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Transition towards Sustainable Solutions: Product, Service, Technology, and Business Model

Author

Listed:
  • Mina Nasiri

    (School of Business and Management, Lappeenranta University of Technology, 15140 Lahti, Finland)

  • Tero Rantala

    (School of Business and Management, Lappeenranta University of Technology, 15140 Lahti, Finland)

  • Minna Saunila

    (School of Business and Management, Lappeenranta University of Technology, 15140 Lahti, Finland)

  • Juhani Ukko

    (School of Business and Management, Lappeenranta University of Technology, 15140 Lahti, Finland)

  • Hannu Rantanen

    (School of Business and Management, Lappeenranta University of Technology, 15140 Lahti, Finland)

Abstract

Nowadays, the horse industry can be considered as an important industry in European countries and has a major role in agricultural industry throughout the world. Although today the diversity of the horse-related companies provides new markets and business opportunities, there are also some sustainable issues which needs to be addressed. Therefore, this study contributes to this research gap by reviewing the concept of sustainability and existing approaches to find sustainable solutions for companies. These sustainable approaches can be applied to products, services and technologies as well as business models, such as the product-service-system (PSS), circular economy (CE) and industrial symbiosis (IS). Although there seems to be a growing understanding of sustainable approaches and their role in sustainable development, there is a lack of research at the empirical level regarding the types of sustainability approaches (i.e., technologies, services, products and business models) that evolve in specific industries. The empirical data in this research have been collected from a cross-section of Finnish horse industry operators to determine how willing companies are to exploit approaches to sustainable solutions, as well as what the existing sustainable solutions are in this industry. The response rate of this study is approximately 24 percent, including 139 received valid responses among the sample of 580 operators.

Suggested Citation

  • Mina Nasiri & Tero Rantala & Minna Saunila & Juhani Ukko & Hannu Rantanen, 2018. "Transition towards Sustainable Solutions: Product, Service, Technology, and Business Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-18, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:2:p:358-:d:129471
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Angela Neves & Radu Godina & Susana G. Azevedo & Carina Pimentel & João C.O. Matias, 2019. "The Potential of Industrial Symbiosis: Case Analysis and Main Drivers and Barriers to Its Implementation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-68, December.
    3. Hakyeon Lee & Hanbin Seo & Youngjung Geum, 2018. "Uncovering the Topic Landscape of Product-Service System Research: from Sustainability to Value Creation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-15, March.
    4. Giselle Rentería Núñez & David Perez-Castillo, 2023. "Business Models for Industrial Symbiosis: A Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-24, June.
    5. Mustafa Ozguven & Chong Yan Gao & Mohamed Yacine Si Tayeb, 2021. "The Utilization of Autoregressive Forecasting Models in Strategic Management," International Journal of Science and Business, IJSAB International, vol. 5(7), pages 170-185.
    6. Natalia Muñoz López & Jose Luis Santolaya Sáenz & Anna Biedermann & Ana Serrano Tierz, 2020. "Sustainability Assessment of Product–Service Systems Using Flows between Systems Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-20, April.
    7. Yang Yang & Zhongqiu Li & Yingying Su, 2018. "The Effectiveness of Service Innovation Practices to Reduce Energy Consumption Based on Adaptive Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-16, September.
    8. Piera Centobelli & Roberto Cerchione & Davide Chiaroni & Pasquale Del Vecchio & Andrea Urbinati, 2020. "Designing business models in circular economy: A systematic literature review and research agenda," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(4), pages 1734-1749, May.

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