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Sustainable Business Models: Literature Review of Main Contributions and Themes

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  • Cantele Silvia
  • Serena Truzzi

Abstract

Literature on sustainable business models (SBM) has recently emerged and is rapidly expanding. This promising research field is aimed at intersecting traditional business model approaches with corporate sustainability. Most of the research to date has focused on existing case studies or examples of sustainability innovations in business models or on the use of frameworks and tools to categorise or design SBMs or suggest the stages of this innovative process towards sustainability. This article presents an integrative literature review aimed at describing the objective aspects of the SBM literature such as its temporal, industrial, geographical and methodological factors. As well as this descriptive analysis, the paper categorises the SBM literature in terms of its main purposes and themes. This categorisation is aimed at synthesising the main contributions of the SBM literature and to highlight gaps to suggest possible further developments. Despite presenting different perspectives on value (proposition, creation, delivery and capture), the current research on SBM has failed to take a holistic approach towards sustainable value measurement and representation in its models and frameworks.

Suggested Citation

  • Cantele Silvia & Serena Truzzi, 2021. "Sustainable Business Models: Literature Review of Main Contributions and Themes," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 15(5), pages 1-11, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:ibn:ijbmjn:v:15:y:2021:i:5:p:11
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Esben Rahbek Gjerdrum Pedersen & Wencke Gwozdz & Kerli Kant Hvass, 2018. "Exploring the Relationship Between Business Model Innovation, Corporate Sustainability, and Organisational Values within the Fashion Industry," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 149(2), pages 267-284, May.
    3. J A Duran-Encalada & A Paucar-Caceres, 2012. "A system dynamics sustainable business model for Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex): case based on the Global Reporting Initiative," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 63(8), pages 1065-1078, August.
    4. Elias Carayannis & Stavros Sindakis & Christian Walter, 2015. "Business Model Innovation as Lever of Organizational Sustainability," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 85-104, February.
    5. Henning Breuer & Florian Lüdeke-Freund, 2017. "Values-Based Network And Business Model Innovation," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 21(03), pages 1-35, April.
    6. João Valsecchi Ribeiro de Souza & Adriana Marotti de Mello & Roberto Marx, 2019. "When Is an Innovative Urban Mobility Business Model Sustainable? A Literature Review and Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-18, March.
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    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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