Sustainable Business Models of SMEs: Challenges in Yacht Tourism Sector

Cinzia Battistella, Maria Rosita Cagnina, Lucia Cicero and Nadia Preghenella
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Cinzia Battistella: Polytechnic Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
Maria Rosita Cagnina: Department of Economics and Statistics, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
Lucia Cicero: Polytechnic Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
Nadia Preghenella: Polytechnic Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 10, 1-20

Abstract: Despite the high number of active small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in all sectors, current studies have barely developed investigations on the sustainability of their business models so far. The aim of this study was thus to bridge the gap between sustainable business models of SMEs in the service industry, to uncover the challenges that SMEs face when seeking business model reconfiguration toward sustainability. More specifically, the empirical investigation adopted a case study research design in the context of yacht tourism, as one business form among many within the tourism industry and thus within the broader category of the service industry. Interviews were conducted with seven European SMEs, whose business models were analyzed through the lens of the triple bottom line and sustainability challenges in their business models. The results display a varied typology of case studies, where business model components reveal diverse expressions of facing sustainability challenges. The work discusses reported findings with a cross-case comparison among detected business models and outlines a list of propositions for sustainable business models of SMEs. The paper contributes in continuing the discourse on sustainable business models, adopting the perspective of the challenges for SMEs and offers food for thought for managers of SMEs in comparing their own business with the identified business model types.

Keywords: sustainable business model; triple bottom line; yacht tourism; business model innovation; service industry; SMEs; case study research (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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