Sustainable business model innovation and the barriers of implementation within the manufacturing landscape in Germany

Abstract

This thesis examines the challenges that hinder the successful implementation of sustainable business model innovation (SBMI) within the manufacturing industry in Germany. The focus on Germany is motivated by its robust manufacturing sector, offering a distinctive context for exploring the complexities of adopting SBMI. As sustainability continues to gain traction in all areas of life, including in business, adopting sustainable practices becomes more important than ever. Utilizing a qualitative research approach, including 14 in-depth interviews with sustainability managers and CEOs of German manufacturing companies, provided valuable insights. Continuing with a textual analysis, the study reveals a multifaceted landscape of barriers across various dimensions. Identified challenges include human-centered issues like cultural beliefs, shareholder pressure and resource constraints. Additionally, the study identifies organizational barriers related to holistic culture integration and process improvement. Furthermore, challenges emerging from dynamic market conditions and regulatory issues at both national and global levels were recognized. The research also highlights supply chain complexity and impact measurement challenges, in particular software, metrics and reporting structures. The findings confirm the existing literature while also making new contributions to the area. New contributions are among others the relevance of human-centric challenges such as diverse beliefs and norms. Additionally, the research reveals the importance of establishing appropriate long-term partnerships. To overcome these barriers, organizations must move beyond incremental approaches to embrace holistic change across the enterprise and consider its broader context. Achieving this transformation demands a fundamental shift in the organization's conceptualization of business purpose, requiring a comprehensive reengineering of business processes.

Date of Award	26 Jan 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Filipa Andrêa Godinho de Lancastre Serpa Pinto (Supervisor)