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Introduction to Business Models for Sustainability Transitions

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Business Models for Sustainability Transitions

Abstract

The persistent problems confronting contemporary modern societies necessitate a sustainability transition through radical transformation and new business models towards a sustainable society. In this chapter and throughout the book, we combine the two research streams of sustainability transitions and business models for sustainability to offer new insights into how business model innovation may act as a catalyst for system-wide sustainability transitions. In this chapter we introduce a ‘spiral’ analogy to illustrate the continuum between micro-level considerations of phenomena related to business models and business model innovation, and meso- and macro-level issues of sustainability transitions to be considered in developing business models for sustainability transitions. While the spiral framework motivates thinking systematically about the scope of a transition phenomenon across time, as well as the dynamics between boundary conditions and business models, it also provides a structure in terms of micro-level phenomena and those to be located at meso and macro levels.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Business Development & Technology, Aarhus University, Herning, Denmark

    Annabeth Aagaard

  2. European Sustainability Department, ESCP Business School, Berlin, Germany

    Florian Lüdeke-Freund

  3. Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK

    Peter Wells

Authors
  1. Annabeth Aagaard
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  2. Florian Lüdeke-Freund
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  3. Peter Wells
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Annabeth Aagaard .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Business Development & Technology, Aarhus University, Herning, Denmark

    Annabeth Aagaard

  2. European Sustainability Department, ESCP Business School, Berlin, Germany

    Florian Lüdeke-Freund

  3. Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK

    Peter Wells

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Aagaard, A., Lüdeke-Freund, F., Wells, P. (2021). Introduction to Business Models for Sustainability Transitions. In: Aagaard, A., Lüdeke-Freund, F., Wells, P. (eds) Business Models for Sustainability Transitions. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-77580-3_1

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