Knowledge Tree
sustainable business model
Also known as: SBM, sustainable business, sustainable business modelling, sustainable business model research
Facts (82)
Sources
Does the combination of sustainable business model patterns lead ... link.springer.com Feb 20, 2023 50 facts
claimEstablished organizational structures and routines can act as inertia forces that oppose the organizational fit required for sustainable business models, making incumbents less likely to explore innovative sustainability pathways compared to younger companies.
claimSustainable Business Model (SBM) design should be preceded by opportunity identification through context analysis, which involves examining available products, existing competitors, unserved customer needs, and market size.
claimSustainable business models should include all important stakeholders to prevent negative impacts on stakeholders that might otherwise be intentionally excluded from the system.
referenceFairphone designed a sustainable business model (SBM) for the mobile phone industry with the mission of making a social contribution to the mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where essential minerals for phone chips are extracted.
perspectiveTo be truly sustainable in competitive environments, firms must be innovative with the objective of changing the system from within, with the hope that other players adjust their businesses accordingly to create durable sustainable impact.
referenceHockerts and Wüstenhagen (2010) initiated a scientific debate regarding the roles of 'Davids' (small, young companies) and 'Goliaths' (large incumbents) in sustainability, noting that while small companies lack financial resources, they avoid the inertia that hinders large incumbents from shifting toward sustainable business models.
referenceBocken, Ingemarsdotter, and Gonzalez (2019) explored IoT-enabled strategies to drive sustainable consumption in their work 'Designing sustainable business models: exploring iot-enabled strategies to drive sustainable consumption'.
claimSustainable business models may fail to achieve higher sustainability performance if firms lack the awareness or capability to integrate technological advancements that occur after the business model's launch.
referenceCar sharing business models combine the Sustainable Business Model (SBM) patterns of 'deliver functionality rather than ownership/result-oriented pay per use', 'product longevity', and 'consumer education'.
claimTruly sustainable business models are theoretically underpinned by the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) concept, as defined by Elkington (1997), and support the need to extend the perception of TBL beyond its interpretation as merely a tool for sustainability accounting.
referenceRitala, Huotari, Bocken, Albareda, and Puumalainen (2018) performed a longitudinal content analysis study on the adoption of sustainable business models among S&P 500 firms, published in the Journal of Cleaner Production.
referenceLaukkanen and Patala (2014) argue that regulatory frameworks are critical for the creation of new Sustainable Business Models, and that cultural and structural changes are necessary to facilitate societal transitions toward these models.
referenceFrameworks for Sustainable Business Models (SBMs) can be categorized into five clusters: (i) industry-specific patterns, (ii) frameworks integrating existing frameworks, (iii) frameworks of specific overarching business model concepts (e.g., servitization, sharing economy, reverse logistics), (iv) frameworks for green technologies deployment, and (v) general frameworks of SBM patterns.
claimSustainable business models (SBMs) are defined as business models that are ecologically, economically, and socially sustainable.
claimIdentifying relevant contingency factors is the most challenging aspect of designing sustainable business models, compared to consistency checking and defining system boundaries.
claimThe sustainability performance of a Sustainable Business Model can vary significantly when applied across different countries or regions due to differences in local laws, regulations, and cultural contexts.
claimSustainable business model (SBM) patterns can be primarily classified along three dimensions.
referenceNorris, Hagenbeck, and Schaltegger (2021) proposed an integrated value creation framework linking sustainable business models and supply chains in Business Strategy and the Environment.
referenceLahti T, Wincent J, and Parida V provided a definition and theoretical review of the circular economy, value creation, and sustainable business models in a 2018 article in the journal Sustainability.
claimThere is a 'design-implementation gap' in sustainable business models because the integration of sustainability into business models remains unclear in practice, despite existing research on business model ideation and design.
claimThe authors identify geographical location and user system as two critical characteristics for demarcating system boundaries when designing sustainable business models.
claimSustainable Business Models (SBMs) must be designed by considering the specific systems—such as countries, cultures, and geographical areas—in which they are embedded, as these external factors influence the model's ability to generate economic, social, and environmental value.
claimThe authors suggest that firms with B-Corp certification are an ideal sample for empirical research on sustainable business models because B-Corps face stringent certification requirements and must renew their certification based on sustainability performance.
claimContingency factors that affect business model sustainability include strategy, long-term entrepreneurial or managerial orientation, organizational resources (tangible and intangible), the competitive environment, and the firm’s stakeholders and value-adding network.
referenceThe operationalization of the truly sustainable business model concept is based on three levels of analysis: (i) inherent consistency, (ii) sustainability at the system level, and (iii) contingencies of sustainable business models.
claimThe authors of the study argue that designing a truly sustainable business model requires leveraging Sustainable Business Model (SBM) patterns across the three dimensions of the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) and challenging the design at three levels.
claimThe Sustainable Business Model (SBM) concept assists firms in systematically describing, defining, and innovating their value creation logic by incorporating sustainability as a core principle.
claimThe sustainability performance of a business model is impacted by the inherent coherency of the Sustainable Business Model (SBM), the boundaries of the wider system, and internal and external contingencies.
referenceIndustrial symbiosis is based on the Sustainable Business Model (SBM) pattern of creating value from waste and by-products.
claimThe definition of a truly sustainable business relates to the strong sustainability perspective (Victor et al. 1998; Ayres et al. 2001) and the concept of the Triple Bottom Line (Elkington 1997).
claimSustainable Business Models (SBMs) are considered vital 'meta' factors in the transition towards sustainable consumption and production.
claimTruly sustainable business promotes the idea that financial rewards, social benefits, and environmental regeneration are not in conflict but are reinforcing each other, enhancing the internal consistency of business operations.
claimThe combination of sustainable business model (SBM) patterns does not always lead to truly sustainable business models.
referenceDyllick and Muff (2016) introduced a typology for sustainable business that categorizes models ranging from 'business-as-usual' to 'true business sustainability'.
claimSustainable Business Models (SBMs) are business model innovations that support the systematic creation of business cases for sustainability.
quoteLüdeke-Freund et al. (2018b) define a sustainable business model as one that is "about creating significantly increased positive effects and/or significantly reduced negative effects for the natural environment and society through changes in the way a company and its network create, deliver, and capture value."
procedureThe authors identified frameworks for sustainable business model (SBM) patterns by performing a search query on the Scopus database using the keywords "business model" and "sustainab*" combined with "pattern" or "archetype".
perspectiveThe authors argue that a truly sustainable business model must value the differentiation between natural and produced capital in accordance with the principles of strong sustainability.
claimSustainable Business Model (SBM) literature addresses how firms can capture economic value while maintaining and regenerating social and environmental capital.
referencePiscicelli, Ludden, and Cooper (2018) conducted an empirical comparison of two peer-to-peer goods-sharing platforms to identify factors that make a sustainable business model successful, published in the Journal of Cleaner Production.
referenceBaldassarre, Konietzko, Brown, Calabretta, Bocken, Karpen, and Hultink (2020) published 'Addressing the design-implementation gap of sustainable business models by prototyping: a tool for planning and executing small-scale pilots' in the Journal of Cleaner Production, volume 255, article 120295.
procedureThe validation process for sustainable business model (SBM) designs consists of three steps: (i) eliminate inconsistencies within the business model activity system by checking the compatibility of selected business model patterns; (ii) demarcate system boundaries to verify that sustainability targets are achieved within those boundaries; and (iii) develop awareness for internal and external contingency factors that exert forces on the business model, allowing for continuous adaptation to maintain high sustainability performance.
claimThe combination of economic, environmental, and social business model patterns into a single business model is a necessary but not sufficient condition for achieving a truly sustainable business model.
claimContingencies, defined as internal and external forces, can cause sustainable business models to decrease in sustainability or become unsustainable over time.
referenceIn truly sustainable business models, economic, environmental, and social aspects reinforce each other, as defined by Searcy (2018).
referenceKurucz EC, Colbert BA, Lüdeke-Freund F, Upward A, and Willard B researched relational leadership practices and capabilities for strategic sustainability and the design of sustainable business models in a 2017 article in the Journal of Cleaner Production.
claimCompanies with higher levels of financial resources are better positioned to build capabilities for sustainable exploration and exploitation, increasing the likelihood of maintaining a truly sustainable business model.
referenceThe Sustainable Business Model (SBM) pattern known as 'create value from waste' focuses on recycling and transforming waste materials into valuable inputs for production loops.
referenceNosratabadi, Mosavi, Shamshirband, Zavadskas, Rakotonirainy, and Chau (2019) conducted a review of sustainable business models in the journal Sustainability.
quoteTruly sustainable business is defined as shifting the perspective from minimizing negative impacts to generating significant positive impacts in critical areas for society and the planet.
Sustainable Business Models | Springer Nature Link link.springer.com Nov 8, 2020 9 facts
referenceThe academic literature on sustainable business models includes studies on sustainability-oriented innovation (Adams et al., 2016), market driving at the Bottom of the Pyramid (Agarwal et al., 2018), business model innovation (Amit and Zott, 2012), simultaneous experimentation (Andries et al., 2013), circular business model experimentation (Antikainen et al., 2017), sustainable value proposition design (Baldassarre et al., 2017), exploitation and exploration (Benner and Tushman, 2003), the circular economy (Blomsma and Brennan, 2017), value mapping tools (Bocken et al., 2013), sustainable business model archetypes (Bocken et al., 2014), product design for circular economy (Bocken et al., 2016), and circular business model experimentation (Bocken et al., 2018).
referenceStubbs and Cocklin (2008) published 'Conceptualizing a “sustainability business model”' in the journal Organization & Environment.
claimSustainable business models (SBMs) are defined as models that draw on economic, environmental, and social aspects of sustainability to define an organization’s purpose, use a triple bottom-line (people, profit, planet) approach to measure performance, consider the needs of all stakeholders rather than prioritizing shareholder expectations, treat nature as a stakeholder, and encompass both system-level and firm-level perspectives.
claimThe concept of sustainable business models is associated with related terms including product service systems (PSS), green business models, social business models, circular business models, and sharing business models.
measurementThe print ISBN for the publication 'Decent Work and Economic Growth' (which contains the entry 'Sustainable Business Models') is 978-3-319-95866-8, and the online ISBN is 978-3-319-95867-5.
referenceThe article 'Sustainable Business Models' by N. Bocken was published in 2021 as part of the 'Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals' by Springer, Cham.
referenceJoyce and Paquin (2016) published the research article 'The triple layered business model canvas: a tool to design more sustainable business models' in the Journal of Cleaner Production.
referenceGeissdörfer, Bocken, and Hultink (2016) published the research article 'Design thinking to enhance the sustainable business modelling process – a workshop based on a value mapping process' in the Journal of Cleaner Production.
referenceRitala et al. (2018) conducted a longitudinal content analysis study on sustainable business model adoption among S&P 500 firms in 'Sustainable business model adoption among S&P 500 firms: a longitudinal content analysis study'.
Business Model Innovation: a Framework for Assessing Corporate ... link.springer.com Apr 18, 2025 6 facts
referenceGrijalvo and García-Wang (2023) identified key drivers for sustainable business models in the commercial banking sector regarding climate finance in their paper 'Sustainable business model for climate finance. Key drivers for the commercial banking sector' published in the Journal of Business Research.
claimLüdeke-Freund defined a sustainable business model as one that creates a competitive advantage while contributing to sustainable development for a company.
referenceEvans, Vladimirova, Holgado, Van Fossen, Yang, Silva, and Barlow (2017) proposed a unified perspective for the creation of sustainable business models in their paper 'Business model innovation for sustainability: towards a unified perspective for creation of sustainable business models' published in Business Strategy and the Environment.
measurementA keyword frequency analysis of the 38 selected articles identified 'corporate social responsibility' in 20 articles, 'sustainable business model' in 18 articles, 'environmental governance' in 15 articles, and 'value creation' in 11 articles.
referenceKluza, Ziolo, and Spoz (2021) conducted a meta-analysis on how innovation and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors influence sustainable business models in their paper 'Innovation and environmental, social, and governance factors influencing sustainable business models - meta-analysis' published in the Journal of Cleaner Production.
claimBirkin F, Cashman A, Koh SCL, and Liu Z (2009) investigated new sustainable business models specifically within the context of China, published in Business Strategy and the Environment.
Unknown source 3 facts
claimThe article "Does the combination of sustainable business model patterns lead ..." analyzes frameworks regarding sustainable business model (SBM) patterns.
claimSustainable business model (SBM) patterns are classified along three dimensions according to the article "Does the combination of sustainable business model patterns lead ...".
claimResearchers in the field of sustainable business models have developed various conceptualizations, typologies, tools, methods, and reviews regarding sustainable business models.
Sustainability through business model innovation and climate ... nature.com Jan 20, 2025 2 facts
referenceGuo et al. (2022) identified that challenges remain in scaling up and mainstreaming sustainable business models, specifically regarding overcoming institutional barriers, securing investment, and ensuring stakeholder buy-in.
referenceRamdani et al. (2019) state that sustainable business models can enhance competitiveness, foster customer loyalty, and unlock new markets by responding to consumer preferences for environmentally and socially responsible products and services.
[PDF] An eco-critical perspective on business models: the value triangle as ... researchonline.gcu.ac.uk 2 facts
claimThe authors of the paper 'An eco-critical perspective on business models: the value triangle as...' state that the purpose of their research is to add a new lens and richness to the field of sustainable business model research.
claimThe authors of the paper 'An eco-critical perspective on business models: the value triangle as...' assert that there is an emphasized need for more interdisciplinary approaches within sustainable business model research.
Design Options for Sustainable and Open Business Models - MDPI mdpi.com 2 facts
measurementThe authors of the paper "Design Options for Sustainable and Open Business Models" developed a taxonomy that outlines 64 design options across nine dimensions for sustainable, open business models.
procedureThe authors of the paper "Design Options for Sustainable and Open Business Models" employed a structured literature review as the methodology to create their taxonomy of design options for sustainable, open business models.
Business Models for Sustainability - Oxford Academic academic.oup.com 1 fact
claimA sustainable business model requires a value proposition that caters to the triple bottom line, which consists of people, profit, and planet.
Exploring Open-Source Software Ecosystems for Hardware ... link.springer.com May 1, 2024 1 fact
referenceLi and Seering (2019) analyzed value creation and capture mechanisms in open source hardware companies to determine if open source hardware possesses a sustainable business model.
Open innovation for circular and sustainable business models tandfonline.com 1 fact
claimThe study titled 'Open innovation for circular and sustainable business models' explores the integration of Open Innovation (OI) models with archetypes of sustainable business in Forest-based Bioeconomy (FBB) companies.
[PDF] Exploring Business Models for Public Open Data Resources data.europa.eu Sep 30, 2024 1 fact
claimThe unique characteristics of open data resources present challenges for organizations attempting to create sustainable business models that can effectively capture and generate economic value.
[PDF] Business Models for Sustainability oekologisches-wirtschaften.de 1 fact
claimSustainable business models are a form of sustainable innovation that balances the competing and complementary interests of key stakeholder segments.
Industry 4.0 and sustainable business models: An intercontinental ... onlinelibrary.wiley.com Dec 13, 2023 1 fact
claimThe research titled 'Industry 4.0 and sustainable business models: An intercontinental...' aimed to elucidate the intricate interplay between Industry 4.0 technologies and organizational sustainability.
[PDF] Business models for open source hardware theses.hal.science Mar 11, 2020 1 fact
claimAdopting a sustainable business model approach helps businesses understand how they can create.
Advancing the understanding of sustainable business models ... onlinelibrary.wiley.com Mar 26, 2024 1 fact
claimThe authors of the study "Advancing the understanding of sustainable business models" assert that their research reveals concrete learning mechanisms that enhance the understanding of sustainability and sustainable business models.