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Business model innovation as a window into adaptive tensions: Five paths on the B Corp journey

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  • Moroz, Peter W.
  • Gamble, Edward N.

Abstract

The B Corporation (B Corp) audit and certification acts as a third-party signal of social purpose business model innovation. It is argued that B Corp certification helps organizations to capture value above economic gains, from activities with ethical, sustainable or moral objectives. However, the varying journeys and certification motivations of B Corps are poorly understood. In this paper we use theory related to the process of organizational design (Zott & Amit, 2010) to unpack these variations. Starting from a longitudinal data set, we employ a deductive case analysis approach of 47 B Corps to identify five certification paths: brand wagoners, reprioritizers, evangelists, inertial benchmarkers and reconfigurers. Our findings help to identify and describe distinct B Corp journeys over time. We conclude with a discussion of how these findings contribute to current theory on social purpose business model innovation, firm value characteristics and how B Corps manage competing tensions among identity and action.

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  • Moroz, Peter W. & Gamble, Edward N., 2021. "Business model innovation as a window into adaptive tensions: Five paths on the B Corp journey," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 672-683.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:125:y:2021:i:c:p:672-683
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.01.046
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    3. Manveer Mann & Sang-Eun Byun & Whitney Ginder, 2021. "B Corps’ Social Media Communications during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Through the Lens of the Triple Bottom Line," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-21, August.
    4. Irene Marcuzzi & Matteo Podrecca & Marco Sartor & Guido Nassimbeni, 2023. "Out of social accountability: Reasons and alternative paths for SA8000 decertification," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(6), pages 3140-3158, November.
    5. Elsa Diez-Busto & Lidia Sanchez-Ruiz & Ana Fernandez-Laviada, 2021. "The B Corp Movement: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-17, February.
    6. Gasparin, Marta & Quinn, Martin & Green, William & Saren, Michael & Conway, Steve, 2022. "Stories of value: Business model innovation adding value propositions articulated by Slow Storytelling," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 101-111.
    7. Bruna Carvalho & Arnim Wiek & Barry Ness, 2022. "Can B Corp certification anchor sustainability in SMEs?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(1), pages 293-304, January.
    8. Patrizia Gazzola & Audrey Paterson & Stefano Amelio & Matteo Ferioli, 2022. "Certified B Corporations and Innovation: Crowdfunding as a Tool for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-15, December.
    9. Roberto Hernández-Chea & Akriti Jain & Nancy M. P. Bocken & Anjula Gurtoo, 2021. "The Business Model in Sustainability Transitions: A Conceptualization," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-25, May.
    10. Fabien Martinez, 2022. "Organizational change in response to environmental complexity: Insights from the business model innovation literature," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 2299-2314, July.
    11. Alberto Ruozzi & Jose Antonio Vicente, 2021. "Entrepreneurial Framework Conditions and Impact Scores of Small-Size Certified Benefit Corporations (CBCs). A Configurational Analysis of 17 Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-17, June.
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    13. Mion, Giorgio & Loza Adaui, Cristian R. & Bonfanti, Angelo & De Crescenzo, Veronica, 2023. "Mission statements and financial and sustainability performance: An exploratory study of Benefit Corporations certified as B Corps," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
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