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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]

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]

Abstract Many Climate Smart Agricultural (CSA) technologies fail to achieve their full potential impact due to low levels of adoption by smallholder farmers and difficulties in scaling CSA. This paper presents how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can act as change agents for the uptake of CSA technologies where their business models may be seen as adoption and scaling mechanisms. Drawing upon our fieldwork in Punjab (India) during which over 100 respondents have been interviewed, critical issues and enabling factors for the business model of two types of SMEs, i.e. farmer cooperatives and individual service providers of climate smart technologies have been identified. Enabling factors supporting adoption are driven by scientific and practical evidence of CSA technologies, good partnership between SMEs and research institutes, good customer relationships and effective channels through farmers' field trials. Critical issues consist of distortive government subsidies on energy and the lack of market intelligence affecting the profitability of the business model. Scaling is enhanced through market intelligence and a favouring regulatory landscape. However, difficult socio-economic circumstances and distortive government subsidies limit the role of SMEs business model as mechanism for scaling. Highlights • Small and medium-sized enterprises foster scaling of climate smart agriculture. • Energy subsidies hinder business models in adoption of climate smart agriculture. • Market intelligence is key for business models to scale climate smart agriculture. • Youth forms a niche market for climate smart agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]