Towards a Conceptual Framework of Sustainable Business Model Innovation in the Agri-Food Sector: A Systematic Literature Review

• Main Authors: Henrik Barth, Per-Ola Ulvenblad, Pia Ulvenblad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2017-09-01
• Series: Sustainability
• Subjects: business model innovation; agri-food; farmers; systematic literature review; entrepreneurship; sustainability
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/9/1620
• ISSN: 2071-1050

This paper aims to increase our understanding of sustainable business model innovation in the agri-food sector in terms of its theoretical and practical approaches for sustainability and their degree of complexity and maturity. The paper is based on a systematic literature review of 570 journal articles on business models and business model innovation published between 1990 and 2014. Of these articles, only 21 have business model innovation as their main focus. The review shows that research interest in the agri-food sector has increased in these years. The paper proposes a conceptual framework for sustainable business model innovation in the agri-food sector that can be used to meet the challenges encountered in taking a sustainability perspective.