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As a result of the rural exodus over the last decades, unused vacancies in rural areas are at risk of falling into disrepair. Given the current trends of flexible workplaces and people returning to rural areas, their repurposing as coworking spaces (CWSs) by entrepreneurs poses a potential for sustainable future-oriented workplace solutions. However, there is little to no guidance on the structural configuration and business models of CWSs in rural areas available for these entrepreneurs. We apply a structured empirical research approach to create a comprehensive and specialized taxonomy, including a literature review and eleven interviews with operators of rural CWSs in Germany. The resulting taxonomy of business models of CWSs in rural areas based on an extension of the business model canvas contributes to the knowledge base on rural CWSs. We evaluate its usability through a case study and an entrepreneurial operator of a rural CWS, underlining its entrepreneurial and practice-oriented purpose. The study addresses several urgent topics, such as the future of work and new work (places), which enable and accelerate the development of CWSs outside agglomerations consequential to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also promotes social and sustainable entrepreneurship and the revitalizing, enhancing, and increasing of digital accessibility of rural regions.
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The data explained in the relevant report "The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World. Transforming Food Systems for Affordable Healthy” (FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO, Rome 2020) reveals that the world is not on track to achieve the SDG 2.1 ("Universal access to safe and nutritious food”) and SDG 2.2 ("End of all forms of malnutrition”), both Zero Hunger of Sustainable Development Goal 2 ("End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture”) targets by 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. If recent trends continue, the number of people affected by hunger would increase further. The combination of moderate and more severe levels of food insecurity raises the estimate to over 25% of the world population, equivalent to a total of about 2 billion people. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic is intensifying the vulnerabilities and inadequacies of global food systems and of all the activities and processes affecting the production, distribution, and consumption of food so that this circumstance further questions the achievement of the goal Zero Hunger. A very important tool to successfully tackle this serious and long-standing problem is represented by nutraceutical products and in the rehabilitation of severe patients and undernourished children, the "ready-to-use therapeutic foods” (RUTFs) have shown remarkable efficacy. They refer to a number of varieties of ready-to-eat foods, ranging from those prepared from locally available ingredients by village women in their own self-help groups for the malnourished children to those prepared according to specific formulas in worldwide factories. RUTF now almost always refers to the latter and it is a generic term including different types of foodstuff, such as spreads or compressed products with precise amounts of nutrients, mainly derived from powdered milk, peanut, oil, sugar, and micronutrients, providing energy equivalent to WHO requirement. However, the local availability of the necessary ingredients limits the production in geographical areas where their use is required, thus there are currently important efforts in the research for alternative ingredients to overcome this limitation. The purpose of this study is to trace the current scenario in terms of food security and malnutrition in the world, focusing attention on the problems associated with the dissemination of initiatives aimed at addressing such a global challenge. The research was conducted following the tripartition model both in the analysis of the problem and in the proposed answer model, although the business perspective was the privileged one. Encouraging the proper and effective implementation of an economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable local market for RUTFs means creating shared values, acting jointly, and maximizing the results in favour of children and their families who are still fighting for the right to live in dignity. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Purpose - The following article focuses on assessment of the evolution of digital transformation in SMEs in the manufacturing industry since the beginning of the pandemic. The digital transformation is assessed in the different blocks of the BM Canvas. The main ob-jective of the paper is to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on the development of digital transformation, and to assess whether it is still influencing it now, or vice versa, or no longer has such an impact. Research methodology - The digital transformation is examined in each block of the Business Model Canvas (BM Canvas) from the beginning of the pandemic to the current state. The in-dividual data is obtained from a survey conducted among 18 SMEs. Small and medium-sized enterprises in the manufacturing industry are examined. The survey is based on semi-struc-tured interviews with SME ' s management representatives. The collected data is then pro-cessed by examining the average rate of digital transformation in each block, the modus, and the median. The focus was again on developments and changes in the digital transformation of enterprises. The data was collected for three periods - before the pandemic (2019), during the pandemic (2021) and now (July 2022). Findings - The paper shows the evolution of digital transformation in the different building blocks of the BM Canvas for SMEs in the manufacturing industry since the beginning of the pandemic. The evolution of digital transformation varies across the BM Canvas blocks. For the Channels block, as of July 2022, there has been a decrease in the average digital transformation rate. The other blocks have seen an increase and continue to develop. However, the increases are no longer as high as in 2021. Whether digital transformation will continue to develop for individual blocks in future periods is a suitable research question for further research. The find-ings show that the changes and developments vary from building block to building block. It was found that the importance of each building block changed during the pandemic for each firm representative. The results provide the basis for the analysis of the development and change of BM Canvas for individual companies. Research limitations - At the moment, the current situation in Ukraine, in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, is playing a major role in SMEs activities as it affects companies. This conflict was not considered in the research, and the development since the beginning of the pandemic was followed. Practical implications - This research highlights how the digital transformation of individual SMEs in the manufacturing industry is evolving. It highlights the impact of the pandemic, which has undoubtedly increased the growth of digital transformation rates. For future research, these results can be very useful, as other influences on the rates of digital transformation can be investigated. Originality/Value - The research was carried out on the basis of primary data collected by the authors themselves. The data were processed and evaluated. The results of the research show how the level of digital transformation in different blocks of the BM Canvas has evolved from the beginning for each SME in the manufacturing industry.
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In this article, the challenges that cultural and creative industry (CCI) firms face in forming sustainable business models—issues heightened by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the evolving consumer patterns that it has triggered—are addressed. The goal of this study was to identify a set of unique key elements crucial for the construction of a business model that aligns with the distinct characteristics of CCIs. To achieve this goal, an in-depth, long-term study using semi-structured interviews with proprietors in Eastern Taiwan was conducted. This region is home to unique, small-scale cultural and creative businesses and represents less than 5% of Taiwan's population. The semi-structured, in-depth interviews served as the data collection method, while content analysis was used for data interpretation. This approach allowed the current study to encapsulate a set of key elements that could inform the creation of a business model for CCI firms. The insights gathered by the study provide a robust framework for the development of sustainable CCI business models, offering valuable guidance for both existing businesses seeking to adapt and grow and new entrepreneurs entering the industry. This research also aims to stimulate further scholarly debate on the importance of a tailored, multidisciplinary business model for CCIs, given their unique needs and characteristics.
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PurposeThis paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.Design/methodology/approachThis briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.FindingsVirtual medical specialists are becoming more common in for-profit healthcare systems, utilizing platforms developed by startup ventures, and cutting costs in the process for both providers and consumers.Originality/valueThe briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.
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The study aims to explore the importance of the tourism business model with the emergence of the blockchain platform in China. The study focused on the importance of the tourism business model of china, studied the need to improve the tourism business infrastructure, and traced the value of the blockchain system in the tourism industry of china. For this, the researchers used a semi-structured interview approach to conduct a qualitative research design. About nine Chinese tourism and travel industry experts were interwar after initial screening using purposive sampling techniques. The respondents' responses were analyzed by applying a thematic analysis approach, and by this, the researchers extracted the main themes on study topicality to fill the gap in the literature. The study's novelty is in its topicality and context, for which it also provides viable, practical directions for stakeholders.
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Blockchain , Tourism , Travel , Industry , ChinaABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic, and the lockdown of populations and businesses that followed, disrupted the operations of many industries. It also paved the way for a large number of innovations and for an overall technological acceleration, both from companies and from consumers. More than other sectors, culture was largely affected by the crisis through the closing of theatres and of borders and had no other solution than adaptation and innovation in order to survive. This paper discusses a number of such innovations, both in terms of technology and of business models for the cultural industry (i.e. performing arts). Consumers' evaluation of such innovations is assessed through a quantitative survey involving streaming experiences with theatre programs and broadcasted concerts.
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PurposeThis paper aims to investigate how value drivers of internet medical business model affect value creation through a configurational approach. The internet medical business model (IMBM) is such a business model that integrates online and offline medical services with the driving force of internet technologies covering prediagnosis, in-diagnosis and postdiagnosis. The outbreak of COVID-19 and the support of national policies have boosted the development of internet health care. However, there are still many challenges in practice, such as the unclear innovation path, as well as difficulties in landing and profiting. Academic research has not yet provided sufficient theoretical insights. Therefore, to better explain and guide practice, it is urgent to clarify the innovation path and mechanism of value creation for IMBM. Design/methodology/approachBased on the sample of 58 internet medical firms in China, this paper adopts fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to explore the configurational effects of IMBM's value drivers on value creation. FindingsBuilding on the business model canvas and the characteristics of internet health care, five value drivers of IMBM are identified, namely, functional value proposition, emotional value proposition, user involvement, resource capabilities and connection properties. And the five value drivers form three configurations, which are, respectively, labeled as resource-driven configuration, user-operated configuration and product-combined configuration. From the perspective of the integration of traditional and emerging theories, such as resource-based view, internet economics and value cocreation, each configuration leads to value creation and improves value results with different mechanisms behind it. Originality/valueFirst, combined with the business model canvas and the characteristics of internet health care, this paper identifies five value drivers of IMBM, thus improving the relevant research on internet health care. Second, based on the configurational effects, this paper discusses the mechanism behind the configurational effects of IMBM's value drivers on value creation, thus expanding relevant research on the value creation of business models. Third, applying fsQCA and combining the advantages of qualitative research and quantitative research, this paper adds to the configurations of IMBM's value drivers that achieve high-value results.
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According to the authors, the digital transformation of the global economic system, which has affected all areas of business and sectors of the economy, has led to the formation of a new business model aimed at creating a single financial and economic space without borders, contributing to new forms of obtaining added value and "digital dividends” by combining various technologies (for example, cloud technologies, sensors, big data, 3D printing), as well as the development of markets for goods and services, labor reserves and capital through transformations at all social levels. The authors believe that all of the above opens up expanded opportunities for organizing and doing business and allows increasing the potential for creating radically new products, services and innovative business models focused on sustainable business development in the new conditions of digitization of the economic system. In this regard, the paper explores key approaches to the definition of the term "digital transformation of business.” The trends of business digitalization and, accordingly, the factors that are inhibitors and drivers of the development of a new business model of cooperation and cooperation of modern organizations were identified. In the process of analysis, the authors determined the vector of development of business models in the context of the digital transformation of the global economic system. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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The link between the business model (BM) and sustainability is recognized in tourism research and practice, especially as far as its socioeconomic consequences are concerned. Moreover, prior studies have highlighted some key factors influencing the sustainable business models (SBMs) of tourism firms but have mainly done so by adopting static perspectives. Thus, how these firms can contribute to sustainability through their BMs with positive effects, particularly on natural resources, remains overlooked. Thus, we adopt coevolutionary lenses to explore the main processes surrounding tourism firms' SBM. Coevolution conceives the firm-environment relationship as both circular, with mutual influence and reciprocal changes, and dialectical. Accordingly, we analyze 28 Italian agritourism firms during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency period focusing on the dynamics of their relationship with various multilevel actors (including institutions, local communities, tourists) by considering internal and external factors influencing their SBM. The dialectical nature of this relationship is stressed. We find three new factors: sustainable tourism culture, tourist loyalty, and local natural resource setting. Moreover, from the coevolutionary analysis of the findings, we derive a framework that conceptualizes agritourism SBMs as a virtuous coevolutionary process through effective coadaptations between multilevel actors influenced by 12 factors. Tourism entrepreneurs and policy-makers should carefully consider the factors influencing SBMs and try to act upon them to effectively organize and manage relationships of mutual functionality in light of current challenges, especially environmental concerns.
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COVID-19 , Tourism , Humans , Pandemics , Commerce , EnvironmentABSTRACT
Digitization and the trend to work from home are significantly accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The relocation of the workplace to the home office is accompanied by increased electricity consumption in private households. Furthermore, with the threat of climate change, the transition to renewable energies is becoming increasingly important. This includes the need for new and innovative business models in the energy sector. Artificial intelligence is one of the key technologies for innovation. We investigate how and where artificial intelligence can be incorporated into the business model of a German research project. The business model aims to market renewable energy through a platform where private electricity consumers and producers are part of the user base. With the help of AI, future supply and demand can be forecasted more accurately, which is ecologically and economically beneficial. Chatbot assistance and further applications are presented as well. The resulting added value can benefit both the platform operator as well as the platform users.
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COVID-19 has had a dramatic impact on the world. This study aims to investigate the possible implications of COVID-19 on sustainability and digitalization initiatives, by exploring a sample of 15 Italian coffee companies located in Northern, Central and Southern Italy, to highlight any differences and at the same time identify which are the main strands of their resilient behaviors. "Sustainab-lization" is our idea to define a business model in which sustainability and digitalization are closely related in companies' strategic initiatives. We have analyzed the various actions which have been undertaken to get out of the COVID-19 crisis, focusing on initiatives related to sustainable development and digitalization, critical also to fulfilling some of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda. Most of the companies have invested in sustainability and digitalization. The results show, for most of them, a resilient approach towards a sustainable business model, and also through increased digitalization.
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EntREsilience, a five-country longitudinal qualitative study, was launched in 2020 in China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and the UK to understand how entrepreneurs manifested resilience in response to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis events from March 2020 to February 2022. EntREsilience proposed a resilience-manifestation process model describing how entrepreneurs responded to the COVID-19 disruption, aided by external and internal enablers, adjusting their businesses to stabilise and even hunting for opportunities to grow their businesses. The present research adds to the findings of EntREsilience by analysing the strategies applied by entrepreneurs in their response to the crisis. This exploratory study focused on the entrepreneurs' community interactions and studied the effects of these interactions on the response measures adopted by the entrepreneurs. The results describe how the awareness of their stakeholder challenges shaped the entrepreneurial response. Realising the importance of stakeholder well-being to the sustainability of their enterprise motivated the entrepreneurs to develop sustainability competencies towards their stakeholder challenges, innovating solutions for their mutual well-being. By extending the resilience-manifestation process model, this paper proposes a transformation model depicting the process of entrepreneurs transforming into sustainable leaders triggered by stakeholder challenge awareness and moderated by contextual factors.
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The importance of digital transformation for banks has been recently stressed by many researchers. However, banks are perceived as traditional market players that are relied on robust infrastructure and rigid internal procedures. Apart from market competition imposed by innovative market players, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed to be strong external driver for digitalization in financial industry. The objective of this study is to examine how COVID-19 pandemic is influencing digitalization of Serbian banking industry. The research methodology is based on management tool of Canvas Business Model. The results show that communication channels were the most affected and evolved from traditional such as branches to digital communication channels such as websites, social networks, and online applications. Employees and IT infrastructure turn to be the most important resources while COVID-19 had no significant influence on key business activities, customer segmentation, cost structure and revenue stream. Finally, we elaborate research limitations and use research results to formulate potential directions for future research.
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SMEs, including cultural and creative firms, are encountering increasingly difficult obstacles in today's competitive landscape. In particular, during the COVID-19 pandemic, these SMEs had to confront significant challenges that endangered their survival, requiring a shift in their business model. Many successful firms responded to this crisis by adopting business model innovation (BMI) as a strategic solution. The pandemic also emphasised the importance of sustainable practices and the necessity to enhance readiness for and responsiveness to future challenges. This study proposes examining Sustainable Business Model Innovation in the light of the Theory of Planned Behavior. While some studies have explored BMI through the TPB framework, we expand the interpretative schema by introducing an additional predictor: the influence of open innovation ecosystem partnerships. From an open innovation perspective, the new construct proposes how peer professional organisations and technological clusters play a significant role in managers' intentions to implement SBM. A purposive sample of 122 Spanish cultural and creative firm managers and business owners was surveyed and analysed using PLS-SEM. The data collected supports the model and supports the prominent role of open innovation environments as a mediation effect of the intention to implement a sustainable and innovative business model. The study adds new insights into the theoretical framework to better understand the implementation of sustainable business models' innovation actions, with specific support for the role of open innovation ecosystems such as professional organisations and technological clusters. Practitioners and open innovation ecosystem promoters can gain new clues for initiatives to promote the diffusion of innovations among creative and cultural SMEs.
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The Covid-19 pandemic crisis was an adverse situation for all economic actors. By mobilising the concept of entrepreneurial leadership, this article aims to analyse the organisational actions and leadership postures adopted by senior women managers to guarantee the continuity of their economic activity, and even, to ensure the survival of their company. We will try to show that their actions and practices are not univocal. They are characterised, on the contrary, by a form of contingency crossed by fields of tension and a subtle balance between strategic decisions of exploitation and exploration, and a strategic implementation based on both operational and relational processes. This research work will allow us to grasp the contours of a singular form of entrepreneurial leadership linked to the crisis. We will also question the limits of the use of the notion of gender to apprehend entrepreneurial behaviours and decision-making processes deployed by women entrepreneurs in contexts of adversity.
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This article attempts to answer the followed research question: how did the restaurants innovate their business model in order to adapt it to the COVID crisis?. A study of two cases shows that the activities, the resources and skills, the revenue model, and the beneficiaries have been transformed even sometimes reinforced in order to keep the business on. In the two cases, the inner resources were mobilised and the offer was changed. As regards the suppliers, their profiles have been changed because of the take away offer which pushed the restauranteurs to have new recipients and new materials in order to adapt their offer. © 2022, Academic Conferences and Publishing International Limited. All right reserved.
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Purpose: This study aims to understand the impacts of Covid-19 on the progression of digitalization of banks in an emerging market. For this purpose, business model canvas (BMC) is used as a theoretical framework to explore these effects on each business elements of Turkish Banks' business strategies. Design/methodology/approach: Data are collected through structured interviews with the top managers of seven diversified banks. Interview questions are designed based on BMC. Findings: The results show that the onset of the Covid-19 is a shock that has made digitalization a strategic issue that necessitates an urgent change in many business elements of banks such as customer relationships, communication channels, resource allocation, partnerships and financing. Further, it has stimulated redefining value proposition and collaboration/interaction among all financial institutions through digital platforms. Practical implications: BMC can be used to explain decision-making and business processes of banks for exploring the effect of recent and/or unexpected developments in the business environment of an emerging economy. The results provide insights and recommendations to managers of financial institutions into the impacts of Covid-19 on banks' operational and strategic processes. That allows financial institutions, including Fintechs, to use this information for taking precautions and proactive actions against shocks. Originality/value: This study is an initial attempt to explore the impacts of the Covid-19 on banks in an emerging economy by using BMC. With that, this study contributes to the literature by explaining the effect of progression of digitalization in banking from a strategic business model perspective using a qualitative research method. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.
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Purpose: From a knowledge-management perspective, this paper aims to analyze the digital transformation of the business models of traditional Chinese sporting goods companies in the context of the pandemic crisis and to explore the role of their digital transformation in coping with the crisis. Design/methodology/approach: Using theoretical sampling, typical sporting goods companies are selected for case studies. We provide an in-depth analysis of how these companies achieve high performance levels through the digital transformation of their business models in the post-COVID-19 era and discuss the key role of knowledge management in this achievement. Findings: Focusing on the challenges faced by Chinese sporting goods enterprises during the pandemic crisis from the knowledge-management perspective, we find that through the digital transformation of their business models, enterprises can improve their knowledge-management capabilities, enhance their flexibility to respond to sudden crises and maintain a higher level of corporate performance. Research limitations/implications: This paper has significant implications for sporting goods companies wishing to achieve high corporate performance through the digital transformation of their business models in the post-COVID-19 era. Future research should address the dynamic mechanism of the digital transformation of business models to improve enterprise knowledge-management capabilities and the impact mechanism of knowledge-management capabilities on interenterprise organizational resilience. Originality/value: This paper proposes specific strategies in the process of the digital transformation of business models that are essential for improving enterprises' internal and external knowledge-management capabilities. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.