Digital products are an increasingly significant part of the output of museums in the UK, but the rationale behind them and the long term plans for them are not always clear. This thesis argues that to consider such a digital product to be sustainable, the value it creates must justify the resources it requires. The decisions involved in building and supporting these products affect both the value proposition and the resource requirements, but also reflect the way that museums and their stakeholders see the balance between the two. At the same time, this balance is under the influence of a constantly changing environment. The study proposes a model of sustainability as a cycle of value, resources and decision-making, and three case studies are used to examine how decisions are reached in the face of flux and uncertainty. Some ways in which decisions can be biased or distorted are identified, and finally some approaches are offered for museums seeking to improve the balance of value and resources, and increase the quality of the decisions that underlie them.

Innovative Business Models (BMs) are essential in commercialising new technologies that are initially seen as inferior. Battery second use (B2U) brings used batteries from an electric vehicle (EV) into a secondary storage application and holds the potential to improve the sustainability of EVs while generating value for stakeholders across the automotive and energy sectors, as well as for the environment and society (Gohla-Neudecker et al. 2015; Neubauer et al. 2015). However, important knowledge gaps exist as the potential value of second-life batteries and how to better extract that value are still poorly understood by both practitioners and researchers. To fill the knowledge gap, this study explores the BMs of repurposing a second life for the retired EV batteries through rich empirical case studies. The main outcomes of the research are firstly, a deeper understanding of the sustainable value of second-life batteries as is currently being achieved by industry, which also provides a comprehensive view of the potential value of B2U. Secondly, the critical B2U challenges are identified from a multi-stakeholder’s perspective across the value chain that present a fresh overview of the key factors that might impair the potential value of B2U. Thirdly, an empirically-generated typology of existing B2U business models is proposed that shows how B2U stakeholders are interacting in different ways to create and capture value from B2U. Fourthly, three critical BM design elements, namely, lifecycle thinking, system-level design and the shift to services are proposed as helpful aspects for B2U stakeholders to consider to better design their B2U business models. Fifthly, Business Model of a Technology (BMoT) is proposed as a new perspective to understand the value potential of second-life batteries and how to maximise the total value creation from B2U at the system level. The research has filled a literature gap, has met an industrial need, and has made contributions to knowledge on sustainability and BMs in the specific context of B2U. Practically, the findings have the potential to inspire practitioners toward better understanding the potential value of second-life batteries and improve their BMs to better extract value from B2U.

Abstract The purpose of this cumulative dissertation is to introduce service, conceptualized by service-dominant logic, as a new explanatory framework to improve the understanding of sustainable development. Sustainability is a megatrend that challenges business and marketers to act upon and respond to global social and environmental problems. Even after over more than five decades of research related to sustainability there is a gap in the transformation to sustainable development of firms and society in large. Specifically, there appears to be a significant gap between sustainable awareness and the actual sustainable behavior of actors and organizations. A systematic approach to the topic of greenwashing is provided, including relevant approaches for its avoidance. Furthermore, the dissertation urges the need of a systematic and more general theoretic framework to connect marketing as a social science with sustainable development instead of fragmenting marketing in sub-disciplines (e.g., sustainable marketing, societal marketing, marketing ethics, etc.). S-D logic is proposed as model of marketing covering three dichotomies: (1) micro/macro, (2) positive (questioning what is?) / normative (questioning what ought to be), and (3) profit sector/nonprofit sector. S-D logic´s narrative is the continuing story of actors interacting, resource integrating and exchanging service, and co-creating value through service ecosystems, governed and evaluated through their institutional arrangements. Though with regards to sustainable development the reflection on conceptualizing value co-destruction is critical. For instance, through the value co-creation process negative value might be created for one actor, both actors, third parties, society, or nature. A strong conceptual link between the process of co-creation of value and the process of value co destruction is ascertainable in the sense of contra indication. In addition, the findings of a literature review indicate that further attention should be paid to imbalance, conflict and power relations between actors and the service ecosystem. Furthermore, the concept of service is extended beyond the human-created phenomenon, by observing that ecosystem services exist in the natural world. A change of perspective on nature is proposed to see nature no longer as a source of resource or a simple resource but as a services provider. Thus, the underlying human-nature relationships may improve.:Abstract III I Table of contents IV II List of Publications: VI III List of Figures VII IV List of Tables VIII 1 General Introduction 1 1.1 Purpose and scope 1 1.2 Theoretical introduction 3 1.2.1 Reason for a new theoretical framework for sustainable development 4 1.2.2 Service as the underlying process for sustainable development 7 1.2.3 S-D logic´s evolvement to a concept of service ecosystem 9 1.2.4 Conceptualizing value co-destruction 11 1.3 Structure of the dissertation 22 1.4 General Summary 24 1.4.1 Summarizing the implications of S-D logic and sustainable development 24 1.4.2 Outlook on general future research for evolving S-D logic in the field of sustainable development 26 1.4.2.1 Creation of value and well-being through fast, sacrifice, or renouncement 27 1.4.2.2 Improve the understanding for micro-macro paradox 27 1.4.2.3 Extension of the human-centric S-D logic to a more general service concept 28 1.4.2.4 Conceptualization of power relations in a service ecosystem 28 1.4.2.5 Pursuing the idea of destructive co-creation of value 30 2 Die normative Ordnung der service-dominierten Logik für ein komplexes Wertnetzwerk–ein innovativer Weg zu mehr Nachhaltigkeit? 32 2.1 Einführung 32 2.2 Das Triple-Bottom-Line-Konzept 34 2.3 Die S-D Logik und die Chance zur normativen Ordnung eines komplexen Wertnetzwerks für mehr Nachhaltigkeit 40 2.3.1 Verbesserung der normativen Ordnung für ein innovatives Nachhaltigkeitskonzept 40 2.3.2 Normative Ordnung im sozialen Raum 42 2.3.3 Einführung in die S-D Logik 44 2.3.4 S-D Logik und nachhaltige Entwicklung 49 2.4 Zusammenfassung und Ausblick 53 3 Avoiding Greenwashing in Event Marketing: An Exploration of Concepts, Literature and Methods 56 3.1 Introduction 57 3.2 Literature review 59 3.2.1 Characteristics of greenwashing in event marketing 59 3.2.2 Current approaches to avoid greenwashing in event marketing 61 3.2.2.1 Identifying greenwashing and its impacts through measurement 63 3.2.2.2 Developing and applying internal rules 65 3.2.2.3 Creating a (multi-)stakeholder approach 66 3.2.2.4 Realignment according to laws and statutory regulations 68 3.2.2.5 Applying eco-labelling 69 3.3 Discussion, implications and further research 73 3.3.1 Discussion 73 3.3.2 Theoretical contributions and practical implications 75 3.3.3 Limitations and future research 78 4 Service Dominant Logic as a New Fundamental Framework for Analyzing Event Sustainability: A Case Study from the German Meetings Industry 80 4.1 Introduction 80 4.2 Literature review 84 4.2.1 S-D Logic as a new approach for the sustainable development of events 84 4.2.2 Events and the Service Dominant logic 84 4.3 S-D Logic and (event) sustainability 89 4.4 Case study 92 4.4.1 Case study context 92 4.4.2 Data collection 93 4.4.3 Data analysis 94 4.4.4 Findings 95 4.4.4.1 Micro level 96 4.4.4.2 Meso level 99 4.4.4.3 Macro level 102 4.5 Discussion 106 4.5.1 Theoretical contributions 109 4.5.2 Practical implications 110 4.5.3 Limitations and future research 111 References 114 Darstellung des wissenschaftlichen Werdegangs 137 Selbständigkeitserklärung 139 Bibliographische Darstellung 140

The Nigerian microfinance banks often close their offices abruptly, leading to the loss of shareholders' funds. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore strategies microfinance bank directors use to maintain business sustainability. The concepts of microfinance banking, sustainability value, and strategic management theory formed the conceptual framework for this study. Twenty managing directors from microfinance banks in the Anambra state of Nigeria participated in semistructured interviews. The data analysis process involved the use of Moussakas' modified van Kaam process, which resulted in the emergence of 3 themes: strategic management, fear of microlending, and maintaining sustainability. The emergent themes indicated the necessity of a strategic management focus on maintenance of sustainability, growth in microfinance banking knowledge, best practice implementations, savings mobilization, technological input, and expansion of microlending services. The implications for positive social change involved the potential for bank directors to apply these findings to improve Nigerian microfinance banking performance and provide regular payments of shareholders' dividends. The increase in shareholders' funds and provision of credit administration to indigent Nigerians may contribute to economic growth within local communities, decrease crime, and increase income generating business activities in Nigeria.