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Towards a sufficiency-driven business model : Experiences and opportunities

Bocken, N. M.P. LU and Short, S. W. (2016) In Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions 18. p.41-61
Abstract

Business model innovation is an important lever for change to tackle pressing sustainability issues. In this paper, 'sufficiency' is proposed as a driver of business model innovation for sustainability. Sufficiency-driven business models seek to moderate overall resource consumption by curbing demand through education and consumer engagement, making products that last longer and avoiding built-in obsolescence, focusing on satisfying 'needs' rather than promoting 'wants' and fast-fashion, conscious sales and marketing techniques, new revenue models, or innovative technology solutions. This paper uses a case study approach to investigate how companies might use sufficiency as a driver for innovation and asserts that there can be a good... (More)

Business model innovation is an important lever for change to tackle pressing sustainability issues. In this paper, 'sufficiency' is proposed as a driver of business model innovation for sustainability. Sufficiency-driven business models seek to moderate overall resource consumption by curbing demand through education and consumer engagement, making products that last longer and avoiding built-in obsolescence, focusing on satisfying 'needs' rather than promoting 'wants' and fast-fashion, conscious sales and marketing techniques, new revenue models, or innovative technology solutions. This paper uses a case study approach to investigate how companies might use sufficiency as a driver for innovation and asserts that there can be a good business case for sufficiency. Business models of exemplar cases are analysed and insights are gained that will contribute to future research, policy makers and businesses interested in exploring sufficiency.

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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Frugal innovation, Product longevity, Slow consumption, Sustainability, Sustainable consumption
in
Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions
volume
18
pages
21 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:84959518643
ISSN
2210-4224
DOI
10.1016/j.eist.2015.07.010
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
38afc26b-b0e5-4b12-a0b8-6f9fe0094292
date added to LUP
2018-04-11 11:14:11
date last changed
2022-04-25 06:37:33
@article{38afc26b-b0e5-4b12-a0b8-6f9fe0094292,
  abstract     = {{<p>Business model innovation is an important lever for change to tackle pressing sustainability issues. In this paper, 'sufficiency' is proposed as a driver of business model innovation for sustainability. Sufficiency-driven business models seek to moderate overall resource consumption by curbing demand through education and consumer engagement, making products that last longer and avoiding built-in obsolescence, focusing on satisfying 'needs' rather than promoting 'wants' and fast-fashion, conscious sales and marketing techniques, new revenue models, or innovative technology solutions. This paper uses a case study approach to investigate how companies might use sufficiency as a driver for innovation and asserts that there can be a good business case for sufficiency. Business models of exemplar cases are analysed and insights are gained that will contribute to future research, policy makers and businesses interested in exploring sufficiency.</p>}},
  author       = {{Bocken, N. M.P. and Short, S. W.}},
  issn         = {{2210-4224}},
  keywords     = {{Frugal innovation; Product longevity; Slow consumption; Sustainability; Sustainable consumption}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  pages        = {{41--61}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions}},
  title        = {{Towards a sufficiency-driven business model : Experiences and opportunities}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2015.07.010}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.eist.2015.07.010}},
  volume       = {{18}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}