TY - CHAP

T1 - Towards a Conceptual Framework of Business Models for Sustainability

AU - Lüdeke-Freund, Florian

N1 - Conference code: 14

PY - 2010

Y1 - 2010

N2 - Theorists and practitioners highlight the importance of business for progress in sustainable consumption and production (SCP). In this context business models are discussed as meta factors that can support the adoption of cleaner products and processes, sustainable supply chains and further contributions towards SCP. The article is about business modelinnovation and the creation of private and public benefits. From a strategy perspective business model innovation is an approach to design, implement and change business models to create and secure competitive advantage. It is supposed that business models can also support eco-innovations. If companies subscribe to sustainability strategies, their business models can help bridging technological innovations, organizational aspects and market positions. Furthermore, the business model itself can become subject to eco-innovation and thus support the realization of business cases for sustainability. The article follows a theoretical, deductive approach. A conceptual framework is developed that combines sustainability strategies, eco-innovation, the role of business models and pivotal ideas about value creation with regard to private and public benefits. This approach is discussed as essential driver of eco-innovations. Starting with sufficiency, efficiency and consistency strategies helps identifying primary challenges and is assumed to be the obvious first step towards a broader research agenda on ‘business models for sustainability’. The framework includes definitions such as ‘business model eco-innovation’ and ‘extended customer value’ and propositions about how these concepts interrelate. It allows for developing further theoretical and empirical research topics. The review shows that the state-of-the-art literature is far from offering such an agenda.

AB - Theorists and practitioners highlight the importance of business for progress in sustainable consumption and production (SCP). In this context business models are discussed as meta factors that can support the adoption of cleaner products and processes, sustainable supply chains and further contributions towards SCP. The article is about business modelinnovation and the creation of private and public benefits. From a strategy perspective business model innovation is an approach to design, implement and change business models to create and secure competitive advantage. It is supposed that business models can also support eco-innovations. If companies subscribe to sustainability strategies, their business models can help bridging technological innovations, organizational aspects and market positions. Furthermore, the business model itself can become subject to eco-innovation and thus support the realization of business cases for sustainability. The article follows a theoretical, deductive approach. A conceptual framework is developed that combines sustainability strategies, eco-innovation, the role of business models and pivotal ideas about value creation with regard to private and public benefits. This approach is discussed as essential driver of eco-innovations. Starting with sufficiency, efficiency and consistency strategies helps identifying primary challenges and is assumed to be the obvious first step towards a broader research agenda on ‘business models for sustainability’. The framework includes definitions such as ‘business model eco-innovation’ and ‘extended customer value’ and propositions about how these concepts interrelate. It allows for developing further theoretical and empirical research topics. The review shows that the state-of-the-art literature is far from offering such an agenda.

KW - Sustainability sciences, Management & Economics

KW - Geschäftsmodell

KW - Business Model

KW - Ökoinnovation

KW - Eco-innovation

KW - value creation

KW - Business Case for Sustainability

KW - Entrepreneurship

KW - Sustainable entrepreneurship

M3 - Article in conference proceedings

SN - 9789051550658

BT - Knowledge Collaboration & Learning for Sustainable Innovation

A2 - Wever, R.

A2 - Quist, J.

A2 - Tukker, A.

A2 - Woudstra, J.

A2 - Boons, F.

A2 - Beute, N.

PB - Technische Universiteit Delft

CY - Delft

T2 - 14th European Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production (ERSCP) Conference and the 6th Environmental Management for Sustainable Universities (EMSU) Conference - 2010

Y2 - 25 October 2010 through 29 October 2010

ER -