Sustainable Business Model Design

Authors

  • Florian Lüdeke-Freund ESCP Business School Berlin
  • Lorenzo Massa Aalborg Business School
  • Henning Breuer HMKW University of Applied Sciences for Media, Communication and Management

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54337/jbm.v12i1.8409

Abstract

This article introduces the “Sustainable Business Model Design” (SBMD) framework, an integrative methodology that synthesises sustainable business model theory with Alexandrian pattern theory. Emphasising a pragmatic interpretation of design as transformative action, the framework’s foundations are explored, seeking to consolidate the theoretical underpinnings guiding SBMD and elucidate its principal conceptual components. The article further delves into the practical application of the framework as a tool for problem-solving and idea generation. It concludes with a discussion of analogical reasoning and conceptual combination, shedding light on the creativity-enhancing efficacy of SBMD patterns. Additionally, the article is a succinct primer for business designers interested in the practical utilisation of SBMD, particularly within contexts such as sustainability innovation and ESG strategy workshops.

Author Biographies

Florian Lüdeke-Freund, ESCP Business School Berlin

Florian Lüdeke-Freund is Professor for Corporate Sustainability at ESCP Business School Berlin. He studies sustainable business models for more than fifteen years and published various highly-cited journal articles in this field, for example, in Business & Society, Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of Industrial Ecology, and Organization & Environment. As Associate Editor of the Journal of Business Models and Co-Founder of ESCP’s Sustainability Transformation & Applied Research (STAR) Centre, he is passionate about developing a vibrant community of sustainable business model experts.

Lorenzo Massa, Aalborg Business School

Lorenzo Massa is Professor for strategy, innovation and sustainability at Business School Aalborg University. He researches, speaks, teaches and consults in these areas. Lorenzo is also member of the World Economic Forum’s expert network for Innovation and adjunct faculty for executive education at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), the International Academy of Sport Science and Technology (AISTS), Frankfurt School of Finance and Management as well as Bologna Business School (BBS). He holds degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the Dublin Institute of Technology and the University of Genoa and MRM and Ph.D. in management from IESE Business School.

Henning Breuer, HMKW University of Applied Sciences for Media, Communication and Management

Henning Breuer researches, consults, and teaches in the fields of innovation management and business psychology. He is founder of UXBerlin – Innovation Consulting, and a Professor for Business and Media Psychology at HMKW Berlin. Henning has worked with multinational corporations, SMEs, public organisations, and start-ups, providing consulting on sustainable innovation culture and business models, future scenarios, and ethnographic stakeholder research. He co-authored numerous scientific publications including books on Values-Based Innovation Management and Gamification for Innovators and Entrepreneurs. As an academic, he worked at the University of Chile (Santiago) and Waseda University (Tokyo).

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Published

02-05-2024

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 1 (2024): The Design of Business Models

Section

Special Issue: The Design of Business Models

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