Blueprint 4: New Business Models

The New Business Models Blueprint builds on the foundation of the first three Blueprints to propose a new approach to business models that integrates considerations from multiple perspectives. Accordingly, we establish a working definition of what we call Integral Business Models.

To set a baseline, the New Business Models Blueprint conducts a comprehensive literature and practice review to assess the current state of play and thinking around sustainable business models, and identifies five clusters of thinking and practice. The Blueprint then draws from the other three Blueprints to collate a set of aspects that add economic system redesign considerations to the existing current new business models practice / thinking.

The Blueprint then identifies a selected set of Implementation Methods for seeding Integral Business Models in both bottom-up approaches by entrepreneurs incubating startups and early stage companies, and inside-out approaches by intrapreneurs to transform existing business models for navigating the transition of emerging economic, social, and ecological realities. The Implementation Methods fall into the following broad categories, with more specific categories (including, for example, performance and compensation metrics):

• Governance & Strategy
• Risk & Innovation
• Scenario Analysis & Transition Planning
• Roles & Strategic Leadership

To support integration of both General Characteristic assessment and Implementation Methods, the Blueprint provides an Integral Business Models Process Flowchart, and well as a Template for hands-on guidance. To “road-test” these materials, and illustrate movement toward Integral Business Models (since none currently exist), the Blueprint includes three Case Examples of startup / early enterprises (VDMbee, ReBlend, and Co-op Power) self-administering (in a structured process) the Process Flowchart and Template.