Sustainability-Oriented Business Model Evaluation—A Literature Review

Anika Süß, Kristina Höse and Uwe Götze
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Anika Süß: Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09111 Chemnitz, Germany
Kristina Höse: Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09111 Chemnitz, Germany
Uwe Götze: Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Chemnitz University of Technology, 09111 Chemnitz, Germany

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 19, 1-15

Abstract: Since the need of sustainable development is indisputable, companies are forced to strive for resources, processes, and products that are sustainable. Thus, their business models as the main representation of their activities should be designed in an ecologically, economically, and socially beneficial way. However, designing and developing sustainable business models is closely linked to their evaluation. Sustainable business model evaluation as a vital part of business model development has been addressed in literature in the past with increasing frequency. As a consequence, the plethora of different approaches of sustainability-oriented business model evaluation calls for a systematic literature review. Thus, in this study, we reviewed existing articles on sustainability-oriented business model evaluation and identified four main categories of evaluation methods: single indicators (I), indicator system/framework (II), simulation-based evaluation (III), and multi criteria decision-making (IV). By analyzing and structuring the proposed approaches, their benefits and limitations are revealed, pointing out gaps and future research needs for successfully designing and evaluating business models today and in the future.

Keywords: business model evaluation; sustainable business model evaluation; sustainability; sustainable business models; literature review; sustainability assessment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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