Collaborative Business Models for Transition

TNO initiated a study to innovatively combine sustainable and collaborative business models and the field of transition studies. This connection is relevant due to a growing number of societal, ecological, economically complex and interdependent challenges. These challenges call for a workable and practical approach to creating a sustainable transition in multiple sectors (e.g. energy, mobility, resources). Transitions are often blocked by a combination of factors such as technological uncertainties, static organisational models, institutionalised stakeholder behaviour, fluctuating policies and changing circumstances. This study focuses on developing a solid theoretical and practical basis for a research agenda at the intersection of fundamental and applied research, intending to provide tools to make transition processes more practical and effective and thus increasing the chances of success.
Transition Studies (TS) is a relatively young and evolving field of research, aimed at generating (useful) knowledge of social transitions for a sustainable and circular economy. Various approaches can be distinguished in TS. Often a collaborative and participatory process of observing, learning and experimenting is part of the central approach. Nevertheless, it remains a challenge to realise the intended large-scale system changes. Experiments are often stuck in their so-called 'niche development' and cannot bring about permanent changes in the sector. Established individual companies are often unable to achieve fundamental changes because they follow the current market, where revenue is usually generated based on sub-optimisation and unsustainable behaviour.
This project focuses on the idea that the system change, which is needed for the realisation of transitions, can be better designed when conscious and purposeful use is made of the collaborative business model concept. Business models are (action) concepts for organisations to create values based on a specific logic. The conventional business model is focused on one company (organisation-centric approach). In this paper, this idea is replaced by a collaborative business model with different parties such as companies, organisations and governments. The goal is to achieve collective value creation between and for all parties involved. This requires a collaborative process of organising a business model for the involved parties in which the competencies and capacities of the actors involved can be utilised in designing and realising a transition.
The main conclusions of the research to substantiate this Working Paper are as follows:
1. Over the last two decades, systematic research has been carried out to develop a 'body of knowledge' about creating collective business models and transition thinking
2. These two domains are hardly connected in literature and practice, although promising approaches can be found
3. The existing literature is characterised by a high degree of theoretical and conceptual content, which hinders the practical application of a combination between the two domains.
4. Both domains share as a central principle that the essence of the design and instrumentation of a process requires a different way of working together.
5. By effectively combining these two processes, designing transitions while working on collective business models, a valuable perspective on increasing the chances of success of these transitions is given.