Spreading Sustainability Innovation through the Co-Evolution of Sustainable Business Models and Partnerships

Abstract

Sustainability innovation is often not achievable by a single organisation; even if changes in business operations can lead to great advances towards a more sustainable business model (SBM), the effectiveness of these implementations largely depends on the combined actions of the organisation’s network of partners. The aim of this research is to analyse the way that SBMs and partnerships co-evolve to enhance the sustainability of the involved organisations and spread sustainability culture beyond the network. In doing so, this article presents a case study of the company Alisea as a business operating within a circular business model, along with its network of partnerships. The co-evolution of the business model and partnerships is led by enabling factors that characterise the underlying relationships. The role of cross-sector collaborations is demonstrated in terms of boosting the social and environmental dimensions of the circular business model, enhancing social and economic benefits within and outside the partnerships, and spreading sustainability culture in different sectors.

Does Good ESG Lead to Better Financial Performances by Firms? Machine Learning and Logistic Regression Models of Public Enterprises in Europe

“…Through this integrated strategy, companies are increasingly achieving a sustainable competitive advantage in the globalized market [4]. Therefore, companies practicing business sustainability may survive longer than traditional businesses and gain market power [5].…”

The Business Model in Sustainability Transitions: A Conceptualization

“…Technological Technology: product and process SMEs, entrepreneurs, government agencies, large firms [25,26] Non-technological Business model: service and organizational Social entrepreneurs, SMEs, large firms [21,22,[27][28][29] Current literature suggests firms and their business models act as vital forces to facilitate sustainability transitions [19,21,30]. Despite such a recognition, conceptual advances at the micro level, with niche innovations and niche actors (e.g., firm and partners) as foci to capture multiple dynamic (inter)organizational activities, remain limited [31][32][33]. In other words, the theory of the firm lacks the macro-perspective analysis of sustainability transitions [19].…”

Examining the Key Success Factors for Startups in the Kingdom of Bahrain

“…(Cooney 2005) also defines the co-founders or partners as a 2 or more individuals who share a similar financial goal and participate in achieving this goal. (Cantele, 2020) believes that partnerships is growing continuously where the knowledge and continuity is sustained within many different industries. While (Schjoedt and Kraus 2009) propose that the partnership composed of two or more individuals who share the same financial interest and commitment toward the partnership future and success.…”

“…The co-founders or partners of a startup is a key success factor at the early stages of a startup which creates a competitive advantage of the business and during the development of the products, and in attracting more investors to fund the business (Kaplan, Sensoy, Stromberg 2009).A setback of partnering with an established company is that companies might induce the start up to replace its initial strategy in order to further utilize from the outcomes of the partnership (Freytag 2019). (Cantele, 2020) highlights that partners who are sharing a similar value, goals and parallel improvements in both parties increase the created value of the innovative output which guarantees the sustainability of a startup. On the other hand, the role of co-founders or startup partners is emphasized by (Mason, 2007;Sudek 2007), who states that they have a major role in affecting the decision of investing by a business angel.…”