked to business model and PLM ones, could generate direct and indirect RE. The driver dimensions related to circular manufacturing and business models could cause economy-wide and transformational RE. The map of the relations obtained offers an initial framework to be exploited to prevent and mitigate possible CE's REs occurring in manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to investigate the supply chain and reverse channels of expanded polystyrene packaging connection in Brazil and their roles to discuss the main challenges towards circular economy. In order to achieve this goal, we propose a four-step method, anchored in the literature, technical visits, and interviews with experts in the expanded polystyrene (EPS) industry. First, the EPS supply chain was characterised and mapped, and secondly, the stakeholders and logistics activities in reverse channels were analysed. Third, the Brazilian legislation and chain structure was reviewed to obtain an understanding of how this can influence the activities developed in reverse channels. Fourth, with an analysis of the data collected before, the barriers to implement EPS reverse chain were presented. The main results establish that the EPS can complete one cycle of the circular economy, which is recycling, but products need to be separated and washed. The most significant waste generators are public and private institutions, residences, and retailers. Notable barriers to its recycling are a lack of understanding of the nature of expanded polystyrene recycling by Brazilian people, high transport cost due to material density, and the dispersion of post-consumer expanded polystyrene in several regions of the country linked with the small number of recycling facilities. Finally, this issue could be explored in industries and companies that require their managers to adopt strategies to improve reverse logistics in order to promote the circular economy. The companies' actions could facilitate a stronger circular supply chain since they could increase recycling efforts, reduce expanded polystyrene waste, and present new business models. The resulting generation of employment would contribute to the quality of life of contemporary society. The findings presented in the paper enable industries to identify and guide the most demanding significant steps and processes, and to shift the reverse chain and expanded polystyrene recycling to ensure that they operate more efficiently. • Reverse logistics as the first step towards circular supply chain. • The paper maps the expanded polystyrene packaging supply chain and its reverse logistics. • This paper presents the barriers that hinder the reverse logistics in Brazil. • The main challenges are related to the consumers and the recycling industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of literature argues that an organization's management control needs to adapt as an organization changes business model or strategy for the management control to be consistent with the organization's objectives and strategies. Nevertheless, scepticism has been raised about the role of management controls in promoting sustainability or the circular economy within organizations. Based on the management control framework of Malmi and Brown (2008), this paper explores empirically how organizations work with the circular economy and how management control has adapted to the business model. The results show that the circular economy can be practiced in different ways and that the adaptation and application of the circular economy affects the whole management control package. The paper identifies the importance of cultural control and long-range planning for communicating circular values and spreading a culture based on circular principles. However, regardless of what circular strategies are used, circular work tends to steer attention to the early phases of the product life cycle. For management controls this means that action plans, cost accounting, and investment appraisals must reflect a higher level of detail and a longer time horizon. The paper highlights how this is associated with challenges for traditional management controls. • Circular work steer the attention to the early phases in the product life cycle. • CE demands a higher level of detail and longer time horizon of decisions. • Managers need to build both a strong CE-culture and improve their cybernetic controls. • A challenge is how cost accounting and investment appraisals can develop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information has become an extremely important commodity nowadays. The privatization of corporate social responsibility cost information has a negative impact on the sustainable development of supply chain. Hence, it is important to set up a reasonable coordination mechanism to encourage the supply chain members to reveal the true corporate social responsibility cost information. This paper investigates corporate social responsibility-sensitive supply chain, where a contract supplier sells products through a brand retailer. The contract supplier can invest in corporate social responsibility activities, but its corporate social responsibility cost information is only privately known to him. According the corporate social responsibility cost information revealed by the supplier, the retailer will decide whether to cooperate with him for a long time. Stackelberg game is used to explore the impact of the cost information asymmetry on the decision of supply chain members. The paper compares the decision effects under information asymmetry and symmetry decision, and designs a coordination mechanism for promoting the supplier to reveal the true corporate social responsibility cost information and achieving the supply chain coordination. The results show that the decision-making effect under symmetric information is better than asymmetric information, and the supplier's profit under the designed mechanism is not lower than that under asymmetric information. Moreover, the designed mechanism can improve the supplier's commitment to corporate social responsibility and eliminate double marginal effect to a certain extend. This paper provides managerial and practical insights for the enterprise adopting sustainable business models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, the world has witnessed a sudden rise in population and rapid urbanization. This has led to an increase in the water demand and consequently an upsurge in wastewater. Water scarcity, coupled with untreated wastewater, has become a major concern throughout the world. Municipalities are challenged with the task of treating wastewater and meeting domestic, agricultural, and industrial demands. Mismanagement of wastewater results in economic, social and environmental loss. The high concentration of population, lack of sanitation and water security, reduced awareness, and evident pollution have made India a home full of opportunity and innovation in the wastewater management (WWM) business. The paper gives a comprehensive review to understand the wastewater management and business approach. The research uses Total Interpretive Structural Modelling (TISM) to identify, acknowledge, and interpret the major factors for the stakeholders and for future companies who wish to venture into the wastewater management business. The study provides insight into developing a circular economy solution and gives a vivid framework highlighting the relevant factors for a successful WWM business. The study also provides direction to the practitioners who are involved in the WWM industry and helps evaluate their options, prioritizing resource-efficient solutions. [Display omitted] • Develop a strategy for an efficient wastewater management business framework. • Identifying the factors crucial for the success of a wastewater management business. • An integrated multi-attribute interpretive structural decision approach is proposed. • Provides a pragmatic business framework with dependent and driving factors. • Managerial implication & policy insights for implementing the model are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to advance research on sustainability within the fashion industry by explaining the combinations of social, environmental, and economic values that form the basis of sustainable business models in the Nordic fashion industry and to identify the main challenges fashion companies face in developing such models, given the limitations in current literature. Through an industry-focused case study of the Nordic fashion industry, recognized for its homogeneity and sustainability leadership, this study investigates how Nordic fashion companies collectively create value through the lens of the value mapping tool. The study adopts an inductive approach through eleven in-depth interviews with experts, managers, and owners. Additionally, it integrates secondary data derived from published information, enhancing the understanding of what sustainable business models in the Nordic fashion industry entail. The analysis enabled the identification of twenty-six elements related to the durability and longevity of products and gender-neutral and timeless design. The results suggest that a more holistic approach to sustainability is needed to facilitate the companies' move from unsustainable business models to more sustainable ones. This article contributes to the literature by identifying broader patterns of value creation, value delivery, and value capture within the Nordic fashion industry. Furthermore, it enhances knowledge of social and environmental actions surrounding and examines barriers to sustainability activities. The practical contribution arises from the provision of a better understanding of the key elements in sustainable fashion business models of Nordic fashion companies, and thus, it is relevant to academia, practitioners, and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drones can play a significant role in the paradigm shift desired by several international entities. Although many attempts to transport through the technology have encountered regulatory barriers, drones represent disruptive mobility that can foster social and environmental sustainability. For the successful implementation of this new mobility model, the support of several stakeholders is critical. In this regard, the paper applies the theoretical lens of stakeholder theory embedded within the business 4.0 model for the creation of value propositions. Through several semi-structured interviews, the research analyses findings related to a single case study concerning the unique location of Venice, Italy. The city emerges as having international interest because of its singular transportation system. Specifically, Flying Aid, a start-up venture of the Strategy Innovation ecosystem of the Ca' Foscari University of Venice, uses drones to transport drugs to remote areas to promote therapeutic access for patients with chronic diseases and transportation difficulties. The paper contributes to understanding how a paradigm shift through drone transportation may improve patient engagement and overcome transportation barriers. It also expands stakeholder engagement by empowering healthcare providers and promoting knowledge translation and systems integration. Moreover, the research contributes to the investigation of environmental and social sustainability by advancing knowledge toward cleaner production and decarbonized mobility. Finally, the paper provides insights into the elements of the business model 4.0, facilitating value creation for stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet of Things in the energy sector manifests itself in the form of smart energy technologies that bring forth new smart energy business models (BMs). This technological progress alongside with decentralization of renewable energy production, market liberalization, and changing customer demands is making it difficult for organizations to keep up with the changing nature of the energy industry. Traditional energy utilities are challenged by the emerging smart energy BMs as the latter can replace established business operations. This is especially true for the customer segment of private households, which has become a focus of BM innovation in recent years. To address the challenge of low market transparency and the dynamics of technology-induced BM change, we analyze the BMs of 175 energy firms addressing the end consumer market by using a static (i.e., deriving BM representations) and dynamic BM lens (i.e., analysis of BM changes). We identify eight smart energy BM representations in form of BM archetypes. The findings are set in relation to a theoretical understanding of BM change revealing a hesitancy of traditional utilities to revise their BMs. Instead, the energy utilities prefer to build on BM extensions by outsourcing the innovation activities in subsidiaries or by using partnerships. The BM archetypes together with the BM changes provide an overview of the current smart energy market for private households and can serve as a starting point for BM innovation especially for energy utilities. • The business models (BMs) of 175 companies regarding smart energy are presented. • Analyzed business models are synthesized in the form of eight smart energy BM archetypes. • The paper introduces smart energy BM changes. • The BM changes and archetypes enhance the understanding of BM innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular business models aim to preserve the value of material resources in society by slowing and closing resource flows. Various models have been identified, including the Extending Product Value business model, which plays a role in extending product lifetimes by reversing product obsolescence. However, the characteristics of these business models and their associated environmental consequences have remained largely unexplored in research. This paper aims to address this gap by analysing three types of Extending Product Value business models and reflecting on their resource efficiency contributions. A framework, developed from an analysis of 56 firms, is used to facilitate this reflection. The framework considers the level of interaction between the product and firm and introduces three Extending Product Value business model archetypes: Facilitators, Redistributors, and Doers. The analysis suggests that different environmental impacts are relevant for each type of firm, and the higher the firm-product interaction, the greater the resource efficiency potential of the business model. The paper also suggests characteristics that should be considered if such business models are to contribute to a more resource-efficient circular economy. The findings are relevant for a variety of actors interested in the circular economy, including researchers assessing the resource efficiency of business models, firms interested in developing new resource-efficient business models or increasing the resource efficiency of existing ones, and policymakers promoting the adoption of circular business models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Profiting from the benefits of smart products connected through the Internet of Things (IoT) could disrupt business models and has the potential to foster a circular economy by embracing a performance economy. Extant literature has offered insights into circular strategies, smart products and product-service systems (PSS) in isolated ways or by considering partial overlaps, but lacks a holistic account of their interplay. By means of an integrated review, this paper synthesises literatures from various domains to describe interrelationships among these three concepts and propose a conceptual framework of smart-circular systems. This paper thereby advances research by providing a description of three binary interrelationships: smart circularity, smart PSS and circular PSS. Moreover, the review elaborates a new understanding of smart-circular (product-service) systems by articulating the base strategy smart use and extending the following circular strategies (or technical loops): maintenance, reuse, remanufacturing and recycling. Finally, the review outlines a critique of the state of the literature on this phenomenon and offers suggestions to guide future empirical and theoretical research in the domains of circular strategies, services and business models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Sustainable business model innovation is about creating superior customer and firm value by addressing societal and environmental needs through the way business is done. Business models require intentional design if they are to deliver aspired sustainability impacts. Scant research has been done on 'ecologies' of different business models in order to understand and improve these and create positive impact on the environment, society, economy and other key stakeholders. Hence, in this paper a novel framework is presented to enable a systemic form of sustainable business model experimentation. The framework is based on the recognition of three key issues which have not yet been sufficiently incorporated in the literature on sustainable business models: construct clarity, boundary setting and uncertainty about outcomes. These concepts are discussed first. Building on earlier work, the resulting framework incorporates potential side-effects and boundary setting based on the concept of an 'ecology of business models'. Second, an approach is proposed that could stimulate more profound forms of sustainable business model innovation: The Ecology of Business Models Experimentation map. Third, the approach is illustrated through two cases. The approach could help minimise symbiotic dependency on less sustainable business models; help destroy unsustainable business models by outcompeting them; and maximise contributions to favourable institutional infrastructures for more sustainable business models. This paper contributes to research on sustainable business model innovation, design and experimentation by providing a potential approach for 'business model ecology redesign'. Highlights • 3 issues in sustainable business model design are identified: • Construct clarity, boundary setting and uncertainty about outcomes. • A framework to enable systemic business model experimentation is presented: • The Ecology of Business Models Experimentation (EBME) map. • The cases of THANKS and HOMIE are used to illustrate the EBME map. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The building sector is responsible for several environmental impacts, as well as economic and social consequences. Hence, the adoption of energy efficiency measures in building renovation projects can lead to benefits to several stakeholders in a holistic sustainability perspective. However, these projects require a gradual shift of their business models towards sustainable business models. In particular, performing quantitative sustainability analyses can help to overcome the traditional focus of business models on economic value and customers by defining wider costs and benefits for the environment and the society. This paper first provides a review of the state-of-the-art of sustainability analyses and business models for building renovation projects. Then, it proposes an analytic process based on the execution of quantitative sustainability examinations, as a support for the project proposition, creation, and capture of sustainable value in a multi-stakeholder perspective. The analytic process is applied to a case study that is the energy renovation project of a Norwegian single-family house, and several sustainability criteria are computed for three possible scenarios that are inclusive of different energy efficiency measures. The paper's findings can be relevant for both practitioners and academics who search for new approaches to embed quantitative analyses into the business context of building energy renovation projects. Furthermore, the findings can represent the groundwork for the possible operationalization of sustainable business in such projects, striving for a systematic execution of quantitative sustainability analyses as a key step towards sustainable business models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an emergent understanding that humanity has precipitated an ‘Anthropocene’ such that we are now operating in a reduced space for humanity in which urgent action is required. This case study paper links degrowth, technological innovation, business model innovation and corporate governance. The arguments are illustrated with the case of an embryonic vehicle and mobility business called Riversimple. The paper shows that radical technology innovations in the vehicle itself are achieved by underlying principles that focus on mass decompounding, powertrain de-coupling, whole system design, and low-volume production systems. The characteristics of the technologies are fundamental to, and in part derive from, the business model adopted by the case, and the governance structures designed to avoid the primacy usually afforded to returns to financial shareholders. While the case is embryonic, the paper argues that an important possible contribution is the ability to commence a disruptive transition to a degrowth future from within existing legal frameworks, social practices, cultural expectations and physical infrastructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seaports industry is an industry that produces voluminous negative externalities on the local and regional level, and is also affected by the challenges of climate change. To improve the dimensions of the sustainability – economic, social or ecological dimensions for cleaner production - on an industry level, there is a need to build an inter-organizational network. In this paper, we apply a virtual learning model for the setup of an interorganizational network (ION) for sustainable development in the ports industry, which offers a unique context of high stakeholder complexity and conflict. The value of this paper is that it builds on previous research on the role of the net broker function for triple bottom line transitions through an action research project for the creation of an ION for sustainable development. We furthermore provide managerial recommendations for the setup of such networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Rogers model of innovation diffusion, first proposed in 1962, has long featured in accounts of the penetration of new product technologies into society. The contention in this paper is that this model is in fact only half complete, for it deals exclusively with the uptake of new technologies rather than their retention or abandonment. Taking the Rogers model as a point of departure, this paper seeks to draw on the literature on nostalgia to characterize consumers who retain a specific technological artefact in the form of the car, then identify business models designed for those consumers. The paper therefore analyses the relatively neglected contribution of extended product lifetimes within circular economies and within the broader concept of socio-technical transitions for sustainability. The relevance of this contribution is that product longevity is one means by which lifestyles characterised by material affluence are reconciled with resource scarcity. Product longevity has the potential to contribute to slowing down the ‘velocity’ of material flows within the circular economy, and hence to the deferment of the investment of further energy (and materials) into the next cycle of consumption. Taking examples from the automotive industry and cars, the paper argues that the ‘post-peak’ (or post-production) retention of technologies may offer insights into both the viability and character of business opportunities, and a possible transition pathway into a post-consumer economy. The attraction of the post-production economy is in turn attributed to the concept of consumer nostalgia through which emotional engagement is translated into alternative forms of production and consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information and communication technologies applied to education through e-learning innovative solutions emerge as a relevant driver of change in the publishing industry, involving not only the supply of new educational resources, but also a reduction of paper consumption used in the traditional book edition. The dual goal of this paper is, firstly, to identify sustainable business model archetypes that illustrate the behavior and potential growth of firms in the e-learning industry and, secondly, to provide evidence of the existence of these archetypes through the study of strategic actions and managerial perceptions in a case study of rapid internationalization in this industry. The analysis follows a two-stage method. First, the main behaviors of e-learning firms are identified and grouped in sustainable business archetypes and the research proposals defined. Then these proposals are applied to a case study of the e-learning industry. This analysis furnishes evidence to conclude that the alliance of software firms with publishers becomes a driver that allows e-learning firms to overcome some of the limits of their growth model and maintain sustainable business models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing circular business models requires a combination of systems-level and company-level approaches, highlighting the importance of collaboration. While digital technologies can enable such business models, studies that shed light on the creation of multiple types of value in collaborative and digital technology-driven environments, are currently limited. This paper, therefore, aims to explore the process of designing digitally-enabled collaborative business models, using the UK plastics sector as a context that has seen a rise in new digital technology applications to plastics mandated by new regulations. To this end, we have worked with fifteen plastics sector organisations as part of an empirical qualitative study aiming to develop collaborative business models for a future plastics circular economy system in the UK. Together with the stakeholders, we have co-designed the value-retention and data-as-a-service business models that could be enabled by digital technologies such as tags. We show that the main stakeholder tensions relate to digital technology investments, access to recyclate and data, and digital asset management. We argue that such tensions might be the key cause of delaying experimentation with circular business models and enacting collaborations at the systems level. We suggest that future research could draw on quantitative data, such as investment costs to test these circular business models, in order to inform the discourse on infrastructural investments for sustainability. • Digital technologies enable new collaborative business models for plastics. • Value retention and data-as-a-service models are co-designed with stakeholders. • Collaborative tensions can hinder circular business model experimentation. • Technology investments, asset management, and feedstock access are sources of tensions. • A self-sustaining or subsidised system might incentivise collaborative action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global businesses are transforming towards capturing more value from services, a business model transition called servitization. Digital servitization can help create and maintain a competitive advantage, as well as offering opportunities to tackle major challenges related to environmental pressures and rapidly changing market conditions. This study aims to bridge the gap between the theory of digital servitization and its implementation in the maritime shipping sector. This paper presents a multi-case study that explores the status, perceived challenges, and enablers for the adoption of digital servitization. Empirical data were collected from interviews with 13 companies and analyzed using the PESTEL and DPSIR frameworks. The results are presented across three categories based on the PESTEL framework: organizational context, global priorities, and sustainability. This study contributes to theory by providing empirical insights from the status of digital servitization in the maritime shipping industry. Also, it identifies challenges and needs that can support the transition towards digital servitization and the development of more sustainable solutions. Future research avenues are suggested to advance digital servitization in other industrial sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last twenty years, organizations have been increasingly asked to contribute to global challenges. Some of the numerous requests are to combat climate change, the pollution decrease, and energy issues. In this field, the strategic challenge to be overcome is changing the business concept from a mere creator of economic value to a producer of shared value. In this sense, the context of Smart Mobility (SM). Through a case study with five purposive samples of Smart Mobility start-ups, an expert in strategic innovation, sustainability management, and business model innovation, and an innovative project evaluator, the research analyzes the values generated at an ecosystem level, with a reflection on Venice (Italy), the world capital of sustainability. Specifically, flexibility, efficiency, sustainability, safety, satisfaction, and image are explored in depth. Furthermore, the problems that operators and users have to face are discussed. The results of our study confirm what is present in the literature: SM increases mobility, offers flexibility, and guarantees greater capillarity and customization of the service, broadening the field of analysis and suggesting proactive actions. The article contributes to understanding how some obstacles/problems slow down the development of Smart Mobility and its widespread diffusion. Finally, the paper reflects on how Venice can be an example and cradle of innovative solutions, also in the SM field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The business models of enterprises in the global fashion industry produce highly negative outcomes for the environment. High water usage, pollution from chemical treatments used in dyeing and preparation and the disposal of large amounts of unsold stock through incineration or landfill deposits combine to make clothing one of the highest impact industries on the planet. This paper uses the sustainable logics of narrowing, slowing and closing the loop of resources used during the production, design, manufacture and distribution of fashion garments to analyse emerging business models that seek to reduce the environmental impact of the fashion system. Taking the business model conceptualization of an enterprise as a system designed to create value for the customer and capture value for the firm, we add a consideration of environmental value and derive propositions that test the possibility that emerging sustainable business models in fashion will replace the dominant, unsustainable model. The paper argues that lack of scalability, incompatibility with fashion customers value propositions plus obstacles to supply chain changes militate against the prospect of the currently designed sustainable business models becoming the standard model of the fashion industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst low or zero carbon buildings (L/ZCBs) are espoused in many policy instruments, with many examples constructed to demonstrate their technical feasibility, there is a scarcity of effort examining the role of business models (BMs) in the delivery of L/ZCBs. BM innovation plays a decisive role in improving a company's competitiveness because it could quickly convert emerging technologies into commercial values by reorganising company's internal structure and offers. This paper aims to identify the factors influencing construction firms' BM innovation in the context of L/ZCBs, and measure the relationships between BM innovation for L/ZCBs and its influencing factors. This paper first identifies the influencing factors of BM innovation for L/ZCBs at both external and internal organisation levels and conceptualizes the constituting elements of BM innovation through a critical literature review. The paper then conducts a questionnaire survey with 132 building professionals in Hong Kong, and analyses the collected data using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Results from the survey show that favorable external environment towards L/ZCBs has a positive impact on BM innovation. Entrepreneurship of top managers and organisational learning capability of a firm are positively correlated with BM innovation for L/ZCB. Entrepreneurship and organisational learning capability mediate the relationships between external environment and BM innovation. The paper provides novel insights for building developers, contractors, and designers that wish to develop alternative business strategies and BMs. Research findings provide practical guidances on the process and elements of BM innovation for industry practitioners, and support the accelerated diffusion of L/ZCBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses sustainable business models (SBMs), as an attempt to systematically integrate corporate sustainability principles (including economic, environmental and social goals; multi-stakeholder perspective and long-term outlook) into core business. However, understanding the mechanisms for this systematic integration is still challenging, given complexities of sustainable development. Therefore, SBM concept risks that, by trying to include everything, it may end up losing meaning and connection to practical solutions. To do so, we employ a multi-method approach encompassing a systematic literature review to ensure conceptual basis for the proposed framework and thirteen qualitative interviews with practitioners for face validation of the tool. This paper proposes the Sustainable Value Exchange Matrix, a visual framework to help academics and practitioners discuss sustainable business models, based on solid theory analysis and practice-oriented application. The tool proposed provokes reflections about organization's reason of existence and deployment of this purpose into the business model dimensions from a multi-stakeholder and from a value exchange perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The service sector has the potential to play an instrumental role in the shift towards circular economy due to its strategic position between manufacturers and end-users. However, there is a paucity of supporting methodologies and real-life applications to demonstrate how service-oriented companies can implement circular economy principles in daily business practice. This paper addresses this gap by analysing the potential of service-oriented companies in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector to build and implement circular economy business models. To this end, the Backcasting and Eco-design for the Circular Economy (BECE) framework is applied in an ICT firm. BECE, previously developed and demonstrated for product-oriented applications, has been developed further here for applications in the service sector. By shifting the focus from a product-oriented approach to a user-centred eco-design, the paper shows how ICT firms can identify, evaluate and prioritise sustainable business model innovations for circular economy. The two most promising business model innovations are explored strategically with the aim of designing circular economy models consistent with the company's priorities of customer satisfaction and profitability. The findings suggest that ICT companies may be able to support the deployment of a circular economy in the service-oriented technology sector. Importantly, micro and small organisations can play a fundamental role if provided with macro-level support to overcome company-level barriers. Finally, the BECE framework is shown to be a valuable resource to explore, analyse and guide the implementation of circular economy opportunities in service-oriented organisations. Further research to verify the application of the findings to other service-oriented organisations is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small-scale woody biomass energy systems have an inherent ability to aid in emissions reduction while stimulating local economies and, as collective energy systems, are strongly connected to supply chain design based on local conditions and stakeholder integration. Despite an abundance of forest area alongside the promotion of biomass in energy policies, however, woody biomass utilization still remains low in Japan. The woody biomass supply chain, considered as a socio-technical system, involves a complex, cross-sectoral stakeholder network in which inter-organizational dynamics necessitates well-organized management based on an understanding of formal factors such as technology, as well as informal factors such as social relations and culture. In this paper, success factor perceptions from across the woody biomass supply chain are investigated based on semi-structured interviews with four stakeholders in the Kyushu region of Japan. Identified success factors here are: 1) respect of values & traditions, 2) transportation infrastructure, 3) business model integration, 4) relationship & trust, 5) local vitalization and 6) biomass quality control. A convergence as well as divergence of perceptions are observed, involving both formal and informal dimensions. Aiming to balance perceptions and to enable long-term success of woody biomass in Japan, a series of policy implications are drawn, including cross-ministerial integration, knowledge building on wood logistics, forest certification, local coordinators, biomass quality control standards and a feed-in-tariff for heat. This paper suggests a new arena of policy-making based on the importance of considering both informal and formal dimensions in energy policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite business models having been discussed thoroughly by academics there are still some epistemological and ontological issues that have yet to be resolved. Business models seem to have stalled at the technological era and have not fully engaged with the era of sustainability. The purpose of our paper is to add a new lens and richness to sustainable business model research by building on the need for more interdisciplinary approaches. This paper applies an eco-critical approach to analyse the 20 most often cited business model frameworks. We explore the conventional understanding of the business models based on the language applied and reflect on gaps in the current perspectives of sustainability. The analysis shows that existing business model frameworks exclude natural and social aspects of organisational environment from the discussion and tend to neglect the interrelationships between economic and not-economic actors as well as the intertemporal trade-offs. Based on the results of the analysis we propose a new sustainable business model framework named “Value Triangle”, which explicitly includes as core elements society incorporating the natural environment and future generations and three types of co-created and co-delivered value: public, partner and customer. The Value Triangle together with the corresponding canvas is presented through a business case for sustainability represented by Italian company Loccioni. The results show that the proposed business model framework and canvas allow managers to understand, analyse and evaluate their business models along all three dimensions of sustainability – economic, social, and environmental simultaneously. Such an understanding helps drive the field towards making a meaningful contribution to solving the UN global challenges and sustainability agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As companies and other organizations increasingly recognize society’s demand for greater social and environmental sustainability, university and college business schools have responded with new pedagogic approaches. Business schools have begun to offer courses in business models and business model innovation that focus not only on profit-normative goals but also on social and environmental goals. This paper describes an Experiential Workshop for university undergraduates in which the Service-Learning pedagogic approach is taken and Flourishing Business Canvas is applied as a tool for collaborative visual business modelling. In the Workshop, the students work with business model innovation for a biogas production cooperative of farmer-members in southern Sweden. The students take the role of problem-owners and problem-solvers as they co-create new business models ideas for the cooperative. The paper presents the students’ achievement of three Learning Objectives as they engage in meaningful, “real-world” simulations with a high degree of autonomy that allows them to combine their theoretical knowledge with practice. Implications for educators who wish to test the Experiential Workshop in their classrooms are proposed. The paper concludes with the suggestion that Education for Flourishing is a useful expansion of Education for Sustainable Development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In industrial practice a transition from a linear (take-make-dispose) to a circular product system (considering reuse/remanufacturing/recycling) requires the change of business models through new value propositions. In doing so the focus of the value proposition shifts from selling a physical product to providing access to functionality through business innovation. One key factor related to circular business transitions is market acceptance. It is particularly challenging to understand what complexity a new concept like circular economy (CE) brings to established businesses where the success and the failure of the business is dependent on customer's acceptance of new value propositions. Purpose This paper empirically explores the opportunities of a circular business approach for washing machines in the city of Stockholm by quantifying and assessing customer preferences for CE value propositions for a business to customer (B2C) scenario. Method This study uses the method of choice-based conjoint analysis to investigate preferences based on the attributes price and payment scheme, environmental friendliness as well as service level. Originality This paper is the first of its kind to assess customer preferences from the CE market acceptance point of view using a conjoint approach and provides insight to what extent new CE value propositions may be adopted. Findings Results indicate that there is general interest in paying for access rather than for ownership. Service levels have the strongest impact on customer utility of a washing machine offer. If associated with reduction in CO 2 emissions the number of remanufacturing cycles can increase purchase probability. As a method choice-based conjoint analysis is highlighted as beneficial to break down CE value propositions and to identify to what extent particular service-related attributes and product-related attributes contribute to overall customer utility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes new perspectives and systemic changes to the linear fashion scheme, which is currently driven by fast, cheap and low quality production that fosters easy disposal or replacement, due to the low product value for the customer/user. The authors seek to open a discussion on new value creation through social manufacturing, specifically facilitated by do-it-yourself (DIY), do-it-together (DIT) and participatory design strategies. Social manufacturing can be seen as a more open and democratic approach to manufacturing, prompting different levels of user participation in the production process. The authors will illustrate how these alternative design strategies, build within the context of social manufacturing, can offer system-level changes by activating and empowering the end user to become value creators, while forming new, more sustainable innovations in design and manufacturing of fashion. The specific questions asked in this paper are: What types of value are created in social manufacturing through opening the design and manufacturing processes with alternative design strategies? Further, can social manufacturing enable sustainable solutions by transitioning the users to manufacturers of their own garments, prompting a new value system and range of business models in the fashion industry? An alternative value framework, developed within this paper, will enable the analysis of empirical data collected in Finland and the U.S. In the discussion, the authors demonstrate strategies to create wider change in the fashion system through social manufacturing, starting at a local level through empowered consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the concept of decoupling, from institutional theory in organizational studies, this paper explains how organizations mitigate demands for circularity. Seven Swedish apparel companies that have started collecting used clothes as a form of engagement with circular business models serve as case studies. The paper shows how outsourcing and internal separation allow these companies to buffer their business model and core way of creating value from emerging demands. It also shows how companies pro-actively work at influencing institutional demands for circularity by making these demands compatible with their own interests. The concept of decoupling thereby provides key insights into the development and implementation, or absence thereof, of circular business models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current planetary crisis and the perceived urgency necessitates more sustainable production and consumption patterns. Businesses, particularly the multinationals, play a key role in transitioning to a circular economy, which provides a promising approach to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Industry 4.0 technologies can theoretically support this transition and enable circular economy through, for example, data-driven and smart business processes. However, merging these new technologies with a circular economy is not a straightforward and well-established process and it fundamentally changes the business value chain. Therefore, this paper provides a systematic overview to help better understand the transition process to circular business models and the enabling role of industry 4.0. Merging these concepts underlines that many factors are interrelated and should be investigated in a holistic way instead of siloes. The findings imply that changes transcend business boundaries, including new value chain characteristics and operation models and indicate the interconnected nature of certain factors along the product lifecycle, including service-based models, circular design, reverse flows, consumers and users, and collaborations. This paper proposes a conceptual transition framework to address how new circular business models can integrate digitally adaptive transformations and proposals for future research are reflected upon. • Circular economy transition goes beyond the boundaries of one company and affects many elements in a business model. • Transition to circular business models implies that technological and human changes introduce challenges and paradoxes. • Different Industry 4.0 tools can be applied across business model elements to introduce circular economy principles. • We propose a conceptual transition framework that facilitates the transition from traditional to circular models. • We underline the benefits Industry 4.0 tools offer as well as the interconnected nature of the circular economy transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to the establishment of product lifetime extension (PLE) as a field of study through development of a framework of product lifetime extension business models (PLEBM), and offering of a taxonomy of PLEBM. The proposed taxonomy of PLEBM draws systematically on characteristics of 150 organizations which are identified in the scholarly and managerial literature as engaging in PLE. By considering the full spectrum of PLE practices systematically, we delineate these organizations on seven dimensions (i.e., key activities, key partners, channels, customer segments, customer relationships, offering, and revenue streaming) with 30 corresponding literature-based features. A clustering procedure, with key activities and key partners as input variables, revealed seven mutually exclusive PLEBMs: Relational product-as-a-service, Brick&digital product nurturers, Quality product designers, Secondhand vendors, Marketer-managed access systems, and P2P access brokers. Overall, product nature improvement through design is found less prevalent than product nurture strategies, such as maintenance (maintenance/advice/training/consulting), recovery (remanufacturing and repair), redistribution and access schemes. This study also presents a state-of-the-art overview on how organizations and consumers extend (pro-)actively product lifetimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Huge depletion of raw materials, inefficient waste management practices, increasing population and consumerist lifestyles, are even more coping companies with the adoption of Circular Economy (CE) principles in their Business Models (BMs). However, benefits coming from the implementation of CE within companies are not always clear to managers. To this aim, the paper has a multiple purpose. Firstly, the work provides to academics the list of the benefits deriving from CE adoption through a systematic literature review, declined under the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) perspective of sustainability, also by validating and grounding them through four practical use cases. Secondly, the work links CE benefits with a set of CBMs – based on Product-Service Systems (PSSs) – through a set of interviews with experts belonging to the Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) sector, trying to support industrials in both i) detecting benefits related with the adoption of CBMs, ii) increasing their awareness on benefits and iii) reaching them into practice. Given that PSS-based CBMs are renown both by the scientific and industrial community as the most suitable ones to achieve circularity, they were considered as the most appropriate to adopt also in this work. Finally, four use cases coming from the WEEE sector demonstrate how to link CBMs with CE benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasingly efficient use of scarce resources is a central theme in the gradual transition towards a circular economy. Hazardous materials represent a category of resources that is often difficult—and potentially risky—to transport, store, or neutralize. As a result, hazardous materials are rarely included in closed material loops. The present paper analyzes HorsePower, a business concept centered around an innovative way of utilizing horse manure. Horse manure is generated in millions of tons in horse-rich countries such as the UK, Germany, and France. It is a hazardous resource, as it may spread diseases, and cannot be disposed of or landfilled economically. The content analysis of 21 semi-structured interviews carried out with different business actors participating in the HorsePower business network reveals that the success of HorsePower stems from its ability to combine the complementary capabilities and material needs of a relatively complex network of business actors including stables, sawmills, logistical service providers, and heat and power plants. Each actor receives added value; the benefits from participation are greater than the sacrifices of participation. Furthermore, the findings show that certain types of hazardous resources, when combined with resources produced by another actor, may be burned efficiently and safely in specific power plants, reducing the need for other types of fuel. The observations imply that novel approaches for effectively sharing ideas and resource needs across organizational boundaries are needed to facilitate the development of additional innovative CE business concepts, leveraging both actor-specific capabilities and intra-actor resource dependencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study develops and examines novel insights into attitudes and behaviours concerning sustainable wine production and the Business Model (BM) concepts surrounding them. It employs multi-methods – two focus groups, survey (n = 350) and seven in-depth interviews. The aim is to analyse sustainable wine production and consumption in a specific context in order to better understand challenges, opportunities and expectations facing wine producers and the conditions in which they operate. Equally, the paper identifies emerging trends in the sustainable value chain. This research is highly important as the wine industry constitutes a major global industry with substantial environmental impacts. The research findings show the need for: integrated strategic vision; diversification into wine-related services; and marketing communications to inform and educate consumers, in line with BM innovation. Given the current paucity of research in this field, the present study provides novel and valuable insights and implications for business managers, policy makers and scholars. • Sustainable wine production fills a research gap, identifying emerging trends for business model innovation. • No universally accepted approach exists to evaluate sustainable wine production attributes and variables. • Sustainable wine production aligns with UN-SDGs, a blueprint to improve humankind by 2030. • Wine sector faces key constraints: sustainability and environmental quality. • France, major wine-producer, needs shift to sustainable production to minimize environmental impact and promote continuity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there have been several attempts to define a business model that prioritises sustainability, the initiatives do not involve a radical change to the prevailing business model. Sustainable business models are emerging that promise to transform the prevailing business model by prioritising positive social and environmental outcomes. Based on interviews with 14 Australian companies, this paper examines the B Corp model to enrich understanding of the characteristics of sustainable business models that align profit and societal impact. The paper found that the B Corp model has a socially and environmentally embedded mission and purpose, with a dominant objective of creating positive societal impacts for its stakeholders rather than maximising profit. B Corps internalise their social and natural contexts and attempt to engage in institutional work to provide thought leadership around sustainability and to drive change on a broader scale. Questions remain about the scalability of the B Corp model and whether it will be adopted by large, public listed companies to catalyse a shift in the current economic order, or whether it will remain a niche of small privately owned companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability has become one of the key factors for long-term business success. Recent research and practice show that business model innovation is a promising approach for improving sustainability in manufacturing firms. To date business models have been examined mostly from the perspectives of value proposition, value capture, value creation and delivery. There is a need for a more comprehensive understanding of value in order to promote sustainability. This paper proposes value uncaptured as a new perspective for sustainable business model innovation, and develops four forms of value uncaptured: value surplus, value absence, value missed and value destroyed. This paper also proposes a framework of using value uncaptured for sustainable business model innovation. This framework has been validated in case studies in six product-service systems firms with advanced manufacturing technologies. The empirical studies identify 26 main sources of value uncaptured throughout the product life cycle. The findings show that (a) the new perspective of value uncaptured can help manufacturing firms understand the negative aspects of their business models; (b) the four forms and 26 sources can assist firms in identifying value uncaptured in a structured way; and (c) the identified value uncaptured can trigger the discovery of new value opportunities which lead to new business models with higher sustainable value. This paper extends the existing studies on business models from the perspectives of value proposition, capture, creation and delivery, to value uncaptured. The proposed framework has helped firms identify value opportunities that trigger the innovation of sustainable business models. Therefore, this paper contributes to both theory and practice in the field of sustainable business models innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prisoners' dilemma is a game-theoretical construct about trust. It can be seen as a simple version of the ‘tragedy of the commons’, which is often used in the sustainability context as a metaphor for the tension between responsibility for common resources and the perceived self-benefit to individual organizations, regions or nations who neglect such responsibility in the short term. However, other game theory and developments in sustainability science imply that the prisoners' dilemma mind-set is delusive and misleading for both business and policy making. It helps obscure an even more important aspect of proactive leadership for sustainability: the potential self-benefit of understanding the dynamics of major system change better than one's ‘competitors’ . The UN 1972, 1992, and 2012 summits on sustainability, as well as the many summits on climate change, have been valuable milestones for influencing societal leadership at all levels. However, due to the prisoners' dilemma mind-set, they have also indirectly helped reinforce the idea that sustainability only pays off if the costs of achieving it are shared by all. That, in turn, has encouraged decision makers to believe that ’our organization's, region's or nation's sustainability activity must rely on policy making changing the rules of the game for everybody’. This focus on policy making as the only or main facilitator of sustainability efforts delays the needed transition of global society. By considering game theory such as tit-for-tat and modern systems science for sustainability, this paper illuminates major shortcomings of the prisoners' dilemma in the context of sustainability, and attempts to provide a more fruitful mind-set that can be motivated both theoretically and empirically. It is argued that a large part of the self-benefit of proactivity for sustainability is direct , i.e. independent of other actors' actions for the common good. In addition, it is argued that the self-benefit to businesses can be further increased through voluntary collaboration with other businesses to promote the common good, as well as through collaboration between proactive businesses and policy makers. Currently, none of this is intelligently and operationally part of mainstream leadership and public discourse on sustainability. The clarifications provided in this paper can lead to a much needed shift in mind-set among many leaders, not least political leaders, many of which seem to be trapped in simplistic prisoners' dilemma thinking and who act accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to give a comprehensive and cohesive description of the most recent version of the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD), and also to describe and discuss the overall method for developing the FSSD, elaborate on the general rational for and general benefits of a framework of this type, and validate benefits of the FSSD through examples of its application. The purpose is also to point to pertinent future work. In preparation of this paper, we have reviewed previous publications and other documents related to the FSSD and reflected on the 25-year learning process between scientists and practitioners. We conclude that the FSSD has proven to aid organizations in thoroughly understanding and putting themselves in context of the global sustainability challenge, and to move themselves strategically towards sustainability, i.e., to stepwise reduce their negative impacts on ecological and social systems at large while strengthening the own organization through capturing of innovation opportunities, including new business models, exploration of new markets and winning of new market shares, and through reduced risks and operation costs. Specifically, we conclude that the FSSD aids more effective management of system boundaries and trade-offs, makes it possible to model and assess sustainable potentials for various materials and practices before investments are made, and offers the possibility for more effective collaboration across disciplines and sectors, regions, value-chains and stakeholder groups. We also conclude that the FSSD makes it possible to prevent damages, even from yet unknown problems, and not the least, to guide selection, development and combination of supplementary methods, tools, and other forms of support, which makes it possible to increase their utility for strategic sustainable development. Finally, we have shown that the FSSD is useful for structuring transdisciplinary academic education and research. Several examples of ongoing FSSD related research, as well as ideas for future work, are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we explore the role of leadership in enabling and accelerating the impact of strategic sustainability initiatives. We do this by first identifying the central integration challenges that strategic sustainability presents through an examination of the five levels of the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD). We describe the importance of relational leadership for strategic sustainability, or the ongoing process of meaning making and reflection within a nested system of the biosphere and society. We consider how this approach to leadership might address the relational tensions that continuously present themselves from this central challenge of integration. The primary contribution of this paper is that we have developed a conceptual model of relational leadership for strategic sustainability, grounded in practice, which describes specific practices and capabilities to support the FSSD in achieving its transformational potential. A secondary and related contribution is that we have examined two innovations advancing strategic sustainable organization management; the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Canvas and the Future-Fit Business Benchmark. We consider how these practices and capabilities embody relational leadership for sustainability, and how they help to support and measure success in the FSSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper sets out to contribute to a critical theory debate through the presentation and use of a framework for the categorisation of literature linked to Product Service System (PSS). Moving from the analysis of literature we provide a conceptual structure depicting the current situation of literature dealing with the analysis of economic impact and environmental/social impact of Product Service System. Moreover, we provide a methodological structure, concerning methodologies and research purpose behind papers. Literature mainly agrees about PSS benefits, barriers, and partly also on drivers, but from the descriptive and thematic analysis what emerged is a lack of clarity about PSS and its main fields: it started as a topic closely connected with sustainability, but subsequently different fields have developed other terminologies and focuses of research, developing their own theoretical base and frameworks. Therefore, we have found a lack of interconnection among fields and subject areas. A critical aspect in current literature is about the analysis/evaluation of Product Service System performance: economic and environmental analyses should be updated with new methodologies and new perspectives (i.e. privileging an ex post perspective rather than an ex ante one). Furthermore, these analyses should be integrated in a unique tool, which would be essential in providing a complete perspective on the PSS phenomenon and its effects. Finally, we propose and discuss main future research directions, connected to the main current research streams: sustainability, Product Service System business models and collaborative consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concepts of sustainability and innovation represent a fundamental conflict of objectives. This fact may help explain why the management literature has been ambiguous in its approach to sustainability-oriented innovation. The main purpose of this article is to develop an analytical framework to further study the influence of mindfulness. Mindfulness can support the development of the cognitive abilities, attitudes and behaviors of individuals who work within organizations. It can help them identify and utilize creative solutions that can lead to sustainability-oriented innovation. This paper presents a theoretical study that has been designed to support future research in sustainability-oriented innovation in the organizational context. A systematic literature review provides empirical evidence that mindfulness training can promote changes in individual cognition mechanisms that favor creativity and ecological concerns. As an isolated training technique, mindfulness can be used as a tool to reduce the stress that is caused by efficiency-driven business models. To help influence management actions in favor of sustainability-oriented innovation, this paper offers a research agenda that combines the following five fields of study: sufficiency-driven business models, inclusive capitalism, sustainability-oriented innovation capability, mindfulness in organizations and interdisciplinary and qualitative mindfulness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of advanced manufacturing technologies, coupled with consumer demands for more customised products and services, are causing shifts in the scale and distribution of manufacturing. In this paper, consideration is given to the role of one such advanced manufacturing process technology: additive manufacturing. The consequences of adopting this novel production technology on industrial sustainability are not well understood and this exploratory study draws on publically available data to provide insights into the impacts of additive manufacturing on sustainability. Benefits are found to exist across the product and material life cycles through product and process redesign, improvements to material input processing, make-to-order component and product manufacturing, and closing the loop. As an immature technology, there are substantial challenges to these benefits being realised at each stage of the life cycle. This paper summarises these advantages and challenges, and discusses the implications of additive manufacturing on sustainability in terms of the sources of innovation, business models, and the configuration of value chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable business model innovation is an emerging topic, but only few tools are currently available to assist companies in sustainable business modelling. This paper works towards closing this gap by bringing together ‘design thinking’ and ‘sustainable business model innovation’ to refine the creative process of developing sustainable value propositions and improve the overall business modelling process. This paper proposes a new workshop framework based on a value mapping process, which was developed by literature synthesis, expert interviews, and multiple workshops. The framework was transferred into a workshop routine and subsequently tested with companies and students. The resulting ‘Value Ideation’ process comprises value ideation, value opportunity selection, and value proposition prototyping. The integration of design thinking into the innovation process helps to create additional forms of value and include formerly underserved stakeholders in the value proposition. Thus, the Value Ideation process helps companies to improve their performance while becoming more sustainable. Workshop evaluations revealed that the Value Ideation process assists companies in enhancing their value proposition by including positive economic, societal, and environmental value and a wider range of stakeholder interests. The ‘design thinking’ elements stimulate the ideation process and help to harmonise often conflicting stakeholder interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deployment of electric vehicles has attracted growing attention and is now seen as a possible pathway for a transition towards sustainable transportation. This paper provides insight into the commercialization of electric vehicles in Shenzhen focusing on business innovation and the regulatory context in which it occurs. Using the business model canvas framework, this paper analyzes interactions between enterprises and governments along the value chain of electric vehicles in the bus and taxi fleets. It also discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the Shenzhen model both in business innovation and government regulation for promoting electric vehicle use. This paper finds that Shenzhen has succeeded in fostering a distinct government-enterprise cooperation model that not only reduces the financial pressure on the local government to promote electric vehicle use, but also gives enterprises significant leeway to experiment with various innovative business models. The joint result of these efforts is that the commercialization of electric vehicles has become feasible for delivering the public transport service (buses and taxis) in Shenzhen. Still, this paper argues that the current model of Shenzhen can be further enhanced by: 1) encouraging private investment in charging infrastructures by means of public–private-partnerships; and 2) standardizing electric-vehicle technologies and production to break down the local protectionism in the electric vehicle market. The Shenzhen model acts as a source of inspiration by pointing out the significance of integrating business innovations and government regulations to facilitate the deployment of electric vehicles, which provides practical lessons for industrial players and policy makers in other cities. Furthermore, this work offers theoretical references regarding the application of the multi-actor perspective and the business model canvas framework to analyze the actors and interactions along the value chain of innovative technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]