A multiple criteria approach to map ecological-inclusive business models for sustainable development

ABSTRACT

The paper presents the first attempt to apply a multiple criteria approach to map ecological-inclusive business models and to structure their main features, in terms of sustainable development. Ecological-inclusive business models are presented in this study, and 15 cases pertaining to agro-food organisations located in Sub-Saharan Africa are considered. These companies simultaneously deliver positive social and environmental value, and confirm a well-established market presence. As far as social value is concerned, the companies included in the sample use a Bottom-of-Pyramid approach, involving low-income customers and/or low-income business partners. As for environmental value, all the analysed companies implement frugal innovation or sustainable exploitation of natural resources in the afro-food sector. One of the results that has been achieved is that of disentangling the complexity behind a triple bottom-line business model through a multidimensional analysis framework that identifies the aspects that play a fundamental role in ecological-inclusive business models. An evaluation model and the application of a multiple criteria outranking method are proposed as examples of how some criteria, such as the extent of socio-environmental concerns, strategy orientation and value of partnerships can be used to compare, rank and/or select business models to facilitate decision makers. This work presents the results of an interdisciplinary study on the social entrepreneurship field of knowledge.

KEYWORDS:

• Multiple criteria approach
• mcda
• ecological-inclusive business models
• social entrepreneurship
• bottom-of-Pyramid

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. The data were published, by the World Bank database, on information provided by the United Nations Population Division’s World Urbanization Prospects: 2018, Rural population expressed as % of the total population. Further information can be obtained at: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS?end=2019&locations=ZG&name_desc=false&start=2019&type=shaded&view=map