Samenvatting

Keynote given during the 5th International Conference on New Business Models on the topic of sustainable, inclusive and circular new business models. New business models have been widely touted for their promise of sustainability. However, conceptual approaches to new business models by and large fail to make connections with sustainability transitions. In this contribution, DRIFT researcher and professor of New Business Models for Agrifood Transition, HAS University of Applied Sciences, PJ Beers draws upon the characteristics of sustainability transitions to introduce a transformative business model concept. Given that sustainability transitions are radically incremental processes, he proposes that the innovative potential of business models lies in the extent to which they can influence their current institutional setting and that the radicalism of new business models can only be assessed in relation to the transition to which they might contribute.