An exploration of sustainable business model innovation

Today’s business environment is complex; organisations are increasingly forced to adjust. By innovating their business model, organisations have become increasingly capable of creating positive social and environmental value. In research years, the field of business models has gained attention in recent years in both the supporting literature and practice. Initially, the concept was mainly used in the context of technology businesses to describe business processes and evolved as a theoretical concept that outlines an organisation's value creation, delivery and capture processes. Literature acknowledges that innovation in this context looks beyond developing new or improved products to discovering new ways to operate. Advancements in the field of Sustainable business model innovation (SBMI) have helped realise that this type of innovation can help organisations maximise the sustainable value creation and gain competitive advantage while considering the needs of a broader range of stakeholders. This exploratory study aims to expand the knowledge on the SBMI phenomenon. A qualitative approach that relies on semi-structured interviews is applied to answer the research questions guiding the study. Furthermore, the data analysis was supported by tools and techniques such as thematic analysis, total interpretive structural modelling, Fuzzy MICMAC, the triple layered business model canvas, and the value mapping tool. Inspection of the role of the contextual relations between elements of the business environment a firm operates demonstrates how they systematically enables change in the organisations at the strategic and operational levels while influencing the business environment in which organisations operate. The findings highlight how collaborating across the value chain actors and monitoring the context in which the organisations operate allows for the identification of value creation and capture opportunities. This increased sensitivity and engagement also supports them in overcoming pressing challenges such as the lack of an adequate regulatory landscape and poor awareness from the public of the relevant sustainability themes. Identified sustainable strategies can guide the configuration of sustainable business models or serve as a starting point for innovation. The study also reflects on how SBMI implementation unfolds in new and established organisations which guides organisations to tailor processes based on their needs. Furthermore, the evidence suggests that organisations should improve their knowledge of the value implications of their business model. The research findings proposed and evaluated a strategic framework and dynamic capabilities assessment tool.

Citation

Martinez Volquez, G. (2022) An exploration of sustainable business model innovation. University of Wolverhampton. http://hdl.handle.net/2436/625286

Publisher

University of Wolverhampton

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/2436/625286

Type

Thesis or dissertation

Language

en

Description

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Wolverhampton for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Rights

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

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Collections

Theses and Dissertations