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Nancy Bocken

Visiting professor

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Design thinking to enhance the sustainable business modelling process – A workshop based on a value mapping process

Author

  • Martin Geissdoerfer
  • Nancy M.P. Bocken
  • Erik Jan Hultink

Summary, in English

Sustainable business model innovation is an emerging topic, but only few tools are currently available to assist companies in sustainable business modelling. This paper works towards closing this gap by bringing together ‘design thinking’ and ‘sustainable business model innovation’ to refine the creative process of developing sustainable value propositions and improve the overall business modelling process. This paper proposes a new workshop framework based on a value mapping process, which was developed by literature synthesis, expert interviews, and multiple workshops. The framework was transferred into a workshop routine and subsequently tested with companies and students. The resulting ‘Value Ideation’ process comprises value ideation, value opportunity selection, and value proposition prototyping. The integration of design thinking into the innovation process helps to create additional forms of value and include formerly underserved stakeholders in the value proposition. Thus, the Value Ideation process helps companies to improve their performance while becoming more sustainable. Workshop evaluations revealed that the Value Ideation process assists companies in enhancing their value proposition by including positive economic, societal, and environmental value and a wider range of stakeholder interests. The ‘design thinking’ elements stimulate the ideation process and help to harmonise often conflicting stakeholder interests.

Department/s

  • Mechanical Engineering with Industrial Design Engineering (M.Sc.Eng.)

Publishing year

2016-11-01

Language

English

Pages

1218-1232

Publication/Series

Journal of Cleaner Production

Volume

135

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Elsevier

Topic

  • Environmental Sciences

Keywords

  • Business model innovation
  • Corporate sustainability
  • Design thinking
  • Failed value exchanges
  • Value creation
  • Value ideation

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0959-6526