Le aziende che integrano la sostenibilità sociale nel proprio modello di business ottengono davvero vantaggi economici? E in che modo la dimensione sociale della sostenibilità influenza l’innovazione e la resilienza aziendale?
Il gruppo di ricerca composto da Katia Corsi, Federico Rotondo, e Lucia Giovanelli ha svolto un’analisi approfondita sulle compagnie aeree low-cost, esaminando il legame tra sostenibilità sociale, innovazione e performance finanziaria. I risultati rivelano che l’integrazione della sostenibilità sociale non garantisce automaticamente un miglioramento dei profitti, ma può rafforzare la capacità di innovazione e la resilienza a lungo termine delle aziende, specialmente in periodi di crisi. Tuttavia, affinché questi benefici si concretizzino, è essenziale un’attenta gestione strategica.
Le aziende possono davvero prosperare puntando sulla sostenibilità sociale? Quali strategie adottano le compagnie aeree low cost? Leggi il paper completo per scoprirne di più
Abstract
The concept of a sustainable business model has increasingly been used to depict business cases that, by incorporating a triple bottom line approach, seek to realize economic success through environmental and social initiatives. Nevertheless, there is a call for more empirical research on design and innovation with respect to sustainable business models, as well as on the relationship they have with firm performance. This paper focuses on the social side of sustainability and aims to explore the extent to which integrating social sustainability objectives into the business model has a positive influence on a firm’s financial performance, promotes sustainable innovation, and enhances the firm’s ability to withstand discontinuities such as the recent financial crisis. Following a review of the existing literature, four propositions are formulated and subsequently tested through a multiple case study of four international low-cost carriers. The results have implications for theory and practice as they reveal that integrating social sustainability in the business model i) does not automatically influence financial performance, although it may have a role in the long-term financial outcomes of the firm; ii) influences the characteristics and effectiveness of sustainable innovation; iii) must be accompanied by intelligent managerial activity to be effective; and iv) does not necessarily lead to faster financial recovery in the aftermath of a discontinuity, but it does make a firm more resilient over a long-term basis.
Rotondo, Federico, Katia Corsi, and Lucia Giovanelli. “The social side of sustainable business models: An explorative analysis of the low-cost airline industry.” Journal of Cleaner Production 225 (2019): 806-819.
