scholarly journals Sustainable Business Models in a Challenging Context: The Amana Katu Case

Author(s):  
José Augusto Lacerda Fernandes ◽  
José Milton de Sousa-Filho ◽  
Fernando Luiz Emerenciano Viana

ABSTRACT Context: the Brazilian Amazon region has the largest hydrographic basin in the world. However, even with such abundance, a good part of the population does not have access to quality water in their daily lives. In order to change that reality, a social business called Amana Katu created an innovative sustainable business model based on the principles of circular economy, built through partnerships with NGOs, corporations, government, and universities. Objective: this study aims to understand how sustainable business models can be co-created in challenging contexts. Methods: based on a qualitative case study, data was collected in three phases, from primary and secondary sources over three years, and analyzed following content analysis procedures. Results: the business model is based on different principles of circular economy, and the business co-creation process, based on partnerships with different stakeholders, was fundamental for the generation of value and impact associated with the three dimensions of sustainability. Conclusions: these results contribute to theory for a better understanding of the creation and development of SBMs in challenging contexts. In this kind of context, co-creation processes and a deep relationship with stakeholders have a unique function, and collaborate to create successful initiatives.

Author(s):  
Marek Jabłoński

Archetypes of sustainable business models can be used to the elaboration of archetypes of business models that combine the assumptions of sharing economy and circular economy as part of their categorization. The chapter presents the assumptions of conceptualization and operationalization of potential model solutions in the field of using archetypes of sustainable business models in the design of circular business models in digital economy. The chapter has an epistemological character described in ontological, epistemological, and methodological categories, but also with the use of an axiological sense. The aim of the chapter is to develop and indicate the principles of designing business models based on the concepts of sharing economy and circular economy using archetypes of sustainable business models in range of digital environment of business.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 3437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cinzia Battistella ◽  
Maria Cagnina ◽  
Lucia Cicero ◽  
Nadia Preghenella

Despite the high number of active small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in all sectors, current studies have barely developed investigations on the sustainability of their business models so far. The aim of this study was thus to bridge the gap between sustainable business models of SMEs in the service industry, to uncover the challenges that SMEs face when seeking business model reconfiguration toward sustainability. More specifically, the empirical investigation adopted a case study research design in the context of yacht tourism, as one business form among many within the tourism industry and thus within the broader category of the service industry. Interviews were conducted with seven European SMEs, whose business models were analyzed through the lens of the triple bottom line and sustainability challenges in their business models. The results display a varied typology of case studies, where business model components reveal diverse expressions of facing sustainability challenges. The work discusses reported findings with a cross-case comparison among detected business models and outlines a list of propositions for sustainable business models of SMEs. The paper contributes in continuing the discourse on sustainable business models, adopting the perspective of the challenges for SMEs and offers food for thought for managers of SMEs in comparing their own business with the identified business model types.


Author(s):  
Job Taminiau ◽  
Joseph Nyangon ◽  
Ariella Shez Lewis ◽  
John Byrne

Establishing a sustainable energy future can justifiably be considered the next frontier in global sustainable development under the agenda laid out in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The newly adopted Paris Agreement which seeks to hold global average temperature increase to “well below 2°C” above pre-industrial levels inserts additional urgency into this agenda. To realize the commitments outlined in the agreement, implementation of innovative sustainable business models capable of producing strong mitigation and adaptation outcomes is required ‘on the ground' and needs to be available for subsequent diffusion across different countries, contexts and domains. This chapter explores the value of polycentric climate change governance through an investigation of sustainable business model innovation. An example of a sustainable business model, called the Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU), is evaluated and an assessment of United Nations-based programming to aid future diffusion of such business models is conducted.


2020 ◽  
pp. 108602662095344
Author(s):  
Viktorija Viciunaite

Firms can embed sustainability efforts in business model elements such as key resources, key activities, or key partners. To capitalize on their sustainability efforts, firms must present these efforts in a way that is meaningful to consumers that is—translate them. This study explores how sustainability efforts are translated to consumers on webpages, newsletters, and social media profiles of Norwegian yarn firms. Data analysis revealed that firms’ sustainability communications could be related to underlying business model elements. At the same time, to consumers they were framed as product attributes or consequences to consumers, society, or the environment. This shows that firms conveyed business model information, but not in business model terms, which supports the idea of business model translation. The findings also indicated variation in how sustainability efforts were framed based on the firm’s sustainability focus.


2020 ◽  
pp. 000765032097345
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Dembek ◽  
Jodi York

Base of the pyramid (BoP) ventures seek to create “mutual value” for themselves and poor communities, but often use business models unadapted for the BoP context, and have been less successful than hoped. Sustainable business models’ (SBMs) multi-stakeholder lens offers a promising alternative path to mutual value, but BoP-based SBM studies are scarce. This single case study explores whether and how SBM characteristics manifest in the business model and value outcomes of Habi, a Manila footwear company successfully creating mutual value with BoP suppliers. We find SBM characteristics underpin Habi’s dual-structure business model (value chain/shop) and success in four ways: viewing profits as a tool for community development resulted in designing both product and business model around community strengths; understanding communities as systems helped Habi address the complexities of poverty; balancing short-term business needs with a long-term, slow-growth approach led to their choice of investors; and implementing community value capture mechanisms ensured enduring community benefit.


2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 597-608 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve Evans ◽  
Doroteya Vladimirova ◽  
Maria Holgado ◽  
Kirsten Van Fossen ◽  
Miying Yang ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 936 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Li ◽  
Jiarou Cao ◽  
Zhenggang Liu ◽  
Xinggang Luo

Sustainability and digitalization have become the main direction of transformation of enterprises. Building a digital twin platform network can provide enterprises with a comprehensive view of products, manufacture, supply chain, customer experience, and profitability, which is conducive to the construction of a sustainable business model. The purpose of this paper is to study how enterprises use digital twin platform networks to generate economic, social and environmental benefits in various dimensions and their coupling relationships. Based on the literature review, this paper constructs a five-dimensional framework of a sustainable business model, and analyses the coupling relationship between dimensions. Using Haier as a way to verify the five-dimensional framework, it explores the dynamic mechanism of the Haier digital twin platform network, constructs an integrated framework based on coupling perspective and compares it with other two home appliance enterprises. The study shows that, through the digital twin platform network, enterprises can remove the disadvantage of focusing on a single product life cycle, and form a comprehensive network, so as to promote overall sustainable upgrades. This paper draws generic strategies and digital transformation suggestions for enterprises to innovate the sustainable business model. The conclusion enriches the research on sustainable business models both theoretically and practically and provides a feasible reference for the transformation of enterprises in digital economy environment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 7066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radu Godina ◽  
Inês Ribeiro ◽  
Florinda Matos ◽  
Bruna T. Ferreira ◽  
Helena Carvalho ◽  
...  

Additive manufacturing has the potential to make a longstanding impact on the manufacturing world and is a core element of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Additive manufacturing signifies a new disruptive path on how we will produce parts and products. Several studies suggest this technology could foster sustainability into manufacturing systems based on its potential of optimizing material consumption, creating new shapes, customizing designs and shortening production times that, all combined, will greatly transform some of the existing business models. Although it requires reaching a certain level of design maturity to completely insert this technology in an industrial setting, additive manufacturing has the potential to favorably impact the manufacturing sector by reducing costs in production, logistics, inventories, and in the development and industrialization of a new product. The transformation of the industry and the acceleration of the adopting rate of new technologies is driving organizational strategy. Thus, through the lenses of Industry 4.0 and its technological concepts, this paper aims to contribute to the knowledge about the impacts of additive manufacturing technology on sustainable business models. This aim is accomplished through a proposed framework, as well as the models and scales that can be used to determine these impacts. The effects are assessed by taking into account the social, environmental and economic impacts of additive manufacturing on business models and for all these three dimensions a balanced scorecard structure is proposed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 10908
Author(s):  
Anika Süß ◽  
Kristina Höse ◽  
Uwe Götze

Since the need of sustainable development is indisputable, companies are forced to strive for resources, processes, and products that are sustainable. Thus, their business models as the main representation of their activities should be designed in an ecologically, economically, and socially beneficial way. However, designing and developing sustainable business models is closely linked to their evaluation. Sustainable business model evaluation as a vital part of business model development has been addressed in literature in the past with increasing frequency. As a consequence, the plethora of different approaches of sustainability-oriented business model evaluation calls for a systematic literature review. Thus, in this study, we reviewed existing articles on sustainability-oriented business model evaluation and identified four main categories of evaluation methods: single indicators (I), indicator system/framework (II), simulation-based evaluation (III), and multi criteria decision-making (IV). By analyzing and structuring the proposed approaches, their benefits and limitations are revealed, pointing out gaps and future research needs for successfully designing and evaluating business models today and in the future.


2021 ◽  
pp. 187-194
Author(s):  
Jan Jonker ◽  
Niels Faber

AbstractWe live in a time of social transition. Everywhere in society, cracks are appearing. The only answer to these developments is to organize in radically different ways, saying goodbye to the present linear economy. That is what transition is all about. The search for new forms of value creation and the triple transition necessitates different business models. In turn this implies behavioural change, which may be the biggest challenge and greatest barrier to achieving a transition to a sustainable, circular, and inclusive economy. This book deliberately does not address the issue of change and transition. That would require yet another book. But to finish off we provide an overview of the obstacles and challenges of creating fundamental change. We say goodbye by providing you with the six elements of a successful business model. The key message of this last chapter is that mainstreaming sustainable business models is by no means a given, but over time will become the new normal.


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