Abstract
This article reviews and discusses how to compete with sustainability by reviewing the literature about sustainability, business models, innovation, and networks. It is an introduction to the special issue on “innovative inter-organizational networks and sustainable economy: current trends and future opportunities” and a call for more research where we examine and outline ideas for how the new and rapidly spreading trends of digitalization, the circular economy, and servitization are force firms to develop new types of competitive advantages. We elaborate upon the transformation needs at firm-level capabilities and business models, as well as network-level changes through the formation of new ecosystems and new ways of engaging in co-creation with partners. These firm and network level transformation discussions are complimented with specific list potential areas for future academic research.
Highlights
The impact of sustainability, resource scarcity, and environmental deterioration and the need to manage new types of responsibilities in a changing world are important topicsInternational Entrepreneurship and Management Journal (2019) 15:1–19 in academia and industry practice (Elkington 1997)
Scarce research and empirical study has explored how these underlying trends drive the sustainability orientation of companies, how company innovation and entrepreneurship activities align with these trends, and how companies may need to rethink the way they develop the generation of networks and ecosystems to align with the generation of corporate innovation
The circular economy, and servitization are scarcely discussed in the recent academic literature
Summary
The impact of sustainability, resource scarcity, and environmental deterioration and the need to manage new types of responsibilities in a changing world are important topics. Trends such as digitalization, the circular economy, and servitization and their associated new business models present a unique value creation opportunity. The circular economy, and servitization and their associated new business models present a unique value creation opportunity They entail several challenges associated with greater risk and responsibility associated with significant changes in a firm’s ecosystem. The need for new types of capabilities and new types of business models requires consideration and reanalysis of the wider company ecosystem of how services are integrated to ensure sustainable benefits with the highest customer value (Lockett et al 2011; Mont 2002). They may involve individual firms and communities or stakeholders
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