Strategic Integration of Digital Technologies in Sustainable Business Models: A Cross‐Industry Comparative Study

Bogdan Nichifor, Ovidiu Turcu, Luminita Zait, Laura Timiras and Diana Prihoanca

Business Strategy and the Environment, 2026, vol. 35, issue 2, 1970-1996

Abstract: This study explores how digital technologies support strategic sustainability transitions across the following five industries: smart cities, fashion, food retail, construction, and consumer goods. Building on the dynamic capabilities theory and sustainable business model innovation (SBMI), we develop a cross‐sector evaluation framework that assesses five key technologies—AI, IoT, big data, blockchain, and 3D printing—along the following four dimensions: efficiency, circularity, scalability, and transformative potential. Through a qualitative comparative case study grounded in secondary data and digital observations, we reveal distinct adoption patterns, strategic functions, and barriers to implementation. The results show that while AI and big data drive short‐term optimization, blockchain and 3D printing enable deeper business model transformation. This study contributes by integrating a digital strategy with sustainability frameworks and offering a decision‐support matrix for managers to align technology investments with environmental goals. Our findings highlight the importance of sequencing technologies, ecosystem collaboration, and organizational capabilities for scalable digital sustainability.

Date: 2026
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