Specific Business Model Research Articles

Circular economy and twin transition in the cooperative movement: The case of Climate Circular Coop research project

The twin transition (TT) towards a circular economy (CE) and digital economy is vital for achieving the United Nations' Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. While research has predominantly focused on traditional enterprises, the role of cooperative enterprises in this transition remains underexplored. The Climate Circular Coop (CCC) project coordinated by the University of Ferrara in collaboration with research offices of the Italian Cooperatives Federation Area Studi Legacoop, and the University of Roma TRE, aims to address this gap by identifying the drivers and barriers cooperatives face in adopting CE and digital technologies. Through the development of a targeted survey, the project seeks to compare the efforts of cooperatives against other enterprise-forms to identify similarities and differences when implementing TT and environmental sustainability practices, such as circular economy (CE). Initial findings suggest that cooperatives and other enterprise-forms, such as SMEs, are influenced by similar barriers and drivers yet the intrinsic community-focused and democratic nature of cooperatives may position them as pivotal players. Comprehensive research is essential to enhance understanding and inform policies that support sustainability development through cooperatives exactly due to their specific business model (BM).

Co-deployment of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage in the UK: Growth or gridlock?

This study critically evaluates a BECCS-Hub within the North-West Industrial Carbon Capture cluster using advanced digital twin modelling via the Carbon Navigation System and detailed biomass mapping. It investigates five distinct BECCS supply chains at the Protos site, each reflecting novel configurations that closely align with upcoming BECCS projects within the UK. This research highlights significant carbon performance and scalability variations, crucial for aligning with evolving BECCS business models. A key finding is the essential role of biomass security and adaptability in uncertain future biomass availability and heightened intra-BECCS competition. The study reveals potential gridlock scenarios where intense competition for biomass could severely limit the scalability and efficiency of BECCS operations, especially under high competition scenarios. These gridlocks could significantly hinder strategic BECCS deployments by constraining resource availability and complicating logistics, thus impacting the pursuit of the UK's Net-Zero goals. The findings underscore the need for diverse and adaptable deployment strategies that account for biomass availability, technological feasibility, and local infrastructure—factors pivotal to achieving scalable and efficient BECCS operations. Advocating a nuanced, integrated approach to managing biomass competition and optimise resource use, the paper calls for proactive strategic planning and adaptability in BECCS deployment. By leveraging modelling innovations, the study aligns BECCS operations with the UK's stringent Net-Zero objectives and specific business models for BECCS. Such an approach will enhance the sustainable and efficient deployment of BECCS technologies in a competitive and rapidly evolving energy landscape.

Accumulative cartography: a visual semiotic analysis of online mobile maps

Abstract Dynamic maps featured in navigation applications draw on conventional cartographic practices for representing the urban environment, engaging drivers and users of public transportation in their efforts to reach their destinations. However, since these maps are produced within an economy of data accumulation, their construction of territory and user-friendly interface are designed to generate value. In this article, we explore what we define as accumulative cartography—mapping designed for the accumulation of data and capital—by developing a semiotic walk-through method for analyzing dynamic maps. Our visual semiotic analysis of Waze, Moovit, and Gett reveals that their maps are personalized, centering on the user; they commodify space, aiming to promote their specific business models; and they are preoccupied with time. We suggest that in contrast to printed maps, dynamic maps don’t provide users with the information required for navigation but instead navigate algorithmically for them, while accumulating their information.

Digital dimension of human capital development

Methods. When conducting the research, the following methods were used: scientific generalization – when determining the essence of the categories «digitalization», «digital economy», «human capital»; analysis and synthesis – when clarifying trends and forms of development of digitalization processes; logical analysis – when establishing the correlation between indicators of the development of the digital economy and human capital. Results. The article analyzes theoretical approaches to defining the concepts of «digitalization» and «digital economy». The importance of digital transformation processes in modern society is emphasized, in particular as a transition to new ways of working and thinking with the use of digital, social, mobile and new technologies. The main digital systems of the digitized environment are characterized. It is emphasized that the functioning of the digital economy based on digital systems is due to, firstly, the presence of a special infrastructure formed with the help of hardware, software, telecommunications, and secondly, specific business models that function based on the use of computer networks within virtual interactions and, thirdly, electronic commerce, through which trade operations are implemented within the global Internet network. The essence of human capital, its types and conditions of formation are analyzed. The existing approaches to the evaluation of human capital are considered, the need to take into account aspects of information technology ownership when measuring its level of development is emphasized. The indicators of the development of the digital economy and human capital were considered, a direct correlation between them was established. Novelty. Correspondence between the indicators of the development of human capital and the digital economy has been established. Practical value. The results of the study can be used in the process of assessing the level of development of national human capital.

Sustainable Evolution: Investigating the Factors Contributing to the Transformation of Coffee Businesses from Unplanned to Well-Planned, Sustainable Enterprises in Padang

This research aims to identify the factors contributing to the sustainable evolution of coffee businesses in Padang, West Sumatra. The research is an exploratory qualitative study. Each coffee shop, while differing in focus and approach, prioritizes quality, utilizes technology, and implements strategies for long-term sustainability in its operations. Each coffee shop demonstrates unique strategies in outbound logistics, whether through distribution methods, technology integration, strategic cooperation, or customer engagement, tailored to its specific business model and target audience. Each coffee shop employs unique marketing and sales strategies tailored to its business model and target audience, emphasizing customer engagement, promotional diversity, and long-term relationship building. Each coffee shop offers unique services, focusing on customer experience, atmosphere, personalized interactions, and proactive issue resolution to build strong customer relationships and foster loyalty. Each coffee shop employs distinct procurement strategies tailored to its business model and goals, focusing on supplier relationships, diversification, and preparedness for uncertainties to ensure smooth operations and long-term sustainability. Each coffee shop employs structured mentoring, technology integration, and maintenance practices tailored to support long-term sustainability and business growth, ensuring efficient operations and a positive environmental and community impact. Each coffee shop employs structured recruitment, training, and development programs tailored to their business needs, emphasizing employee skill enhancement, performance improvement, and continuous learning to provide excellent service. Each coffee shop employs technology as a tool to enhance sustainability, efficiency, and productivity, utilizing strategies tailored to their specific needs and challenges, whether it’s overcoming network interference, ensuring reliable technology selection, or managing repair costs efficiently.

Thermally Activated Building Structures as Flexibility Option for the Electricity Market

Combined with heat pumps, thermally activated building structures (TABS) can serve as a resource of flexibility for electricity markets and the grid. This paper analyses the energy-economic value resulting from utilising the flexibility enabled by thermal building inertia. The scope of the study is the Austrian building stock by the year 2040. A specific business model for using the flexibility from heat pumps in buildings is being developed in the PnP Control TABS research project. This paper also gives insights into the controller logic developed and first results from a demonstrator.

Trading war: Evolving landscape of discount brokerage in India

The case study chronicles the evolution of Trading Tech sector in India, focusing on the emergence of the digital discount brokerage model. The case delves into the brokerage industry disruption in India, comprising primarily of Industry 4.0-based technological advancements, regulatory policies, and consumer demand shifts. India, a developing economy that was largely characterized by traditional modes of financial transactions, brokerage, and wealth management, shifting to predominantly digital modes with the advent of technology, makes an interesting context. This case sheds light on Zerodha and Groww, India’s biggest online discount brokerage companies, their background, and business model evolution. We intend to make the readers aware of the industry dynamics, the specific business model of the two leading brokerage firms in India, and their challenges. The readers can use various strategy and innovation frameworks to evaluate the strategic choices and business models adopted by the firms and the strategic challenges that need to be addressed to achieve sustained advantage in the financial services market.

The anatomy of exporting wineries of Argentina

PurposeThis study aims to provide a detailed characterization of Argentinean exporting wineries using a new rich firm-level data set to understand how capabilities and business strategies differ among firms with different levels of involvement in the export market.Design/methodology/approachA survey was distributed among all wineries along all wine regions of Argentina; the 45-min questionnaire was answered by 230 wineries, a representative sample with a response rate of 26.3% of the total population of Argentinean wineries. The survey assessed the interaction between wineries’ dynamics and characteristics and their participation in export markets. In the comparative analysis, the results are presented by dividing the sample into four categories according to the export intensity of the wineries.FindingsHigh-intensity exporting wineries in Argentina differ from other Argentinean wineries in several dimensions. In particular, the most internationalized Argentinean wineries are the most endowed with higher capabilities; they follow a specific business model emphasizing product differentiation, quality upgrading, brand building and the development of distribution channels. Exporting wineries from Argentina adopt business practices that differ from those that prevail among wineries that only target the domestic market. They have developed firm capabilities such as human capital and technology to play a critical role in quality upgrading for their participation in global wine markets.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to study the Argentinean exporting wineries using a firm-level sizeable representative sample.

РАЗРАБОТКА УНИВЕРСАЛЬНОГО АЛГОРИТМА РАСЧЕТА ЮНИТ-ЭКОНОМИКИ: ПОСТАНОВКА ПРОБЛЕМЫ И ПУТИ ЕЁ РЕШЕНИЯ

The research is devoted to the development of methodological proposals for the creation of a universal algorithm for calculating unit economics, invariantly applicable in various fields of activity. A theoretical analysis is carried out, the basics and problems of universalization of unit economics in business analysis are characterized, the difficulties and specific features that companies face when carrying out these calculations are revealed. The ways of ensuring the universality of the unit economy are identified, which involve the development of algorithms that take into account general business performance metrics and specific industry factors. Based on the analysis of existing approaches to the calculation of the unit economy, the limitations of universal methods are highlighted and ways to overcome them are proposed. The necessity of including specific efficiency factors in calculations is justified, which will allow taking into account the specifics of specific industries and business models. A universal algorithm for calculating the unit economy using an efficiency factor, which has an experimental character, is proposed, which allows adjusting the results depending on specific business conditions. The use of this algorithm allows for an express analysis of the company’s unit economy, ensures the specified accuracy and effectiveness of calculations in assessing the economic efficiency of various business models, which is confirmed by the results of theoretical modeling. The proposed algorithm provides the possibility of applying unit economics in strategic business management in various industries. According to the results of the study, the need to take into account specific factors in the calculation of the unit economy is actualized, since this allows to increase the accuracy of calculations, contributes to the adoption of more balanced management decisions.

Clustering Business Models of Heterogeneous Nature-Based Solutions Implementing Innovative Governance and Financing Concepts

Nature-based solutions (NBSs) are considered sustainable, cost-efficient, and resource-efficient land-use management approaches. When analysing NBS business models, two major challenges are commonly identified as slowing down broader NBS implementation: governance and financing barriers. This explorative study aims first to test the applicability of a NBS specific business model template and, second, to provide a clustered NBS business model pilot case study collection, which enables transferable solutions for overcoming the typical implementation challenges to be derived. Methodically, this is achieved by using the Nature-based Sustainability Business Model Canvas (NB S BMC for guided interviews. Twenty-three NBS case studies from proGIreg’s four Front Runner Cities, namely Dortmund, Ningbo, Turin, and Zagreb, are examined. Pestoff’s welfare triangle enables the NBS business models to be clustered. The main business model clusters are public provision, sales, and diversified. NBSs’ governance models are very adaptable to individual NBS cases, of the independent type, and can include a huge diversity of involved stakeholders regarding their functions in the NBS implementation. Our findings highlight adaptable governance models across diverse stakeholder functions and confirm the NB S BMC as a robust framework for understanding NBS business models. These insights extend to land-use practices beyond NBSs, offering a template for innovative urban planning strategies.

Processes Optimization with Lean Tools Intensification in the Non-manufacturing Sector

The tourism industry can currently be considered one of the most important sectors of the business sphere, which largely affects the development of the national economy. Modern technologies have influenced the development of tourism in various directions and significantly contributed to the transformation of the classic customer into the so-called active customer. An active customer directly enters the product creation process through a specific corporate business model that the given company has. The constantly increasing share of online customers thus represents a huge base of potential clients but also information that needs to be processed and flexibly responded to. The article is processed as a case study, where lean principles, which are part of the process approach, are applied during the analysis. They are effective in finding and defining 7/8 basic types of losses in the production sphere, which is also related to the decision by the author of the article to use these tools in the non-production sphere as well. The output of the case study is a processed proposal of the methodology for performance measurement, and schemes of key indicators for the non-production area are proposed. Through the proposed methodology, it is possible to improve processes in the field of service provision, focusing primarily on the hotel industry, and to transform them from a classic model to a model with implemented lean tools.

Improving Freight Exchange Business Models – Considerations and Recommendations

The article delves into the economic and business considerations of implementing freight exchange platforms. It emphasises the importance of developing such platforms to accomplish the European Transport Policy Goals, foster eco-friendly transport, and create a sustainable freight transport industry. To assess the viability of current platforms, it is essential to establish suitable institutional, financial, and business structures. To establish a successful transport business, it is crucial to identify all potential stakeholders affected by the business operations. This includes customers, suppliers, employees, and local communities. Once identified, it is important to analyse the interests and needs of each stakeholder group to incorporate them into the business models. This could involve adapting the business strategy to meet the unique requirements of each stakeholder group or finding ways to align the interests of all stakeholders. The transport business can establish a strong foundation for sustainable growth and long-term success by prioritising stakeholder engagement and incorporating their interests into the business models. Through retrospective analysis, comparative and content analysis, and generalizations, the study sought to enhance the business models of freight exchange platforms. The article presents an overview of the most used freight exchange platforms in Bulgaria, along with their specific functionalities and applicable business models. These research findings provide reliable evidence for making well-informed decisions regarding the future development of existing and new freight exchange platforms and motivated recommendations for adopting new business models that align with stakeholders' needs. The article culminates with a comprehensive framework for implementing business models. Upon scrutinising the framework's five key components, appropriate e-commerce models for various freight exchange platform priority areas are structured, and potential enhancements are suggested. The research on viable business models is delineated, and effective methodologies for economic analysis, such as data collection and processing via surveys, interviews, and simulation modelling, are summarized.

Navigating unchartered waters: Overcoming barriers to low-emission fuels in Swedish maritime cargo transport

The maritime transport sector is often considered hard to abate in the context of greenhouse gas emissions, and the adoption of low-emission marine fuels is slow. Low-emission marine fuels are essential to create a sustainable maritime sector, but to accelerate the speed of adoption, we must understand what hinders their use. This paper outlines the complexity of the marine fuel choice and describes the market landscape. Taking a bottom-up perspective, we investigate the stakeholders´ perspective on low-emission marine fuels. Through thematic analysis, barriers and drivers are analyzed for adopting low-emission marine fuels in Swedish maritime cargo transport, using primary qualitative data from 17 semi-structured interviews. The results confirm previously established barriers, such as fuel price, but expand on the current discourse by incorporating qualitative dimensions. We also identified five specific business models for low-emission marine fuel use. Shipping companies trust that investments in sustainable alternatives will eventually pay off. Despite this, the adoption is slow. The themes reveal a sector that wants to transform but often lacks drivers without well-developed legislation. By directing attention to these themes and the underlying complexities, we provide valuable insight to decision-makers and policymakers on what can be done to accelerate the share of low-emission marine fuels.

Influencing factors driving collaboration in circular business models

ABSTRACT The transition from a linear to a Circular Economy is considered a revolutionary step toward a greener economy. Ensuring a successful transition requires radical changes in our current siloed approach to applying circular business models. Such models aim to mitigate negative environmental impact whilst fostering growth and prosperity. This research focuses on three models (‘Circular Supply’, ‘Resource Recovery’ and ‘Product-Life-Extension’). It aims to explore their collaborative aspects and influencing factors in the transition process towards circular ecosystems. By applying the theoretical lens of Social Capital Theory, with its characteristics of bonding, linking and bridging, findings revealed a snapshot of current circular practices in various industry sectors. In addition, the influencing factors for the specific Circular Business Models were identified based on the seven categories of: (1) Awareness/Social/Community; (2) Circular Workplace Environment; (3) Circular Material; (4) Customer and Market demand; and (5) Business and political standards, (6) Perception and individual standards/expertise, and (7) Communication skills. Finally, the findings were used to offer practical insights for organizations beginning their circular journey, with the categories being mapped alongside the CBMs.

Multi-party anonymous authentication scheme in heterogeneous network slicing

Network slicing is a logical network function that supports communication service requirements for specific usage scenarios or business models. It has become an essential factor in solving future network architecture. In recent years, heterogeneous network slicing between multiple autonomous domains has emerged, with significant limitations compared to single-domain networks. Data sharing in heterogeneous network slices challenge the confidentiality of sensitive data significantly. Preventing sensitive data from leaking and protecting core data have become urgent problems to be solved. Therefore, we propose a multi-party (multi-sender to multi-receiver) anonymous authentication scheme on certificateless cryptography(CLC) and identity-based cryptosystem(IBC) institutional domain Internet of Vehicles(IoV) to smart healthcare. Our scheme realizes heterogeneous communication between multiple senders and multiple receivers, and uses different system parameters for heterogeneous cryptographic systems. In this work, the limitation of one-to-many or many-to-one communication in existing heterogeneous networks is broken through. The proposed work utilizes the pseudo-identity generated by the trusted authority to communicate in IoV slices, ensuring the anonymity of the sender; The authorization Center TA can uniquely determine the true identity of the vehicle through pseudo-random values for traceability. What is more, the Lagrange interpolation formula is employed to prevent the leakage of the identities of smart healthcare slices, ensuring the anonymity of the receiver. Under the random oracle model, the proposed scheme has proved to satisfy unforgeability, confidentiality, and anonymity under the computational Diffie–Hellman problem. Experimental results indicate that our proposal achieves better performance than existing schemes.

Telling the Story of a Sustainable Business Model in Arctic Luxury Food Tourism

Luxury gastronomy can be relevant to tourism in terms of sustainability. This study adopted the perspective of business models (BMs) as narratives to explore luxury gastronomy and sustainability in the case of a food project in Arctic Norway. This study focused on the story that drives, communicates, and legitimizes the project???s BM and its sustainability. The main findings suggest that the specific BM can be viewed as a story revolving around two interrelated major themes: sustainability as an integrated part of quality and luxury as time for inspiration and self-care, and as coherence (in experiential terms as well as in relation to sustainability commitment). The adoption of the perspective of BMs as narratives helped uncover the social dynamic dimension of the BM, which concerns the process through which businesses emerge from social interactions and, in the investigated case, is essentially an expression of a collective effort to include an element of innovativeness within a context that is otherwise rather static.

Calibration issues under the EU capital regime for investment firms

PurposeThe EU prudential regime for investment firms comprising the Directive (EU) 2019/2034 (IFD) and Regulation (EU) 2019/2033 (IFR) introduces a fit-for-purpose capital framework for investment firms. The capital impact on the practice of investment management can be material depending on firms’ specific business models and risk profiles, which may require them to take strategic decisions with respect to the services they provide. Despite the importance of this issue for the practice of investment management, there exists no study among the existing studies that focuses on this issue. This study aims to fill this gap in the literature.Design/methodology/approachThis paper reviews the calibration approaches the European Banking Authority (EBA) has used by exploring the deficiencies of the regime with respect to the calibration of categorization thresholds and coefficients that are used by the EBA to calculate regulatory capital requirements.FindingsThis paper sets out that the choice of the relevant percentile for setting the firm categorization thresholds was not based on any theoretical rule. It also discusses that the calibration of the K-factors was subjective and lacked consistency. In addition, it criticizes the sample that the EBA used for business model coverage on the grounds that it was unbalanced, resulting in certain K-factors driving the overall capital impact.Research limitations/implicationsFurther research is needed on the calibration of thresholds as this will remain a crucial factor for the effectiveness of the new regime. In particular, a more data-driven and transparent approach would be necessary to ensure the accuracy and consistency of the thresholds.Practical implicationsThis paper leads to the policy implication that, despite its merits that overweigh its shortcomings, potential market competition and financial stability issues that may stem from inconsistencies and a general lack of objectivity in certain aspects of the regime should not be underestimated by the EU policy makers.Originality/valueThe present paper contributes to the existing knowledge primarily by reviewing the EBA’s calibration approaches with respect to the K-factor coefficients and firm categorization thresholds, concluding that lack of objectivity and precision in the relevant methodologies could distort capital allocation decisions in the practice of investment management.

Comprehensive Strategic Analysis for Sustainability: An Aviation Industry Case Study

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.

Guidelines for disassembly and adaptation in architectural design compared to circular economy goals - A literature review

The application of Circular Economy (CE) in architectural practice is limited, despite the urgent need to reduce environmental burdens of the construction sector that CE offers. Design for Disassembly and Design for Adaptability (DfD/A) are recognised as key design strategies supporting CE. However, with further development of life-cycle assessment (LCA) or circularity factors (CF) that enable more life-cycle evaluations, the rationale for applying specific DfD/A guidelines needs to be revised. This paper aims to establish which DfD/A guidelines foster environmental benefits expected of the implementation of CE in architectural practice and under which conditions. Also, it is of interest whether quantification of environmental impact is consistent in guiding designers in CE compliant material choices and detailing. This literature review covers papers published before August 2022, with analysis of 2652 titles, 2031 abstracts and 70 full-texts, focusing on material choice, construction strategies, circular options and the related assessment methods (LCA, circularity assessment). The results indicate that only a few DfD/A guidelines unconditionally support CE goals in architectural design. The rationale for the application of most of the DfD/A guidelines requires a case-by-case analysis, both in terms of broader context assumptions and the related environmental impact. Furthermore, a multitude of scoring schemes and focus areas hinders practical comparison of materials and leads to divergent conclusions. Based on the findings, a design process framework is proposed, linking general CE and specific DfD/A guidance. In conclusion, policy and design community recommendations and further research needs are identified. A systematisation of LCA-methods and impact categories associated with specific industrial and business models is needed to avoid contradictory design recommendations.

A State-of-the-Art Review of Sharing Economy Business Models and a Forecast of Future Research Directions for Sustainable Development: A Bibliometric Analysis Approach

The area of sharing economy business models (SEBMs) is expanding worldwide. To date, a few qualitative literature reviews concentrating on specific business models have been undertaken, while several have focused on the general concept of the sharing economy. Meanwhile, there is a lack of quantitative reviews in this area. Therefore, a retrospective review of the evolution of the SEBM area and prospective forecasts based on quantified data are urgently needed. In order to fill the gaps and critically evaluate the extant literature on the SEBM area and its scientometrics-related topics, this paper combines the Scopus and Web of Science databases to establish a dataset for a thorough bibliometric analysis. With 951 studies from 552 sources identified, this research provides comprehensive and nuanced information covering the most influential authors and their contributions to the subject, impactful articles with their citation details, ranked sources with their h_, g_ and m-index as well as collaboration maps for authors, affiliations and countries. Graphical representation of knowledge mapping depicts the evolution of publications over time and the emerging trends of current interests and potential directions for future research for sustainable development. This study revealed that Sustainability is the most relevant and second most impactful journal in SEBM research. More importantly, this research deployed keyword dynamic and thematic evolution to detect the current and future trending topics, providing seven future research directions: (1) drivers-, location- and competition-related topics; (2) SEBMs in emerging economies; (3) country-, region- and culture-oriented SEBMs; (4) the link between e-commerce and social media frameworks and SEBMs; (5) sustainability and SEBMs; (6) new technologies and SEBMs and (7) COVID-19 effects on SEBMs. Overall, the results of this study theoretically enrich the sharing economy business model literature and have substantial implications for policymakers and practitioners.