
- Open Access
- © 2018

RESTART Sustainable Business Model Innovation
- Sveinung Jørgensen 0 ,
- Lars Jacob Tynes Pedersen 1
Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Lillehammer, Norway
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar
NHH Norwegian School of Economics, Bergen, Norway
Outlines a new framework for sustainable business model innovation: RESTART
Combines theory with contemporary case studies
Offers practical recommendations for companies and organizations to contribute to a sustainable future
Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Sustainable Business In Association with Future Earth (PSSBAFE)
876k Accesses
34 Citations
49 Altmetric
- Table of contents
About this book
Authors and affiliations, about the authors, bibliographic information, buying options.
- ISBN: 978-3-030-06338-2
- Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
- Exclusive offer for individuals only
- Free shipping worldwide Shipping restrictions may apply, check to see if you are impacted .
- Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
- ISBN: 978-3-319-91970-6
Table of contents (17 chapters)
Front matter, why sustainable business model innovation.
- Sveinung Jørgensen, Lars Jacob Tynes Pedersen
The Seven Steps of the RESTART Framework
Restart: what, why, how and so what, roadmap to a restart, redesign rather than standstill, experimentation rather than turnaround, service-logic rather than product-logic, the circular rather than the linear economy, alliances rather than solo-runs, results rather than indulgences, three-dimensionality rather than one-dimensionality, restart before it is too late, a recap of the restart framework, a process model for sustainable business model innovation, avenues for future research, case study: a restart for scanship.
Taking the business model as point of departure, this open access book explores how companies and organizations can contribute to a more sustainable future by designing innovative models that are both sustainable and profitable. Based upon years of research, it draws together theoretical foundations and existing literature on the topic of sustainable business alongside case studies and practical solutions. After examining the theoretical foundations of sustainable business model innovation, the authors present their own framework – RESTART. Consisting of seven factors, this framework can be the basis for restarting any business model. The final section outlines a research agenda for sustainable business informed by the perspectives and frameworks put forward in this book.
- business model innovation
- circular economy
- sustainability
- sustainable business
- corporate responsibility
- open access
- corporate social responsibility
“The sustainable business agenda is mainstreaming at last, a process that coincides with the evolution and deployment of radically different mindsets, technologies and business models. Entire industries and economies will be disrupted. In RESTART , Sveinung Jørgensen and Lars Jacob Tynes Pedersen indicate where this grand convergence is now headed – and explain how business leaders and their organisations can help drive the necessary system change. Recommended reading.” (John Elkington, Chairman & Chief Pollinator, Volans)
“RESTART represents a thoughtful, well-researched and extremely practical approach to making business models sustainable for the future. The field of sustainability has lacked a comprehensive and practical approach for sustainable business model innovation, and RESTART fills this vital need. The case studies illustrate the framework in illuminating ways that senior executives can readily understand and use.” (Ram Nidumolu, CEO, Academy for Innovation & Management, award-winning HBR author)
“In the effort to solve the big sustainability challenges of our time, innovative business models are essential. In this book, Jørgensen and Pedersen show how companies can turn problems into solutions by giving their business models a RESTART. This book gives managers the tools for contributing to build a sustainable future.” (David Katz, Founder and CEO, The Plastic Bank)
“In RESTART Sustainable Business Model Innovation , Jørgensen and Pedersen offer a practical and inspiring framework for designing more sustainable business models. The book offers rich material on companies that aim to align sustainability and profitability, both in the Nordic setting and beyond. RESTART is a valuable read for practitioners and scholars alike.” (Robert Strand, Executive Director & Lecturer, Center for Responsible Business, Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley and Associate Professor of Leadership & Sustainability, Copenhagen Business School)
“Sustainability-oriented business models and their practical development are an increasingly important topic – for both academics and practitioners. To this day, we are missing consistent educational materials and frameworks that can be used in the classroom and in practice. Jørgensen and Pedersen address this gap with their innovative and well-crafted RESTART framework. A must read for every instructor, manager, and entrepreneur aiming for business models that contribute to sustainable development while they are successful in the market.” (Florian Lüdeke-Freund, Chair for Corporate Sustainability, ESCP Europe Business School, Berlin)
“The RESTART framework is a guideline to manage sustainability in the 4th Industrial Revolution. Sustainability continues to be unescapable for business managers but its challenges have now been combined with those of the 4th Industrial Revolution and its massive need for business innovation. This book will interest those operating in developing countries, such as Brazil, because some of the solutions to our social and environmental challenges are already a great business opportunity, with sustainability and innovation walking hand in hand.” (Annelise Vendramini, Professor, Sao Paulo School of Business Administration, Fundação Getulio Vargas)
“Jørgensen and Pedersen have written an authoritative book that draws together theories on innovation, business models, and sustainability in the unified RESTART framework. Their book may help resolve societal challenges related to climate, health, food waste, energy and many others. I was fascinated by their illuminating examples and case descriptions which explained theoretical insights and made the book easy to read. RESTART Sustainable Business Model Innovation is a must read for researchers, managers, and policy makers!” (Per Skålén, Professor of Business Administration, Service Research Center, Karlstad University)
“What we need now more than anything is to co-create a regenerative world where people thrive, do business consciously, lead with compassion and where our production is based on circularity. With RESTART the academic sustainability rock stars Jørgensen and Pedersen show how companies can contribute to such a thriving, regenerative future. Read their book. Get inspired, motivated and then get to work. We can do this.” (Laura Storm, Founder of Regenerators, Co-creator of Sustaina)
“Jørgensen and Pedersen explain how to avoid trade-offs between financial performance and externalities. They have developed a good framework that emphasize the need for innovation and new business models that also serve the customers better in order to achieve this, hence creating win-win. A RESTART is needed to future-proof your business.” (Reynir Indahl, Managing Partner, Summa Equity)
Sveinung Jørgensen
Lars Jacob Tynes Pedersen
Sveinung Jørgensen is Associate Professor at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norway. He holds a PhD degree from Karlstad University. He does research on the design and innovation of sustainable business models and field experiments on socially and/or environmentally beneficial behaviours. He serves on numerous boards, acts as a strategic business advisor and is an active public speaker.
Lars Jacob Tynes Pedersen is Associate Professor and head of the Centre of Ethics and Economics at NHH Norwegian School of Economics, Norway. He holds a PhD degree from the same institution. He does research on the design and innovation of sustainable business models and field experiments on socially and/or environmentally beneficial behaviours. He is an active public speaker and strategic business advisor.
Book Title : RESTART Sustainable Business Model Innovation
Authors : Sveinung Jørgensen, Lars Jacob Tynes Pedersen
Series Title : Palgrave Studies in Sustainable Business In Association with Future Earth
DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91971-3
Publisher : Palgrave Macmillan Cham
eBook Packages : Business and Management , Business and Management (R0)
Copyright Information : The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2018
License : CC BY-NC-ND
Hardcover ISBN : 978-3-319-91970-6 Published: 13 August 2018
Softcover ISBN : 978-3-030-06338-2 Published: 08 January 2019
eBook ISBN : 978-3-319-91971-3 Published: 31 July 2018
Series ISSN : 2662-1320
Series E-ISSN : 2662-1339
Edition Number : 1
Number of Pages : XXIII, 253
Number of Illustrations : 26 b/w illustrations
Topics : Management , Business Ethics , Business Strategy and Leadership

- For Librarians
- For Publishers
- For Researchers
- OAPEN Home
RESTART Sustainable Business Model Innovation

Publisher website
Publication date and place, classification.
- Imported or submitted locally
Export search results
The export option will allow you to export the current search results of the entered query to a file. Differen formats are available for download. To export the items, click on the button corresponding with the preferred download format.
A logged-in user can export up to 15000 items. If you're not logged in, you can export no more than 500 items.
To select a subset of the search results, click "Selective Export" button and make a selection of the items you want to export. The amount of items that can be exported at once is similarly restricted as the full export.
After making a selection, click one of the export format buttons. The amount of items that will be exported is indicated in the bubble next to export format.
- Business & Money
- Business Culture
Buy new: $8.69
- Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
- Learn more about free returns.
- Go to your orders and start the return
- Select the return method

Sorry, there was a problem.
Other sellers on amazon.

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required . Learn more
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web .
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Follow the Author

RESTART Sustainable Business Model Innovation (Palgrave Studies in Sustainable Business In Association with Future Earth) 1st ed. 2018 Edition
- Kindle $0.00 Read with Our Free App
- Hardcover $8.69 - $34.79 2 Used from $34.79 10 New from $8.69
- Paperback $31.00 - $34.19 2 Used from $34.19 13 New from $29.13
Enhance your purchase
Taking the business model as point of departure, this open access book explores how companies and organizations can contribute to a more sustainable future by designing innovative models that are both sustainable and profitable. Based upon years of research, it draws together theoretical foundations and existing literature on the topic of sustainable business alongside case studies and practical solutions. After examining the theoretical foundations of sustainable business model innovation, the authors present their own framework – RESTART. Consisting of seven factors, this framework can be the basis for restarting any business model. The final section outlines a research agenda for sustainable business informed by the perspectives and frameworks put forward in this book.
- ISBN-10 3319919709
- ISBN-13 978-3319919706
- Edition 1st ed. 2018
- Publisher Palgrave Macmillan
- Publication date August 13, 2018
- Part of series Palgrave Studies in Sustainable Business In Association with Future Earth
- Language English
- Dimensions 5.83 x 0.69 x 8.27 inches
- Print length 276 pages
- See all details

Editorial Reviews
“The sustainable business agenda is mainstreaming at last, a process that coincides with the evolution and deployment of radically different mindsets, technologies and business models. Entire industries and economies will be disrupted. In RESTART , Sveinung Jørgensen and Lars Jacob Tynes Pedersen indicate where this grand convergence is now headed – and explain how business leaders and their organisations can help drive the necessary system change. Recommended reading.” (John Elkington, Chairman & Chief Pollinator, Volans)
“RESTART represents a thoughtful, well-researched and extremely practical approach to making business models sustainable for the future. The field of sustainability has lacked a comprehensive and practical approach for sustainable business model innovation, and RESTART fills this vital need. The case studies illustrate the framework in illuminating ways that senior executives can readily understand and use.” (Ram Nidumolu, CEO, Academy for Innovation & Management, award-winning HBR author)
“In the effort to solve the big sustainability challenges of our time, innovative business models are essential. In this book, Jørgensen and Pedersen show how companies can turn problems into solutions by giving their business models a RESTART. This book gives managers the tools for contributing to build a sustainable future.” (David Katz, Founder and CEO, The Plastic Bank)
“In RESTART Sustainable Business Model Innovation , Jørgensen and Pedersen offer a practical and inspiring framework for designing more sustainable business models. The book offers rich material on companies that aim to align sustainability and profitability, both in the Nordic setting and beyond. RESTART is a valuable read for practitioners and scholars alike.” (Robert Strand, Executive Director & Lecturer, Center for Responsible Business, Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley and Associate Professor of Leadership & Sustainability, Copenhagen Business School)
“Sustainability-oriented business models and their practical development are an increasingly important topic – for both academics and practitioners. To this day, we are missing consistent educational materials and frameworks that can be used in the classroom and in practice. Jørgensen and Pedersen address this gap with their innovative and well-crafted RESTART framework. A must read for every instructor, manager, and entrepreneur aiming for business models that contribute to sustainable development while they are successful in the market.” (Florian Lüdeke-Freund, Chair for Corporate Sustainability, ESCP Europe Business School, Berlin)
“The RESTART framework is a guideline to manage sustainability in the 4th Industrial Revolution. Sustainability continues to be unescapable for business managers but its challenges have now been combined with those of the 4th Industrial Revolution and its massive need for business innovation. This book will interest those operating in developing countries, such as Brazil, because some of the solutions to our social and environmental challenges are already a great business opportunity, with sustainability and innovation walking hand in hand.” (Annelise Vendramini, Professor, Sao Paulo School of Business Administration, Fundação Getulio Vargas)
“Jørgensen and Pedersen have written an authoritative book that draws together theories on innovation, business models, and sustainability in the unified RESTART framework. Their book may help resolve societal challenges related to climate, health, food waste, energy and many others. I was fascinated by their illuminating examples and case descriptions which explained theoretical insights and made the book easy to read. RESTART Sustainable Business Model Innovation is a must read for researchers, managers, and policy makers!” (Per Skålén, Professor of Business Administration, Service Research Center, Karlstad University)
“What we need now more than anything is to co-create a regenerative world where people thrive, do business consciously, lead with compassion and where our production is based on circularity. With RESTART the academic sustainability rock stars Jørgensen and Pedersen show how companies can contribute to such a thriving, regenerative future. Read their book. Get inspired, motivated and then get to work. We can do this.” (Laura Storm, Founder of Regenerators, Co-creator of Sustaina)
“Jørgensen and Pedersen explain how to avoid trade-offs between financial performance and externalities. They have developed a good framework that emphasize the need for innovation and new business models that also serve the customers better in order to achieve this, hence creating win-win. A RESTART is needed to future-proof your business.” (Reynir Indahl, Managing Partner, Summa Equity)
From the Back Cover
About the author.
Sveinung Jørgensen is Associate Professor at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norway. He holds a PhD degree from Karlstad University. He does research on the design and innovation of sustainable business models and field experiments on socially and/or environmentally beneficial behaviours. He serves on numerous boards, acts as a strategic business advisor and is an active public speaker.
Lars Jacob Tynes Pedersen is Associate Professor and head of the Centre of Ethics and Economics at NHH Norwegian School of Economics, Norway. He holds a PhD degree from the same institution. He does research on the design and innovation of sustainable business models and field experiments on socially and/or environmentally beneficial behaviours. He is an active public speaker and strategic business advisor.
Product details
- Publisher : Palgrave Macmillan; 1st ed. 2018 edition (August 13, 2018)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 276 pages
- ISBN-10 : 3319919709
- ISBN-13 : 978-3319919706
- Item Weight : 1.09 pounds
- Dimensions : 5.83 x 0.69 x 8.27 inches
- #1,412 in Business Ethics (Books)
- #3,946 in Sustainable Business Development
- #3,974 in Business Development
About the author
Sveinung jørgensen.
Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
- Top reviews Most recent Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

- Amazon Newsletter
- About Amazon
- Accessibility
- Sustainability
- Press Center
- Investor Relations
- Amazon Devices
- Amazon Science
- Sell products on Amazon
- Sell apps on Amazon
- Supply to Amazon
- Protect & Build Your Brand
- Become an Affiliate
- Become a Delivery Driver
- Start a package delivery business
- Advertise Your Products
- Self-Publish with Us
- Host an Amazon Hub
- › See More Ways to Make Money
- Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Cards
- Amazon Store Card
- Amazon Secured Card
- Amazon Business Card
- Shop with Points
- Credit Card Marketplace
- Reload Your Balance
- Amazon Currency Converter
- Amazon and COVID-19
- Your Account
- Your Orders
- Shipping Rates & Policies
- Amazon Prime
- Returns & Replacements
- Manage Your Content and Devices
- Your Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
- Amazon Assistant
- Conditions of Use
- Privacy Notice
- Your Ads Privacy Choices
- Daily Deals
- Brand Outlet
- Help & Contact
- Watchlist Expand Watch List Loading... Sign in to see your user information
- Recently Viewed
- Bids/Offers
- Purchase History
- Saved Searches
- Saved Sellers
- Collection beta
- The eBay vault
- Notification
- Expand Cart Loading... Something went wrong. View cart for details.
- Back to home page
- Share | Add to Watchlist
Picture Information
Picture 1 of 1, shop with confidence, seller information.
- shopspell ( 20095 )
- 99.3% Positive feedback
- Save Seller
- Contact seller
- Visit store
- See other items

Restart Sustainable Business Model Innovation
Be the first to write a review .
Item Information
- Add to Watchlist
Oops! Looks like we're having trouble connecting to our server.
Refresh your browser window to try again.
An error occurred, please try again.
Bottom panel for Description
Item specifics, about this product, product information, product identifiers, product key features, additional product features, item description from the seller, shipping and handling, sales tax for an item #394226522630, return policy, payment details, detailed seller ratings, average for the last 12 months, popular categories from this store, seller feedback (21,224).
No ratings or reviews yet
More to explore :
- Sustainability Textbooks ,
- Sustainability Hardcover Textbooks ,
- Sustainability Paperback Textbooks ,
- Sustainability Textbooks in English ,
- Sustainability 2010-Now Publication Year Textbooks ,
- Business Antiquarian & Collectible Books ,
- Business Week Magazines ,
- Business & Economy Magazines ,
- The Economist Business & Economics Magazines ,
- Business Week Weekly Magazines
RESTART business
Jørgensen | pedersen.
We are Associate Professors and Sustainability Adventurers at NHH The Norwegian School of Economics. We work closely with companies to give research-based advice on how to design sustainable, circular and profitable business models in practice. Together we do research, give keynote presentations, teach and facilitate workshops, and we also serve on boards and advisory boards. Please contact us if you want us to talk at your event or train your business.
Check out sustbus.com where you can find 32 free videos we have made about how to design and implement sustainable business models in practice. Read more about us at JorgensenPedersen.no

Your RESTART
Visit our YouTube channel for videos in Norwegian and English
Norwegian: Din RESTART
Her er en presentasjon som viser hvordan du kan gi din eller andres forretningsmodell en RESTART.
Refences in the Norwegian RESTART
Her finner du referansene fra RESTART. Bruk disse for å fordype deg ytterligere.

Sveinung Jørgensen

Lars Jacob Tynes Pedersen
What can we do for you.
Send an email to sveinung.jorgensen @ gmail.com

JØRGENSEN | PEDERSEN
Who are we?
Our podcast
Adventures in Sustainability with Jørgensen & Pedersen
PODCAST EPISODES
Episode 8
July 22, 2022
#ASB008: Our new Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) "Business Models for Sustainability" with Kirsti Reitan Andersen
In this episode, we celebrate the great news that our new MOOC (Massive Online Open Course) " Business Models for Sustainability " is finally published on the Coursera platform. This is a great opportunity to everyone to follow a free online course in this topic from some of the best scholars in the field. We talk to Kirsti Reitan Andersen from Copenhagen Business School , who has been the engine in the work with the MOOC, which is joint work in collaboration between NHH (the two of us), CBS (Kirsti, Esben Rahbek Gjerdrum Pedersen and Ana Lucia Diaz Schiavon ), ESADE Business School ( David Murillo Bonvehi ) and ESCP Business School Berlin ( Florian Lüdeke-Freund ). The MOOC takes about 20 hours and is designed for a 7-week duration. It gives you insight into business models and their externalities, the different dimensions of sustainability, business model innovation, circular business models, different types of sustainable business models, social innovation, sustainable business model ecosystems and more. Enroll now for free on the Coursera platform - and do listen to this chat with Kirsti, where we talk about the nuts and bolts of the MOOC!
Episode 7
March 16, 2022
#ASB007: University Students Ask Great Questions about Sustainable Business with Ingeborg Rønning and Hannah Johansson
In this episode, we do one of our favorite things - talk about sustainable business with students! We are visited by two students from the University of Bergen, Hannah Johansson and Ingeborg Rønning, who in addition to being students, work with coordinating a student-led course on "Sustainable Innovation" at the University of Bergen. We talk about how student-led courses work in practice, the challenges and benefits of interdisciplinary work in sustainable business, and answer questions from the students who are taking the course. How do you know which businesses are actually sustainable? Can sustainability be measured and how? What is the role of collaboration for sustainable business, and how can companies influence governments to make better regulations? And not at least, is a green economy really possible within a capitalist system?
Episode 6
#ASB006: Organizing for Sustainability in New Business Models with Niels Faber
We are joined by Niels Faber, Assistant Professor of Circular Entrepreneurship at the University of Groningen, for a conversation about his new Open Access book (with Jan Jonker ), " Organizing for Sustainability: A Guide to Developing New Business Models ". We also discuss their new MOOC on the same topic, which his available for free on the edX platform . We discuss the challenge of organizing for sustainability, three stages in business model innovation for sustainability - definition, design and results, and the many ways in which business model innovation happens within and across organizational boundaries. We talk about the role of the dream for innovation, the challenge of identifying and measuring results across more than one performance dimension, and the benefits of publishing and sharing books and other materials open access.
Episode 5
March 09, 2022
#ASB005: Regenerative Leadership with Laura Storm
We are joined for a chat by Laura Storm whose personal and professional journeys in sustainability are too plentiful to cover in a single podcast episode. She was a sustainability adventurer from her childhood, and after finishing high-school she went to the Ecuadorian part of the Amazon to work as a volunteer in the same area where she had bought a piece of the rainforest when she was only 10 years old. She later initiated and led Sustainia and made it into a global brand, she was an early mover in the circular economy field, and she is a Greenbiz 'Worldchanger' and a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. Now she has embarked on a journey to mobilize Regenerators and Regenerators Journey , which is a movement for regenerative leadership. We talk about her recent book " Regenerative Leadership: The DNA of life-affirming 21st century organizations " (w/Giles Hutchins), what it means to be a regenerative leader, why leaders need to become ecosystem facilitators and whether Ray Anderson from Interface was a regenerative leader. Our conversation touches on wide-ranging topics like witches, the power of the young, reconnecting with nature and masculinity in leadership. We end by agreeing that we need to chat again soon. Hopefully, in Laura's Copenhagen.
Episode 4
February 03, 2022
#ASB004: The role of the CEO for sustainable business with Georg Wernicke
We are visited by Georg Wernicke , Assistant Professor at HEC Paris, for a chat about his work on the role of CEOs for sustainable business. How important is the CEO for the sustainability performance of companies? Is it the personality of the CEO or the function of the CEO that matters most, and what is the influence of the broader culture and context of the company for the CEO's ability and inclination to promote sustainability in business decisions? Needless to say, we draw many parallels to football. Is replacing a CEO like replacing a star striker? Why is Lars Jacob's Facebook feed full of videos of Diego Maradona and Ronaldinho, and how is that question related to Spotify CEO Daniel Ek's response to the ongoing #deletespotify campaign? We discuss the role of CEO activism on sociopolitical issues, whether older or younger CEOs care more about sustainability, why getting a daughter influences CEO's business decisions and we long for our beloved Paris, where Georg is back in the office, post-corona.
Episode 3
January 14, 2022
# JP003 Unsustainable and sustainable business models with Nancy Bocken
Professor Nancy Bocken is a world-leading researcher in the field of sustainable and circular business. Just like us, she combines her academic work with various types of business engagement. In addition to her academic affiliations in Maastricht, and Cambridge, she is also a co-founder of the company HOMIE and the leader of the large research project CircularX . We talk to Nancy about her work on unsustainable business models, the role of experimentation in sustainability innovation, whether ice cream should be considered a necessary product, the root causes of unsustainability in the economy, whether we need a new understanding of the economy à la Kate Raworths Doughnut Economics and why the Netherlands is such a hotspot for circular business.
Episode 2
September 9, 2021
# JP002 A RESTART for Sustainable Business
In this episode, we introduce the framework RESTART from our Open Access book "RESTART Sustainable Business Model Innovation". The framework consists of seven interrelated developments at the level of business models, which we believe are important for the transition to more sustainable business. The seven components of the acronym are, respectively, Redesign, Experimentation, Service-logic, The circular economy, Alliances, Results and Threedimensionality. We use the case of the American carpet producer Interface FLOR to illustrate the components of the framework and we draw out the canvas of how to think about more sustainable business models and how they can be achieved. You can download our book for free at www.jorgensenpedersen.no/en or at Palgrave's webpage .
Episode 1
# JP001 Let the adventures begin!
In the inaugural episode of Adventures in Sustainable Business, we introduce the podcast series. Why adventures? Why sustainable business? Who are we? And what will this all be about? We draw a roadmap for the coming episodes, in which we will explore the many different facets of sustainable business. The companies that try to make it happen. The research that shows us what works and what doesn´t. The people who are trying to make it a reality. The barriers that stand in the way. And so on. Let the adventures begin!
▶ Podcast
▶ Video
▶ Our research
▶ Latest news
JØRGENSEN | PEDERSEN - Copyright 2021. Website by Smashup Media
Search By Topic
Search by topic.

Join Future Earth
Making big business sustainable one RESTART at the time?
In our new, free Open Access book, RESTART Sustainable Business Model Innovation , we show how companies can design business models that are both sustainable and profitable. The book was published as a part of Palgrave Studies in Sustainable Business In Association with Future Earth , which is edited by two of the foremost thinkers in this field, Paul Shrivastava and Laszlo Zsolnai.

In the first four weeks, RESTART was downloaded more than 10 000 times. This is an indication of the huge demand for knowledge about how to align sustainability and profitability by means of new and innovative business models. Given the severity of the social and environmental problems we are facing, companies need to speed up their efforts substantially.
One example is the Norwegian company Scanship , the high performer on the Oslo Stock Exchange in 2017. This company is in the business of cleaning up after others, in the sense that it has primarily delivered waste management services for cruise ships. These services are highly necessary, because without Scanship’s services, a cruise ship with 5,000 guests has an environmental footprint equivalent to a city with 25,000 inhabitants. Thus, Scanship’s business model contributes to mitigate a major problem for the cruise industry.
But the cruise industry is not the only industry in need of clean-up. In 2017, we “used” 1.6 earths, while we of course only have one. August 1st of this year – the day on which our book was published – was incidentally also the date when we marked the earliest ever occurrence of Earth Overshoot Day – the day when we have used all the resources available to us and emitted as much as the planet can endure if we are to live sustainably. For the remainder of the year, we borrow from future generations. Will we ever pay them back?
Our current way of living is arguably not in line with sustainable development, which is about meeting today's needs without compromising the next generation's ability to cover their needs. Or to put it in economic terms: Sustainability implies living off the interest, not the capital. Our current way of living depletes nature’s capital, and combined with population growth and the need for increased affluence all around the world, humanity’s footprint will likely increase in the future. If all of humanity lived like we do in Norway, where we are currently writing this blogpost, we would need four Earths, not “only” 1.6 as today.
Hence, we are all "cruise passengers" on Earth, and we are eating from the buffet with excessive appetite. In order to turn the tide, we need companies that contribute with new and smarter solutions. There are huge business opportunities for companies that understand this, and together with Scanship we are trying to figure out how the company can redesign their business model in order to solve other sustainability problems as well.
Scanship now develops a microwave technology that can convert food and other waste into fuel and clean coal through carbon capture. The coal can be used for soil improvement and in a number of industrial processes. When this technology is installed on the cruise ships, it will reduce both the ships' footprints and fuel costs. Richard Branson and Virgin Voyages therefore use Scanship as a partner for Virgin's new fleet of cruise ships. Because of its ability to solve sustainability problems, Scanship is also an attractive partner and problem solver for actors in other industries.
In our research, we work with both Scanship and other companies that try to design business models that are (more) sustainable while at the same time being profitable. These are, for example, product manufacturers who want to get rid of disposable plastics in their packaging, financial institutions that want to make customers invest in sustainable funds and large retailers who want to become more circular by facilitating reuse rather than today’s business model based on “take, make and dispose”.
The goal of these research projects is to investigate sustainable business model innovations that can reduce our collective footprint. Compared to when we began our research on these themes more than a decade ago, sustainability is now high on the corporate agenda. After all, there is no use in merely talking about sustainability when the customers turn their backs on your products because they contain palm oil or excessive amounts of single-use plastics.
The development towards more sustainable business models is strengthened by new technologies that make it possible to produce and distribute products and services with lower footprints. In addition, there is a change in customer preferences that enable the exploitation of such technologies for sustainability-related purposes. Just think of the so-called "access economy", which implies means that music is now streamed through our phones, rather than played on tons and tons of physical records that were once produced and distributed together with record players and huge speakers. This may seem like a banal example on a burning planet. But it merely one example of how consumption is changing – in this case from the ownership of physical products to the use of lower-footprint digital services. Similar examples can be found in almost any industry.

Photo: Sveinung Jørgensen and Lars Jacob Tynes Pedersen
Our contribution to understanding how sustainability can become big business, is a framework we call RESTART. This is an acronym of seven letters that correspond with seven steps to sustainable business models. In our new book, we have developed the framework to provide decision-makers in various industries with a framework for conducting sustainable business model innovations. Thus, we designed it to deal with questions like what the company will deliver and to whom, how to design more sustainable business models in practice; and – not at least – how the company can profit from minimizing its negative and maximizing its positive externalities.
We have developed and used the RESTART framework for a period of many years, and we based the framework on seven changes in the ways companies create, deliver and capture value:
R edesign rather than standstill E xperimentation rather than turnaround S ervice-logic rather than product-logic T he circular rather than the linear economy A lliances rather than solo-runs R esults rather than indulgences T hree-dimensionality rather than one-dimensionality
New business models are emerging across all sectors, and redesign of business models reflects new ways to create, deliver and capture value, by taking into consideration sustainability issues and technological capabilities as drivers for business model innovation. To successfully redesign business models, it is necessary to conduct controlled experiments to identify and analyze what works and what does not. Rather than putting all eggs in the same basket, one should rather experiment on the way to a new business model.
In many cases, sustainable business can be promoted by a service-logic , in which value creation and value delivery are oriented towards giving the customer access to what he or she needs, rather than offering it in the form of a product based on ownership. There is no company in the world that does not use energy, water and other natural resources, or that do not generate to some extent excess resources and waste from their operations. To become more sustainable in a way that is compatible with financial performance, it can be helpful to think in terms of the circular economy in designing the way resources are acquired, processed, used and ultimately reused.
Solutions of the type that promotes circulation and service thinking will often require that businesses enter into alliances with other organizations that may enable them to create and deliver value in this way. This enables exploitation of the complementarity between companies, and even facilitates manufacturing, logistics or other processes that involves smarter use of resources than if companies do not cooperate.
In order to set the right goals and to prioritize the right efforts that can promote sustainability and profitability, it is essential to emphasize the right results. This involves identifying key externalities and material sustainability concerns that are critical for corporate strategy and operations. To succeed in achieving these goals, the entire organization must be designed in a way that reflects three-dimensionality . This means reflecting social, environmental and economic objectives in organizational design, leadership and management control systems.
More knowledge is needed about how businesses can design sustainable and profitable business models. We are, however, worried that this work is going too slowly, even though we see the traces of real change. Hopefully, RESTART Sustainable Business Model Innovation can contribute to maintaining the momentum towards many more sustainable business models. We need them in order to ensure a sustainable future. In that sense, maybe business can be the solution after all.
Sveinung Jørgensen is Associate Professor, PhD at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences. Lars Jacob Tynes Pedersen is Associate Professor, PhD at NHH Norwegian School of Economics, where he is Head of the Centre for Ethics and Economics. They work together as researchers and sustainability adventurers, and they engage closely with companies to give research based answers on how to design sustainable business models. They give key note presentations, teach and facilitate workshops. They also serve on boards and advisory boards, and in other ways work with organizations that aim to design and implement sustainable and profitable business models in practice. Find more information about them here: www.JorgensenPedersen.no
SHARE WITH YOUR NETWORK
RELATED POSTS
Circular Economy Practices Will Not Automatically Phase Out the Linear Economy
Celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science
Remembering Will Steffen: A Pioneering Scientist with a Generous Spirit

IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
RESTART Sustainable Business Model Innovation ; Hardcover Book USD 31.00 ; About this book. Taking the business model as point of departure, this open access book
“In RESTART Sustainable Business Model Innovation, Jørgensen and Pedersen offer a practical and inspiring framework for designing more sustainable busi-.
After examining the theoretical foundations of sustainable business model innovation, the authors present their own framework – RESTART.
Based upon years of research, it draws together theoretical foundations and existing literature on the topic of sustainable business alongside case studies and
Restart Sustainable Business Model Innovation | Taking the business model as point of departure, this open access book explores how companies and
Book Title: Restart Sustainable Business Model Innovation ; Author: Sveinung Jørgensen, Lars Jacob Tynes Pedersen ; Item Length: 8.3in. ; Publisher: Springer
We work closely with companies to give research-based advice on how to design sustainable, circular and profitable business models in practice. Together we do
In this episode, we introduce the framework RESTART from our Open Access book "RESTART Sustainable Business Model Innovation". The framework
After examining the theoretical foundations of sustainable business model innovation, the authors present their own framework - RESTART.
In our new, free Open Access book, RESTART Sustainable Business Model Innovation, we show how companies can design business models that are