Business Model Experimentation for Sustainability

Conference paper (2016)

Authors

N.M.P. Bocken University of Cambridge, Circular Product Design - IDE
Ilka Weissbrod Imperial College London
Mike Tennant Imperial College London
Research Group
Circular Product Design (IDE) (TU Delft)
Radical innovation Disruptive innovation Business experimentation Corporate sustainability Sustainable entrepreneurship Lean start up
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Published Date

2016

Language

English

Reuse Rights

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Faculty

Industrial Design Engineering

Department

Sustainable Design Engineering

Research Group

Circular Product Design

Abstract

Business experimentation is a key avenue for accelerating change for
sustainability. In contrast to experimentation in natural sciences, benefitting from
controlled situations, business experimentation aims to explore the diverse possibilities that a business could create value from, or understand what works in which particular situations in a real life business context. While at present most popular with start-ups, this paper argues that large businesses can also find inspiration in business experimentation to develop sustainable business models and accelerate positive change for sustainability. Five illustrative cases are included of business experimentation for sustainability by focusing on pivots (modifications) in the business model. This paper only scratches the surface of the potential impactful new research field of business (model) experimentation for sustainability. Future work on sustainable business experimentation for start-ups and mature businesses is viewed as a powerful future research avenue to accelerate change in industries.