Submit to Sustainability Review for Sustainability Propose a Special Issue

Journal Browser

Business Model Innovation for Corporate Sustainability

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2022) | Viewed by 40022

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Mikhail Kozhevnikov

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor

Department of Energy and Industrial Management Systems, Ural Federal University, 620002 Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk region, Russia
Interests: strategic management; business model innovation; energy management; knowledge-intensive services; management education

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ongoing major and dramatic transformations are taking place amid growing uncertainty in the external environment that is fueled by force majeure factors of various origins. Business is faced with strong and hard-to-forecast risks. It is becoming increasingly difficult to predict the future, hence the importance and relevance of searching for means and methods that would enable companies to ensure their long-term competitive edge and corporate sustainability.

At the same time, the digital turn and the fourth industrial revolution are opening up incredible opportunities for entrepreneurs to develop customized products and service, to create new markets and entire industries. A transition to platform-based distributed management systems can be seen in both the services sector and hard-asset industries. Every producer or a startup is seeking to build their own ecosystem of unique product offerings by engaging an increasing number of customers, suppliers, developers, investors and research-intensive structures that work in knowledge and technology transfer.

Considering the above circumstances, it is critical to look at and, perhaps, to rethink the phenomenon of a business model that has, rather quickly, evolved from one of numerous marketing tools into a serious visionary concept and a fundamental element of the management system. Be it a large multinational corporation, or a small startup, every market entity wants to create their own unique business model that would not only determine how he company creates value for its customers but also performs other essential functions: improve agility, foster corporate social responsibility, and preview and act upon sociotechnological, economic and ecological trends. Interest in the concept of business models is growing rapidly among practitioners as well as researchers: over the past two decades, the amount of literature on the subject has grown hundred-fold.

This Special Issue is, on the one hand, intended to systematize the various approaches to the methodology of business modeling, and, on the other hand, to answer the question as to what essential new characteristics the business model of a modern organization must possess to ensure its corporate sustainability in a turbulent and unpredictable environment. An important objective of the Special Issue is to summarize experience and work out solutions for business models tailored for all kinds of players: large and small companies that are engaged in traditional (heavy-asset) and digital-asset industries, startups, and universities that generate personnel for the new economy. We hope to prompt a wide debate among researchers and practitioners that would make a substantial contribution to the solution of sustainability problems and help to boost the performance of various companies and organizations that are going through hard times today.

Keywords

business model
digital economy
Industrial Revolution 4.0
corporate sustainability
high-tech industries
organizational agility
startups
knowledge-intensive services
leadership strategies
value chains
platform markets
increasing competitiveness in high-risk environments
methods of developing innovative products and services
corporate practice of developing business models
anticipatory training for personnel to work in the face of uncertainty
universities
transfer of knowledge and technology

Published Papers (12 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Other

19 pages, 1218 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comprehensive Strategic Analysis for Sustainability: An Aviation Industry Case Study

by Graeme Heyes, Cathy Urquhart, Paul Hooper and Callum Thomas

Sustainability 2023, 15(11), 8806; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su15118806 - 30 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2106

Abstract

This paper presents a framework for strategic innovation, the Comprehensive Strategic Analysis for Sustainability, aimed at identifying climate risks faced by organisations and developing appropriate responses to enhance their resilience. The framework integrates the analytical tools of comprehensive strategic analysis with a range of sustainability methodologies to offer a holistic approach to sustainable innovation. The framework was tested through a case study on a large multinational airport retailer, which helped identify the drivers and barriers to sustainably oriented innovation. The application of the framework informed criteria for assessing the suitability for different sustainable business model archetypes to be implemented but did not identify specific sustainable business model innovations that were appropriate for the case firm, highlighting the complexities of managing scope 3 emissions without taking systems-level and multi-stakeholder approaches. The Comprehensive Strategic Analysis for Sustainability framework presents a valuable contribution to approaches for strategic sustainable innovation by acting as a useful lens through which sustainable business model innovation in large industries can be viewed. This study suggests that such holistic frameworks have significant value for the business community in transitioning to low-carbon business models to mitigate the challenges of the climate emergency, whilst the CSAfS framework demonstrates potential as an effective tool for organisations seeking to enhance their sustainability and resilience. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Business Model Innovation for Corporate Sustainability)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 3872 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Raising the Resilience of Industrial Manufacturers through Implementing Natural Gas-Fired Distributed Energy Resource Systems with Demand Response

by Anatolyy Dzyuba, Irina Solovyeva and Aleksandr Semikolenov

Sustainability 2023, 15(10), 8241; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su15108241 - 18 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 944

Abstract

The use of relatively small-scale distributed electric power generation sources is one of the key focus areas in the development of global industry and regional power generation. By integrating distributed generation sources into their on-site energy infrastructure, industrial consumers gain new characteristics and possibilities as entities of the power system that do not only consume power, but in fact can flexibly generate and deliver electricity to local and even centralized grids. This type of entity is called a distributed energy resource system with demand response (Russian: ‘active energy complex’). The purpose of this study is to lay the methodological foundation for the use of distributed energy resource systems with demand response in industrial sites under existing gas and power market conditions and for ensuring the synchronization of parameters that is necessary for managing complex energy consumption. This article provides an empirical study of the principles of the natural gas pricing under the demand volatility of regional markets and the Russian Mercantile Exchange. The article outlines the key drivers, as identified by the authors, that impact gas consumption by a distributed energy resource system, including demand characteristics, limitations and capacity of the gas network and the mode of gas consumption by an industrial enterprise and its generator. Accounting for all of these factors is essential for effective management and proper operational adjustment of a distributed energy resource system with demand response. The result of the study is a proprietary model and a tool for the management of distributed energy resource systems in integration with the gas demand management, which analyze the internal and external parameters of the industrial entity’s operations and its distributed energy resource system, as well as factors existing in the integrated distributed energy system where the consumer is able to buy natural gas in various market segments. The proprietary tool of distributed energy resource system management is based on the centralized control system, which combines performance analytics, operational scheduling of production and the distributed energy resource system, price planning for the wholesale and retail power markets, regional gas markets and exchange, monitoring all elements of the system, and assessment of different active energy management scenarios under various external and internal conditions impacting production and energy demand. Our proprietary tool has been successfully tested in a typical industrial site and was reported to deliver a significant electricity and gas cost-saving effect, which amounted to an 18 percent reduction in the total energy costs of the company, or more than USD 2.6 million per year. The resulting saving effect can recoup the costs of investing in a distributed energy resource system, including construction and installation of the local grid and automation infrastructure, and can be obtained in any country of the world. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Business Model Innovation for Corporate Sustainability)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 3090 KiB

Open AccessArticle

New Business Models in the Energy Sector in the Context of Revolutionary Transformations

by Lazar Gitelman and Mikhail Kozhevnikov

Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3604; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su15043604 - 15 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 6254

Abstract

The relevance of the problem of improving business models in the energy industry has become especially acute in recent years due to the energy transition, the emergence of new energy production and consumption technologies, and the increase in environmental requirements for energy companies’ performance. The purpose of the study is to form recommendations for creating business models in energy companies that meet modern realities and ensure the sustainable development of the energy business in an environment that is characterized by increased uncertainty and aggressive competition. Based on the analysis of scientific publications and the systematization of industry cases, it is proved that business models in the energy sector are likely to transform in the following three aspects: implementation of green technologies as a response to the public demand for clean energy; spatial organization of production based on platforms and digital tools; and active implementation of customized knowledge-intensive services. This article discusses the development of the social investment concept, the key factors affecting its implementation in the energy sector and related industries, and its risks and limitations in the times of energy crises. It is justified that new business models require changes in energy market infrastructure and strategic management principles. In this regard, the authors developed recommendations for the adaptation of the wholesale and retail electricity and power market to the structural, technological, and economic transformations in the energy production and consumption areas. The main advantages, barriers, and ideas for the effective implementation of innovative business models in energy companies are verified through an expert survey. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Business Model Innovation for Corporate Sustainability)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 236 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Challenges and Opportunities for Human Factors/Ergonomics as a Strategic Partner for Business Managers: In-Depth Research of Experts’ Visions

by Elma Mulaomerovic and Eric Min-yang Wang

Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3078; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su15043078 - 08 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2040

Abstract

The potential of human factors and ergonomics (HFE) contributions to business performances is underestimated. Companies have a narrow understanding of ergonomics and do not perceive it as a strategic partner. In order to call for attention within the HFE community and in the business world, the authors conducted a series of interviews with eleven leading HFE experts on their visions of HFE as a strategic aid to business. Results indicate the challenges and issues along with the opportunities and activities for cooperation between HFE professionals and business managers. The research illustrates examples of the crucial changes that must take place for the enhancement of HFE values and opens the floor for it as a strategic partner to business managers. HFE experts are recommended as key players and responsible actors for implementation of the changes with the aim of repositioning HFE within businesses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Business Model Innovation for Corporate Sustainability)

14 pages, 601 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Idiosyncratic Deals, Psychological Contract, Job Satisfaction and Environmental Turbulence on Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior

by Yan Huang, Xin Liu, Jaehyoung Kim and Sanggyun Na

Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 15995; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su142315995 - 30 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1729

Abstract

Corporate ethics is an important part of corporate sustainable development. Sustainability is not only about the environment but also about the well-being of employees, including job satisfaction (JS), the Psychological contract (PC), etc. Among them, to organize relationships with other stakeholders, the unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB) of employees not only damages the corporate image and reputation but even threatens the sustainable development of the enterprise. In this context, the influencing factors that induce UPB should be analyzed and considered. Based on social exchange theory and social cognitive theory, this research explores how idiosyncratic deals (I-deals) affect employees’ intention to perform UPB through the PC and JS from the viewpoint of employee-organization relationships, and the moderating role of environmental turbulence in it. The research sample was drawn from 377 employees working in China, manufacturing companies. The questionnaire was distributed at two time points. In the first questionnaire, the employees who participated in the survey answered information such as idiosyncratic deals, the PC, JS and environmental turbulence (ET). After 1 month, employees responded to UPB messages. The research hypotheses were tested analytically using SPSS 23.0 and Amos 23.0. The survey showed that I-deals had a beneficial impact on UPB. The psychological contract and JS also mediated the influence on I-deals on UPB. The positive relationship between I-deals and UPB through the chain mediated effect of PC and JS. Moreover, ET positively moderates the relationship between I-deals and UPB, the higher the ET, the stronger the relationship between I-deals and UPB. Conversely, the lower. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Business Model Innovation for Corporate Sustainability)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 797 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of ESG Activities on Firm Value: Multi-Level Analysis of Industrial Characteristics

by Yu-Jin Chang and Byung-Hee Lee

Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 14444; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su142114444 - 03 Nov 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5641

Abstract

The study attempted to identify how ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) activities affect firm value depending on the industrial environment to which the entity belongs, taking into account industrial characteristic factors that may affect the activities and performance of the entity from a strategic perspective. In order to analyze ESG activities, sustainability report data of South Korea containing ESG information of 87 domestic companies for the period 2002–2020 were collected, and then the effect of ESG according to industrial characteristics on firm value was investigated in depth. The empirical results are as follows. First, it was confirmed that ESG was found to have a positive effect on the firm value. Second, we found that industrial concentration and industrial growth rate, which are industrial characteristic variables, moderate the relationship between ESG and firm value. Through this study, it was possible to identify the importance of the industrial environment surrounding the company in enhancing firm value through ESG activities and to confirm its influence. These results may suggest which ESG strategy directions are needed internally according to the characteristics of the industry in which the company is engaged. We hoped that this study will serve as a stepping stone to broaden the scope of business management research on ESG and to contribute to the field of business strategy, subsequently contributing to the development of ESG in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Business Model Innovation for Corporate Sustainability)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 1077 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Omnichannel Integration on Fresh Food Customer Engagement from the Viewpoint of Flow Experience

by Xiaoxia Chen, Xiaofeng Su, Wenhe Lin, Anxin Xu, Jianhong Chen and Qiujin Zheng

Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 13914; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su142113914 - 26 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2575

Abstract

Customer engagement is a new value index affecting the omnichannel benefits of enterprises. It is beginning to attract the attention of both scholars and managers. However, there is still a lack of research on the mechanism influencing customer engagement in the fresh food omnichannel retail context. Drawing from the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) framework, this paper builds a relationship model between omnichannel integration and fresh food customer engagement. In addition, the paper empirically analyzes the mechanism of omnichannel integration’s impact on fresh food customer engagement. The findings show that omnichannel integration promotes flow experiences through three modes: information integration, business integration, and service and distribution integration. Flow experience is mediating the relationship between omnichannel integration and customer engagement. Strengthening the customer engagement knowledge system can help fresh food omnichannel retailers to create and manage the long-term cooperative relationship between customers and the company’s value creation. The higher the degree of omnichannel integration of fresh food retail firms, the more conducive it is to enhancing the customer flow experience, which will positively impact customers’ attitudinal and behavioral engagement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Business Model Innovation for Corporate Sustainability)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 1635 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Correlation between Generation Z in Hungary and the Motivating Factors to Do Volunteer Work in a Value-Based Approach

by Mónika Garai-Fodor, János Varga and Ágnes Csiszárik-Kocsir

Sustainability 2021, 13(20), 11519; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132011519 - 18 Oct 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3036

Abstract

The knowledge-based voluntary activity covered by the research, the pro bono, which will be introduced from the aspect of employer branding. The primary results of the research described in the study are the outcome of a quantitative data collection process, where 840 evaluable questionnaires were processed in the course of a pretested standardized questionnaire survey. On top of that, during the research we were able to confirm that the motivation of volunteering is connected to the individual values, hence it can be stated that the reason behind the unwillingness of young people less motivated towards volunteer work is the immature value orientation and often the lack of information, instead of the sharp isolation rooted in the values or the lack of empathy. The introduced results may provide practical guidance to the institutions and companies organizing pro bono activities, and especially to the organizations that intend to address the young generation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Business Model Innovation for Corporate Sustainability)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 606 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating the Determinants and Barriers of Purchase Intention of Innovative New Products

by Daeseong An, Seonggoo Ji and Ihsan Ullah Jan

Sustainability 2021, 13(2), 740; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13020740 - 14 Jan 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4433

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the purchase intention of innovative new product (e.g., Galaxy Fold) by integrating behavioral reasoning theory (BRT) to the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and theory of planned behavior (TPB) to test the relative influence of reasons for and reasons against adoption on purchase attitude and purchase intention of Korean consumers. A quantitative research method via an online survey was conducted to test the proposed hypotheses. The sample of the study was 242 Korean consumers who participated in the online survey. Structural equation modeling was conducted by using AMOS 21.0 to test the proposed relationships. The findings showed that value for changes positively related to the reasons for adoption and negatively related to reasons against adoption. Reasons for adoption (e.g., relative advantage, compatibility, simplicity) have a significant positive effect on the purchase attitude, and reasons against adoption (e.g., price barrier, performance barrier, usage barrier) have a significant negative effect on the purchase attitude. Finally, purchase attitude has a significant positive relationship to the purchase intention of innovative new product. The findings of this study offer significant theoretical and managerial contributions in the context of sustainable innovative new product development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Business Model Innovation for Corporate Sustainability)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 451 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Business Sustainability Strategy in a Cooperative Kibbutz Industry

by Yaffa Moskovich

Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 9172; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12219172 - 04 Nov 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2537

Abstract

This article describes the management approach underlying the strategic business sustainability at a kibbutz factory situated in a non-privatized collective community. The business strategy explains the outstanding success of “T Industries”—which ranks as a leading kibbutz enterprise. The research utilized qualitative methods, using deep interviews combined with document analysis. The study found that the strategic management of T Industries comprises three major components: (1) socialist concern for community wellbeing, (2) an external strategy that focuses on expansion and rendering the industry global, with numerous organizational alliances and acquisitions, and (3) an internal strategy that includes self-criticism, professionalism, creativity, and organizational learning. Strategies of the top management have the ability to integrate conflicting methods into their strategy while promoting innovation and originality and can increase economic success and reassure its sustainability for the business and the community. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Business Model Innovation for Corporate Sustainability)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 367 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Business Model Design and Customer Loyalty: The Mediating Role of Customer Citizenship Behavior

by Baoliang Hu, Wei Huang, Shuai Yan, Guang Liu and Tao Zhang

Sustainability 2020, 12(17), 7047; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12177047 - 29 Aug 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3330

Abstract

An increasing number of scholars and practitioners are advocating for the exploration of the demand-side consequences of business model (BM) design from the customer’s perceptual perspective. Consistent with this view, this paper discusses how BM design can achieve customer loyalty through the mediating role of customer citizenship behavior. Therefore, this paper puts forward a series of hypotheses regarding relationships among BM design, customer citizenship behavior, and customer loyalty and further tests these hypotheses through hierarchical regression analysis from data collected from Chinese customers. The results show that both efficiency-centered and novelty-centered BM designs are the antecedents of customer citizenship behavior and customer loyalty. The results also show that efficiency-centered and novelty-centered BM designs can directly affect customer loyalty, and indirectly affect customer loyalty through the mediating role of customer citizenship behavior. Our findings contribute to research on the relationship between BM design and customer loyalty, and research on the demand-side consequences of BM design. Our findings also contribute to research on the link between BM design and marketing, and research on BM design for corporate sustainability. Our findings have management implications for practitioners as well. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Business Model Innovation for Corporate Sustainability)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research

16 pages, 1264 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

What’s Happening with the Patent Box Regimes? A Systematic Review

by Alexander Israel Silva-Gámez, Silvia Mariela Méndez-Prado and Andrés Arauz

Sustainability 2022, 14(18), 11423; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su141811423 - 12 Sep 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4137

Abstract

Patent Box regimes are a tax relief incentive promoted by governments to encourage the R&D activities of enterprises. The literature developed on Patent Box is still examining the effects on certain economic variables. Thus, this research conducted a systematic review of the Patent Box literature since 2010 and applied regimes worldwide. For this aim, the authors developed a comprehensive systematic review using the PRISMA scheme, analyzed the main scientific characteristics with bibliometrix R-package, and prepared a summary table with the attributes collected from the Patent Box scheme applied worldwide. The findings showed that the Patent Box literature is focused on describing applications on countries and implications, analyzing its effects on company and country performance, or examining its influence on location choices. However, there is no definitive consensus on its effect on innovation or economic outcomes, which finally depends on the design of this scheme. As an applied tool, Patent Box is mainly used in European countries. This review and future updates could help as a reference monitor of the Patent Box mechanism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Business Model Innovation for Corporate Sustainability)

► Show Figures