Journal
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
Volume 160, Issue -, Pages 139-150Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.03.151
Keywords
Business model innovation for sustainability; Solar energy; Multinational utilities; Small solar companies; Alliances; Learning outcomes
Categories
Funding
- Swedish Energy Agency [P 40639-1]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Whereas existing business models for sustainability research have mainly focused on business model activities and sustainability outcomes for separate firms, we observe that alliances between small and large firms can influence a large firm's learning and dissemination of sustainable technologies, thereby contributing to the sustainable transformation of mass markets. According to the theoretical framework and a case study, large firms appear to choose a race-to-learn mode of appropriating most of the learning in the alliance, leaving small firms with limited learning outcomes. Within the framework, the race-to learn mode is the optimal strategy for large firms in a joint innovation process concerning a new technology. However, for a joint innovation process concerning a business model for sustainability, the incentives for large firms to adopt a cooperative innovation mode become considerably stronger. The framework and the case study indicate that a number of factors influence the learning outcomes and longevity of joint business model innovation, leading to different modes of joint business model innovation for sustainability processes. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available