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16 Accelerating Transitions Through Business Model Thinking

  • Milou Derks , Rick Gilsing and Frank Berkers
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De Gruyter Handbook of Sustainable Entrepreneurship Research
This chapter is in the book De Gruyter Handbook of Sustainable Entrepreneurship Research

Abstract

Sustainability transitions require deliberate collective action from multiple organisations, leading to the necessity to adopt new business models and re-design value networks. In both business model innovation and sustainability transition approaches the explicit activities needed to re-shape value creation and capture systems for organisations is largely unaddressed. Collaborative sustainable business modelling (CSBM) has been suggested in literature as a promising approach to fill this gap. We illustrate why CSBM can fill this gap and show how CSBM can support scaling, influence other value networks and create system change. However, existing CSBM approaches are not aimed at transitions and are unequipped to deal with transition dynamics. To fill this gap, we developed a CSBM for transitions approach, aimed at system change, enriched with four key aspects from transition studies. Through a case example we illustrate our approach, which consists of six phases. In all, we show that CSBM can be a fruitful approach to innovate and scale value networks and create the collective action needed for sustainability transitions.

Abstract

Sustainability transitions require deliberate collective action from multiple organisations, leading to the necessity to adopt new business models and re-design value networks. In both business model innovation and sustainability transition approaches the explicit activities needed to re-shape value creation and capture systems for organisations is largely unaddressed. Collaborative sustainable business modelling (CSBM) has been suggested in literature as a promising approach to fill this gap. We illustrate why CSBM can fill this gap and show how CSBM can support scaling, influence other value networks and create system change. However, existing CSBM approaches are not aimed at transitions and are unequipped to deal with transition dynamics. To fill this gap, we developed a CSBM for transitions approach, aimed at system change, enriched with four key aspects from transition studies. Through a case example we illustrate our approach, which consists of six phases. In all, we show that CSBM can be a fruitful approach to innovate and scale value networks and create the collective action needed for sustainability transitions.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents VII
  3. List of Contributors XI
  4. 1 Introduction 1
  5. Part I: Foundations
  6. Introduction 25
  7. 2 Sustainable Entrepreneurship Research: Narratives, Tensions and Future Agendas 29
  8. 3 Fostering Sustainability and Entrepreneurship Through Action Research: The Role of Value Reciprocity and Impact Temporality 45
  9. 4 Sustainable Entrepreneurship Education 63
  10. 5 Consultation: Building Social Relations with Productive Benefits 83
  11. Part II: Leadership
  12. Introduction 103
  13. 6 Value-Driven Leadership in Sustainable Entrepreneurship 107
  14. 7 Back to the Sustainable Future: The Influence of the Big Five Personality Traits on Consideration of Future Consequences 123
  15. 8 Unpacking Opportunity Recognition for Sustainable Entrepreneurship 143
  16. 9 Leadership in Transitions: The Case of Hydrogen 159
  17. Part III: Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Context
  18. Introduction 185
  19. 10 Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Context: Mapping Research on the Nexus and Demarcating Future Research Directions 189
  20. 11 The Untold Story of Women’s Online Business in Bangladesh 213
  21. 12 Climate-Smart Agriculture Diffusion within Smallholder Agriculture Context: The Role of Business Models of Sustainable Entrepreneurs 233
  22. 13 Sustainable Entrepreneurial Storytelling in the Caribbean: Digital Storytelling to Empower Trinidad and Tobago’s Cocoa Sector 255
  23. Part IV: Business Models
  24. Introduction 283
  25. 14 From Economic to Sustainable Value Creation 287
  26. 15 Transformative Organizational Learning for Circular Economy 307
  27. 16 Accelerating Transitions Through Business Model Thinking 323
  28. 17 A Long-Term Perspective on Sustainable Business Modelling Changing Value Creation, Actors and Scope in a Quest to Foster Transformation and Transition 343
  29. Part V: Performance and Impact
  30. Introduction 361
  31. 18 Impact Investment in Southeast Asia: An Overview and Framework 365
  32. 19 Enabling the Agency of Others: The Ultimate Impact of Social Entrepreneurs 389
  33. 20 Breaking Boundaries: The Case of Women Tech-Entrepreneurs in Lebanon 407
  34. 21 Mapping Change in Local Energy: Community Energy Groups and Their Theory of Change 423
  35. List of Figures 441
  36. List of Tables 443
  37. Index 445
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110756159-020

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents VII
  3. List of Contributors XI
  4. 1 Introduction 1
  5. Part I: Foundations
  6. Introduction 25
  7. 2 Sustainable Entrepreneurship Research: Narratives, Tensions and Future Agendas 29
  8. 3 Fostering Sustainability and Entrepreneurship Through Action Research: The Role of Value Reciprocity and Impact Temporality 45
  9. 4 Sustainable Entrepreneurship Education 63
  10. 5 Consultation: Building Social Relations with Productive Benefits 83
  11. Part II: Leadership
  12. Introduction 103
  13. 6 Value-Driven Leadership in Sustainable Entrepreneurship 107
  14. 7 Back to the Sustainable Future: The Influence of the Big Five Personality Traits on Consideration of Future Consequences 123
  15. 8 Unpacking Opportunity Recognition for Sustainable Entrepreneurship 143
  16. 9 Leadership in Transitions: The Case of Hydrogen 159
  17. Part III: Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Context
  18. Introduction 185
  19. 10 Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Context: Mapping Research on the Nexus and Demarcating Future Research Directions 189
  20. 11 The Untold Story of Women’s Online Business in Bangladesh 213
  21. 12 Climate-Smart Agriculture Diffusion within Smallholder Agriculture Context: The Role of Business Models of Sustainable Entrepreneurs 233
  22. 13 Sustainable Entrepreneurial Storytelling in the Caribbean: Digital Storytelling to Empower Trinidad and Tobago’s Cocoa Sector 255
  23. Part IV: Business Models
  24. Introduction 283
  25. 14 From Economic to Sustainable Value Creation 287
  26. 15 Transformative Organizational Learning for Circular Economy 307
  27. 16 Accelerating Transitions Through Business Model Thinking 323
  28. 17 A Long-Term Perspective on Sustainable Business Modelling Changing Value Creation, Actors and Scope in a Quest to Foster Transformation and Transition 343
  29. Part V: Performance and Impact
  30. Introduction 361
  31. 18 Impact Investment in Southeast Asia: An Overview and Framework 365
  32. 19 Enabling the Agency of Others: The Ultimate Impact of Social Entrepreneurs 389
  33. 20 Breaking Boundaries: The Case of Women Tech-Entrepreneurs in Lebanon 407
  34. 21 Mapping Change in Local Energy: Community Energy Groups and Their Theory of Change 423
  35. List of Figures 441
  36. List of Tables 443
  37. Index 445
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