Background: As the business world faces significant changes to adapt to the rapidly increasing sustainability demand, they also face significant changes to their business core. The European Commission established a circular action plan in 2015, pressuring businesses operating in the EU area to work to implement sustainability in their operations proactively.    Purpose: The aim is to understand how companies select, develop and incorporate sustainable factors in their business model. The gap in the existing literature was identified to be within the field of illustrating the process of sustainable business model innovation. The authors aim to discuss the existing literature and provide new insights on the chosen subject.   Method: A multiple case study was designed with a qualitative research approach to align the study with the purpose. The case study built on data collection through semi-structured interviews, letting the interviewees carry the most significant part of the conversation. This was beneficial since the authors adopted an interpretive research paradigm, highlighting the importance of individuals' perceptions of the process.    Conclusion: The results show that the decisions that drive the implementation of sustainable business model innovation are often profit-driven but can also be driven by morale and ethics, governmental regulations, and stakeholder pressure. Both internal and external resistance can be expected when transforming a company towards sustainability. Therefore, broad acceptance amongst shareholders and stakeholders will enable a transformation, which can partly be achieved through a robust organizational identity that ties sustainability to it.

Purpose of the study. This thesis deals with the role of sustainable purpose in the formation of sustainable start-ups. It aims to determine if sustainable purpose was a reason to start a company, what caused the emergence of sustainable purpose within the entrepreneurs, and how this purpose can benefit the enterprise. The study design. The study first defines sustainable purpose by juxtaposing selected concepts, models, and frameworks that aim to harmonize doing business and positive contribution to the planet and people. Based on that, we conducted semi-structured interviews with founders of sustainable start-ups (N=9). These were analysed via a qualitative content analysis and cross evaluation. Major findings. The findings were divided into six major categories. Interviewees contributed knowledge and opinion about their founding motivations, their source of sustainable purpose, how sustainable purpose benefits their business, what their view on sustainability is, what they criticise about today’s business world, and what the characteristics of themselves and their business are. Summary of interpretation. The collected data suggests that sustainable purpose was a reason for entrepreneurs to start a business that positively impacts society and the planet. Impactful life events influenced entrepreneurs to think critically about doing business and contributing to a better world. These impactful life events can be identified as the source of sustainable purpose within entrepreneurs. Lastly, entrepreneurs did identify benefits of having a sustainable purpose.

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to propose a conceptual framework and research agenda for the development of sustainable business models for companies in the software industry. Methodology – The study was implemented by using primary and secondary data in the methodology. The primary data entailed a qualitative approach where in-depth interviews with five software companies was conducted. The secondary data included a literature review of relevant topics and grey literature from the interviewed companies. Findings – This study proposes a modified set of sustainable business model archetypes for the software industry. The software-specific archetypes are Maximize energy efficiency with renewables and natural processes, Create value from waste, Deliver software as a service, Adopt a stewardship role, Encourage sustainability, Repurpose for the society/environment and Develop scale up solutions. Implications – The revised set of archetypes have been developed in order to set a theoretical framework that can be practiced by software companies to develop their sustainability work. Therefore, this study provides practitioners with a streamlined framework to develop clear sustainable guidelines, activities, principles and goals towards a sustainable business model. Originality / value – This study proposes a conceptual framework on how software companies can develop a sustainable business model with a practical and theoretical foundation. The study proposes a research approach that has not been conducted in the software industry before, using the eight archetypes as an analysis tool. The suggested framework of this study therefore presents unique industry-specific archetypes for the software industry, created by the authors of this study.

Background: Sustainability is becoming increasingly important from a consumer’s perspective when it comes to their preferences. Simultaneously, mass-market apparel brands are struggling to meet the demand for sustainable clothing and textile products. The industry is in dire need for sustainable development as it is responsible for 8-10% of world’s greenhouse gas emissions and is the cause of 20% of the world’s wastewater. Therefore, it is vital to explore what the barriers are that hinders the development of sustainable business models and the consequences of these barriers.  Purpose: This thesis aims to explore which barriers and subsequent consequences Swedish clothing & textile organizations face when developing a sustainable business model. Method: This study follows the interpretivist approach with inductively inspired reasoning. Qualitative semi-structured interviews are conducted on three different cases, which are analysed and compared using the general analytical procedure. The study used Snoek’s (2017) theoretical framework of internal and external barriers to explore the barriers in the Swedish clothing & textile industry. Findings: This thesis contributes with comprehensive knowledge about barriers and their consequences in the Swedish clothing & textile industry with the help of Snoek’s (2017) framework of internal and external barriers. A total of 24 barriers were classified under four barrier categories; “Costly business model”, “Lack of awareness & low willingness to pay”, “Lack of transparency”, and “Misalignment between policy & regulation within the C&T industry”. Nine were new out of these 24 barriers. A theoretical framework is brought forward illustrating the interconnectivity between “consumer awareness”, “demand and willingness to pay for sustainable products”, “companies match the demand”, and after that “, creating demand for sustainable products”. This study’s findings extend the knowledge about the Swedish clothing & textile industry for organizations that wish to develop sustainability into their business model.

Background: Sustainability has become one of the main factors driving business innovation and resulted in a green transition, which has slowed down in recent years, and to accelerate the green transition again, major barriers need to be removed. The gender imbalance in sustainable entrepreneurship could be a barrier to the acceleration of the green transition since women entrepreneurs showcase what the green transition represents, yet there are fewer women in entrepreneurship compared to men. Despite there being fewer women in entrepreneurship, several studies have found that women are more inclined toward sustainability, compared to men, when it comes to the practices of sustainable entrepreneurship. However, no studies state how or why this is.  Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is therefore to bridge that knowledge gap by investigating the potential ‘how’ and ‘why’ behind women's entrepreneurial sustainability. Moreover, the purpose of the findings is to create a new theory that offers new insights and a unique understanding regarding women's entrepreneurial sustainability implementation and motivation.   Research Question: How do women entrepreneurs incorporate sustainable business practices and why are they motivated to do so?  Method:  A inductive qualitative single case study on eleven women entrepreneurs. The data collection was through semi-structured interviews. Followed by a Gioia’s grounded theory analysis to create a theoretical model to answer the research question.  Conclusion: Women entrepreneurs are motivated through various intrinsic and extrinsic motivations where they use their decision authority as the approach to implementing their sustainable business practices.

Research question: How can B2B companies achieve sustainable business models by implementing SDG 8? Purpose: The main purpose of this research paper is to contribute to the understudied areas within sustainable development. The paper wishes to carry this out by looking into the ways in which business-to-business companies can achieve sustainable business models. The paper aims to study the achievement of sustainable business models via the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 8. Method: An abductive approach was adopted in thematic analysis, starting with data collection from observations and interviews and subsequently identifying emerging codes to establish connections between different data sources. In our exploratory multiple case study, we conducted semi-structured interviews with managers from three B2B companies to address our research question. Conclusion: With the help of prior research and theoretical literature within the field of study, the research conducted presented a number of interesting findings. The study found evidence to suggest that the achievement of sustainable business models is dependent on the inclusion of socio-environmental values into the business model of a company

The thesis focuses on the integration of sustainability in the early stages of startups by developing a new framework. Given the resource constraints and focus on viability, it might be difficult for startups to consider sustainability at these early stages. A literature review revealed a lack of information on this subject. The research investigates the sustainability-related challenges startups face, identifies factors for sustainable business models using expert interviews and literature review. Due to the lack of information related to sustainable early stages start-ups, the author analyses basic principles related to start-ups and sustainability. The author looks into holistic approach to sustainability since a fragmental approach to sustainability risks harming the ecosystem while improving some metrics without systemic overview. Life-centred design is an emerging design approach that focuses on the well-being of all life forms and the health of our planet, thus making a shift from just human-centred design. The life-centred design was taken into consideration since it covers different aspects of sustainability as well as ethics and provides practical guidance for the designing process. Based on literature review and expert interviews the framework was formulated. The developed solution was tested with three early-stage startups, providing practical insights. The author analyses the findings and concludes that start-ups which have sustainability as a core value proposition are already sustainable and their sustainable impacts potentially scales with their product growth. At the same time for these types of start-ups it’s vital to consider additional value for the customer apart from sustainable value. For the start-ups with core value not directly related to sustainability, the sustainability can be embedded within a lean approach and aligning sustainability with their business goals if it doesn't require sacrificing limited resources such as money. Finally, the author suggests tools that raise awareness of participants and can be useful for holistic picture, based on findings during the workshop.

The agricultural industry has an opportunity to shift to a more sustainable practice that helps restore vital topsoil, improve water quality, reduce environmental impact, and sequester atmospheric carbon into the vast soil carbon pool. However, to implement these practices at considerable scale, agricultural producers require access to resources and capital they rarely have and can be difficult to acquire. As a company, investing in regenerative agriculture in supply chains can lead to reduced Scope 3 emissions, more resilient supply chains, and better marketability as an investment fund, an employer, and a brand. Insetting regenerative agriculture can protect supply chains against climate risks and productivity loss, as well as serve as a more secure alternative to carbon credit offsets. Four successful companies, General Mills, Organic Valley, Nestlé, and Nespresso, have been shown to benefit from investing in regenerative agriculture as part of their evolution towards reaching net zero emissions. Based on their strategies, this paper has developed a recommended framework for programming investments for insetting regenerative agriculture. The recommendations rest on six pillars: 1) determining impact, 2) providing direct support to farmers, 3) place-specific strategies, 4) collaboration through partnerships, 5) scalable programming, and 6) educate consumers. Together, these represent a comprehensive approach to insetting that will provide long-term benefits to businesses, suppliers, and the planet.

No / This research is an attempt to identify the kind of culture which is needed for a major transnational company to become a circular economy based organization based on the guidelines of Ellen McArthur Foundation. It aims to identify and learn from organizations with the relevant culture on the particular traits which may assist other organizations foster the culture required to implement a circular economy strategy. The information gathered is expected to contribute empirical information on culture management for circular economy strategy and an attempt to fill in the literature gap on strategy, mind-set shift and culture change, especially in transitioning towards sustainable business practices. The thesis mind-map and outline of chapters have been provided. Literature pointed out that alignment between organizational culture and strategy ensures successful implementation. The development of a more sustainable economic model, the circular economy, has triggered organizations to look into their business strategies and adjust accordingly. This research is an attempt to identify and learn from organizations with relevant culture on the particular traits which may assist other organizations foster the culture required to implement a circular economy strategy. The researchers applied Johnson’s (2001) cultural web and other relevant literatures on organizational culture, leadership, collaboration, and form constructs for an exploratory case study. Several management qualities have been mentioned namely the development of cross-functional teams, establishment of relationships beyond transactional partnerships, a risk oriented learning environment, entrepreneurial organization culture and structure, and empathetic leadership.

xvi, 298 p. : col. map. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Cities in the United States are increasingly challenged with sharpening inequalities, social exclusion and the effects of a swelling environmental footprint. In response, city officials, political interest groups and residents have seized the framework of urban sustainability to address these mounting social and environmental problems. However, the push for environmental and social sustainability often directly contradicts the push by influential urban business coalitions for cities to be more economically competitive with other locales. I explore the compatibility of urban sustainability and economic development through a case study of Eugene, Oregon's Sustainable Business Initiative, led by Mayor Kitty Piercy. In this Initiative, the interaction between the urban sustainability and economic development discourses calls into question current entrepreneurial strategies and opens the door to exploring the implications of integrating sustainability and social justice concepts with urban economic development policy. Labor-community-environmental coalitions, with a broad vision for sustainability and regional equity, present an alternative to traditional business coalitions' influence on economic development policy and provide a strategy for economic development based in wealth redistribution and environmental health. / Committee in charge: Gregory McLauchlan, Chairperson, Sociology; Yvonne Braun, Member, Sociology; Linda Fuller, Member, Womens and Gender Studies; Michael Bussel, Outside Member, History