Abstract
At least since the European Union’s Eco-Innovation Action Plan, eco-innovation has received increased attention from scholars, practitioners, and policy-makers alike. Eco-innovation offers many opportunities for businesses in terms of cost reduction, competitive advantage, and sustainability. However, eco-innovative business models differ from conventional business models and have special requirements in terms of stakeholder involvement, value definition, and value creation. Facing technological progress, many businesses need guidance on how to translate the potentials arising from technological innovation into eco-innovative business models. Applying a design-based research approach, this study develops a design-based workshop concept to facilitate the development of eco-innovative business models on a firm level. The workshop concept was iteratively tested in a series of 22 workshops within the European Alpine bioeconomy sector. It transfers the specific requirements and substantive design principles of eco-innovative business models into an operative workshop concept. By building on stakeholder- and value-centred perspectives and ensuring a holistic understanding of sustainability and innovation, the paper derives a number of procedural design principles that could build the basis for further tools and methods of eco-innovative business model development.
Highlights
With the development of the Eco-Innovation Action Plan, the European Commission has spelt out specific aims for achieving resource efficiency in the European Union (EU)’s economic model [1].In particular, more value must be gained from resources already in use within society to meet economic, social, and environmental goals
Despite the considerable number of previous studies focusing on the concept and development of eco-innovation and eco-innovative business modelling, the literature about how to translate the conceptual requirements of eco-innovation into an operative procedure that guides and facilitates companies in turning new technological solutions into eco-innovative business models is still scarce
These research questions are elaborated by applying a design-based research (DBR) approach to the field of business model development, following the attempts of Österle et al [87], Osterwalder and Pigneur [42], and van Aken [38,39] to consider design elements too
Summary
With the development of the Eco-Innovation Action Plan, the European Commission has spelt out specific aims for achieving resource efficiency in the EU’s economic model [1].In particular, more value must be gained from resources already in use within society to meet economic, social, and environmental goals. With the development of the Eco-Innovation Action Plan, the European Commission has spelt out specific aims for achieving resource efficiency in the EU’s economic model [1]. Eco-innovation represents a highly relevant strategic opportunity for businesses, potentially reducing costs [11] and improving corporate competitiveness [4]. It helps businesses decrease their environmental impact, foster sustainability, and strengthen the company image in front of their customers [1,5,12]. Demonstrating new options and possibilities to develop and implement eco-innovative business models will open new areas and inspiration for both business practise (e.g., companies, NGOs, governments) and research “ . Note: Encourage groups to use research stations. 5 min Performance criteria for market positioning: Instructions: Which performance criteria can help differentiate the product/solution from the competition? If known: How do the (most) important competitors position themselves in terms of these performance criteria? Use the provided radar chart to illustrate your criteria.
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