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Barriers and drivers for sustainable business model innovation based on a radical farmland change scenario

Hansson, Anna M. ; Pedersen, Eja LU ; Karlsson, Niklas P.E. and Weisner, Stefan E.B. (2023) In Environment, Development and Sustainability 25(8). p.8083-8106
Abstract

The agricultural sector has a critical role in creating social and environmental value of natural resources in addition to its traditional role of creating economic value by supplying food to the ever-increasing world population. In fulfilling this dual role, the agricultural sector often faces competing pressures: to operate financially profitable businesses and to create, maintain, and benefit from ecosystem services (ES) in their operations. This paper analyses these pressures in an examination of drivers and barriers to the initiation of the business model innovation process for sustainability (BMIpfS) as perceived by ten agricultural business managers who operate farms in southern Sweden. The paper explores the interplay between... (More)

The agricultural sector has a critical role in creating social and environmental value of natural resources in addition to its traditional role of creating economic value by supplying food to the ever-increasing world population. In fulfilling this dual role, the agricultural sector often faces competing pressures: to operate financially profitable businesses and to create, maintain, and benefit from ecosystem services (ES) in their operations. This paper analyses these pressures in an examination of drivers and barriers to the initiation of the business model innovation process for sustainability (BMIpfS) as perceived by ten agricultural business managers who operate farms in southern Sweden. The paper explores the interplay between managerial cognition and business decisions as revealed in semi-structured interviews. The new ES in focus connect to radical land-use change, paludiculture, as used in the rewetting of farmland intended to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that drained peat soil causes. The paper contributes to the literature by identifying drivers and barriers that moderates the initiation of the BMIpfS. Although the managers acknowledge the importance of long-term, sustainable social, and environmental value creation, they have grave doubts about the profitability of activities associated with the preservation of peat soils and connected ES. These managers would benefit from taking a more proactive, long-term approach to business model changes for sustainability and from acquiring more knowledge about market demand for sustainability-oriented ES. Successful facilitation and implementation of knowledge transfer and government subsidies that support ES could improve the turning of profits based on sustainable value creation.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Agricultural businesses, Business model innovation process, Ecosystem services, Rewetting of peat soils, Sustainable value creation
in
Environment, Development and Sustainability
volume
25
issue
8
pages
8083 - 8106
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85132617656
ISSN
1387-585X
DOI
10.1007/s10668-022-02389-1
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1653cc0f-e7ec-487b-8432-6c946700a1b1
date added to LUP
2022-09-06 15:23:18
date last changed
2023-10-26 14:57:50
@article{1653cc0f-e7ec-487b-8432-6c946700a1b1,
  abstract     = {{<p>The agricultural sector has a critical role in creating social and environmental value of natural resources in addition to its traditional role of creating economic value by supplying food to the ever-increasing world population. In fulfilling this dual role, the agricultural sector often faces competing pressures: to operate financially profitable businesses and to create, maintain, and benefit from ecosystem services (ES) in their operations. This paper analyses these pressures in an examination of drivers and barriers to the initiation of the business model innovation process for sustainability (BMIpfS) as perceived by ten agricultural business managers who operate farms in southern Sweden. The paper explores the interplay between managerial cognition and business decisions as revealed in semi-structured interviews. The new ES in focus connect to radical land-use change, paludiculture, as used in the rewetting of farmland intended to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that drained peat soil causes. The paper contributes to the literature by identifying drivers and barriers that moderates the initiation of the BMIpfS. Although the managers acknowledge the importance of long-term, sustainable social, and environmental value creation, they have grave doubts about the profitability of activities associated with the preservation of peat soils and connected ES. These managers would benefit from taking a more proactive, long-term approach to business model changes for sustainability and from acquiring more knowledge about market demand for sustainability-oriented ES. Successful facilitation and implementation of knowledge transfer and government subsidies that support ES could improve the turning of profits based on sustainable value creation.</p>}},
  author       = {{Hansson, Anna M. and Pedersen, Eja and Karlsson, Niklas P.E. and Weisner, Stefan E.B.}},
  issn         = {{1387-585X}},
  keywords     = {{Agricultural businesses; Business model innovation process; Ecosystem services; Rewetting of peat soils; Sustainable value creation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{8}},
  pages        = {{8083--8106}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Environment, Development and Sustainability}},
  title        = {{Barriers and drivers for sustainable business model innovation based on a radical farmland change scenario}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10668-022-02389-1}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10668-022-02389-1}},
  volume       = {{25}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}