Product, service, and business model innovation: a discussion

Martin Geissdoerfer, Doroteya Vladimirova, Kirsten Van Fossen, Steve Evans

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference PaperResearchpeer-review

22 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Business model innovation is increasingly recognised to be a central part of strategic management that generates the decisive competitive advantages for a growing number of organisations. This is particularly relevant in the areas of corporate sustainability strategy and sustainable entrepreneurship, since technological innovations in isolation yield increasingly incremental economic, social and environmental performance improvements. Despite the surge of research into business model innovation, there is still conceptual ambiguity among academics and practitioners about business model innovation. This lack of clarity not only poses issues for understanding what makes companies successful, but also for understanding how business model innovation relates to product and service development processes. To address these issues, we suggest a discussion that links sustainable business model innovation to the more established fields of product and service innovation. To start this conversation, we conducted a comprehensive literature review using structured keyword database searches and cross-reference snowballing. Based on the literature findings, we conducted two focus groups with industry representatives, resulting in the proposition of a first set of potential differentiation dimensions. The intended contribution is increased conceptual clarity for academic researchers and industrial decision makers. By improving our understanding of how business model innovation relates to product and service innovations, we can increase the effectiveness and efficiency of sustainable business model innovation research and implementation.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of 15th Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing
EditorsAnath Fischer
Place of PublicationThe Netherlands
PublisherElsevier
Pages165-172
Number of pages8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2018
Externally publishedYes
EventGlobal Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing 2017 - Haifa, Israel
Duration: 25 Sept 201727 Sept 2017
Conference number: 15th

Publication series

NameProcedia Manufacturing
PublisherElsevier
Volume21
ISSN (Print)2351-9789

Conference

ConferenceGlobal Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing 2017
Abbreviated titleGCSM 2017
Country/TerritoryIsrael
CityHaifa
Period25/09/1727/09/17

Keywords

  • Business Model Innovation
  • Diversification
  • New product development
  • New service development
  • Product innovation
  • Service innovation

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