- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- +1 416 576 2542
Antony Upward
Ontario College of Art And Design, Strategic Innovation Lab (sLab), Department Member
- Edward James Consulting, Ltd., Management Consulting, Department MemberHalmstad University, School of Business, Engineering and Science, Department of Innovation Management, Business Model Innovation group in the Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Learning (CIEL), Department MemberYork University, Faculty of Environmental Studies & Schulich School of Business, Alumnusadd
- http://MyInvitationToYou.AntonyUpward.nameedit
Research Interests: Applied Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility, Ecosystem Services, Business Modeling, Design for Social Innovation, and 15 moreEcological Design, Collaboration, Corporate Sustainability, Design Innovation, Business Models, Business and Management, Business architecture, Flourishing, Creating Shared Value, Global Responsibility, Business Model Canvas, Design for Social Impact, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT, Flourishing Enterprises, and Future Fit Business
Business is increasingly employing sustainability practices, aiming to improve environmental and social responsibility while maintaining and improving profitability. For many organizations, profit-oriented business models are a major... more
Business is increasingly employing sustainability practices, aiming to improve environmental and social responsibility while maintaining and improving profitability. For many organizations, profit-oriented business models are a major constraint impeding progress in sustainability. A formally defined ontology, a model definition, for profit-oriented business models has been employed globally for several years. However, no equivalent ontology is available in research or practice that enables the description of strongly sustainable business models, as validated by ecological economics and derived from natural, social, and system sciences. We present a framework of strongly sustainable business model propositions and principles as findings from a transdisciplinary review of the literature. A comparative analysis was performed between the framework and the Osterwalder profit-oriented ontology for business models. We introduce an ontology that enables the description of successful strongly sustainable business models that resolves weaknesses and includes functionally necessary relationships.
[Since this research was completed, the practitioner visual design tool (the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Canvas) that is conceptually "powered by" the the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Ontology, has been further refined to become the Flourishing Business Canvas - see www.FlourishingBusiness.org for the most recent practice and developments].
This paper is part of the special issue “Business Models for Sustainability: Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Transformation” https://blog.ssbmg.com/2013/07/29/call-for-papers-for-a-special-issue-of-organization-environment-business-models-for-sustainability-entrepreneurship-innovation-and-transformation/. It was submitted at the personal invitation of guest editors Prof. Dr. Stefan Schaltegger, Prof. Dr. Erik Hansen and Dr. Florian Lüdeke-Freund (Leuphana University Centre for Sustainability Management)
[Since this research was completed, the practitioner visual design tool (the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Canvas) that is conceptually "powered by" the the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Ontology, has been further refined to become the Flourishing Business Canvas - see www.FlourishingBusiness.org for the most recent practice and developments].
This paper is part of the special issue “Business Models for Sustainability: Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Transformation” https://blog.ssbmg.com/2013/07/29/call-for-papers-for-a-special-issue-of-organization-environment-business-models-for-sustainability-entrepreneurship-innovation-and-transformation/. It was submitted at the personal invitation of guest editors Prof. Dr. Stefan Schaltegger, Prof. Dr. Erik Hansen and Dr. Florian Lüdeke-Freund (Leuphana University Centre for Sustainability Management)
Research Interests: Ontology, Design Science, Corporate Social Responsibility, Social Entrepreneurship, Ecosystem Services, and 42 moreDesign for Social Innovation, Ecological Design, Sustainable Development, Collaboration, Ontology (Computer Science), Sustainability (Organisational Strategy), Sustainable Business, Corporate Sustainability, Design Innovation, Resilience (Sustainability), Environmental Sustainability, Strategy (Business), Sustainable Design, Ontology Engineering, Visual Design, Business Plan, Business Models, Reflexive Modernisation, Business architecture, enterprise Ontology, Socially Responsible Investment, Socially Responsible Consumption, Corporate Social Responsibility, Flourishing, Strong Sustainability, Creating Shared Value, Human flourishing, Business modelling, Ontologies, Knowledge representation, Semantic web, Cloud computing, Ontology based data access, Knowlede management, Strong Sustainability practice, Business Model Canvas, Design for Social Impact, Impact Investment, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Socially Responsible Design, Socially Engaged Craft, Sustainability, Tri-Profit, Tri-Profitability, Visual Design Tool, Future Fit, Future Fitness, Flourishing Enterprises, Flourishing Business, and Future Fit Business
=Purpose This conceptual paper alerts the reader to the urgent need to address the most pressing challenge and opportunity of the 21st century, namely leadership that enables flourishing for all forever. =Design/methodology/approach This... more
=Purpose
This conceptual paper alerts the reader to the urgent need to address the most pressing challenge and opportunity of the 21st century, namely leadership that enables flourishing for all forever.
=Design/methodology/approach
This concept paper suggests a heuristic for the reader and supplies a working model of leadership as enabling function for flourishing that arises from a survey of the literature around leadership development as well as a brief review of the literature on flourishing.
=Findings
The paper highlights the reality that there are, as yet, only a small number of organizations and leadership that have conceptualized and implemented the notion of flourishing by design and that a great deal more research and implementation needs to occur to prove the validity of the model.
=Research limitations/implications
We need to undertake quasi-experimental research in which leadership development praxis incorporates the element of flourishing by design and then action research through which the outcomes can be measured, modified, and ongoing improvements iterated into the organizational design.
=Practical implications
This paper suggests a different mindset and skillset for leadership, and by implication, leadership development. Our ongoing research into "Seeking Best Methods for Leadership Development," through our Round 1 Delphi survey has uncovered the elements of Human Capital, Social Capital, Structural Capital, and Self Leadership, as core elements desired by global CEO's as necessary for an effective leadership development program. What we did not probe for, and need to probe for, is the element of "Flourishing Capital," or the degree to which the leadership might be developed to serve as enabling function for flourishing for all forever
=Originality/value
The paper highlights the reality that there are, as yet, only a small number of organizations and leadership that have conceptualized and implemented the notion of flourishing by design and that a great deal more research and implementation needs to occur to prove the validity of the model.
[To learn more about Leadership for Flourishing see www.globalleader.ca/. To learn more about the Flourishing Business Canvas see www.FlourishingBusiness.org]
This conceptual paper alerts the reader to the urgent need to address the most pressing challenge and opportunity of the 21st century, namely leadership that enables flourishing for all forever.
=Design/methodology/approach
This concept paper suggests a heuristic for the reader and supplies a working model of leadership as enabling function for flourishing that arises from a survey of the literature around leadership development as well as a brief review of the literature on flourishing.
=Findings
The paper highlights the reality that there are, as yet, only a small number of organizations and leadership that have conceptualized and implemented the notion of flourishing by design and that a great deal more research and implementation needs to occur to prove the validity of the model.
=Research limitations/implications
We need to undertake quasi-experimental research in which leadership development praxis incorporates the element of flourishing by design and then action research through which the outcomes can be measured, modified, and ongoing improvements iterated into the organizational design.
=Practical implications
This paper suggests a different mindset and skillset for leadership, and by implication, leadership development. Our ongoing research into "Seeking Best Methods for Leadership Development," through our Round 1 Delphi survey has uncovered the elements of Human Capital, Social Capital, Structural Capital, and Self Leadership, as core elements desired by global CEO's as necessary for an effective leadership development program. What we did not probe for, and need to probe for, is the element of "Flourishing Capital," or the degree to which the leadership might be developed to serve as enabling function for flourishing for all forever
=Originality/value
The paper highlights the reality that there are, as yet, only a small number of organizations and leadership that have conceptualized and implemented the notion of flourishing by design and that a great deal more research and implementation needs to occur to prove the validity of the model.
[To learn more about Leadership for Flourishing see www.globalleader.ca/. To learn more about the Flourishing Business Canvas see www.FlourishingBusiness.org]
Research Interests: Corporate Social Responsibility, Social Entrepreneurship, Ecosystem Services, Business Modeling, Leadership, and 27 moreDesign for Social Innovation, Ecological Design, Sustainable Development, Collaboration, Sustainability (Organisational Strategy), Sustainable Business, Corporate Sustainability, Design Innovation, Business Models, Leadership, Personal Development, Talent Management, Business architecture, Flourishing, Creating Shared Value, Socially responsible design, Human flourishing, Transformational Leadership, Change Leadership, Leadership Development, Strong Sustainability practice, Business Model Canvas, Design for Social Impact, Transformational leadership and Servant leadership, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Sustainability, Reslience, Tri-Profit, Flourishing Enterprises, Future Fit Business, and Socially Responsibile Leadership
In this paper we explore the role of leadership in enabling and accelerating the impact of strategic sustainability initiatives. We do this by first identifying the central integration challenges that strategic sustainability presents... more
In this paper we explore the role of leadership in enabling and accelerating the impact of strategic sustainability initiatives. We do this by first identifying the central integration challenges that strategic sustainability presents through an examination of the five levels of the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD). We describe the importance of relational leadership for strategic sustainability, or the ongoing process of meaning making and reflection within a nested system of the biosphere and society, for understanding how leadership might address the relational tensions that continuously present themselves from this central challenge of integration. The primary contribution of this paper is that we have developed a conceptual model of relational leadership for strategic sustainability, grounded in practice, which describes specific practices and capabilities to support the FSSD in achieving its transformational potential. A secondary and related contribution is that we have examined two innovations advancing strategic sustainable organization management, the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Canvas and the Future-Fit Business Benchmark, to consider how they embody relational leadership for sustainability, and how these practices and capabilities help to support and measure success in the FSSD. Keywords: strategic sustainability; relational leadership; integration; strongly sustainable business model canvas; future-fit business benchmark.
[Since this article was developed, the practitioner visual business model design tool, the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Canvas, has been further refined to become the Flourishing Business Canvas - see http://www.FlourishingBusiness.org for the most recent practice and developments]
This paper is part of the special issue “Systematic Leadership Towards Strategic Sustainability” http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652613004800. Dr. Bob Willard and Antony Upward were personally invited to submit an article by the guest editors Göran Broman, Karl-Henrik Robèrt, George Basile, Terrence Collins, Rupert Baumgartner and Tobias Larsson
[Since this article was developed, the practitioner visual business model design tool, the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Canvas, has been further refined to become the Flourishing Business Canvas - see http://www.FlourishingBusiness.org for the most recent practice and developments]
This paper is part of the special issue “Systematic Leadership Towards Strategic Sustainability” http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652613004800. Dr. Bob Willard and Antony Upward were personally invited to submit an article by the guest editors Göran Broman, Karl-Henrik Robèrt, George Basile, Terrence Collins, Rupert Baumgartner and Tobias Larsson
Research Interests:
As companies and other organizations increasingly recognize society’s demand for greater social and environmental sustainability, university and college business schools have responded with new pedagogic approaches. Business schools have... more
As companies and other organizations increasingly recognize society’s demand for greater social and environmental sustainability, university and college business schools have responded with new pedagogic approaches. Business schools have begun to offer courses in business models and business model innovation that focus not only on profit-normative goals but also on social and environmental goals. This paper describes an Experiential Workshop for university undergraduates in which the Service-Learning pedagogic approach is taken and Flourishing Business Canvas is applied as a tool for collaborative visual business modelling. In the Workshop, the students work with business model innovation for a biogas production cooperative of farmer-members in southern Sweden. The students take the role of problem-owners and problem-solvers as they co-create new business models ideas for the cooperative. The paper presents the students’ achievement of three Learning Objectives as they engage in meaningful, “real-world” simulations with a high degree of autonomy that allows them to combine their theoretical knowledge with practice. Implications for educators who wish to test the Experiential Workshop in their classrooms are proposed. The paper concludes with the suggestion that Education for Flourishing is a useful expansion of Education for Sustainable Development.
This paper was part of the special issue “Education for Sustainable Development” (https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-cleaner-production/call-for-papers/developing-sustainability-into-a-golden-thread-throughout-al) and features the Flourishing Business Canvas as the tool used for the business modelling aspect of this research.
This paper was part of the special issue “Education for Sustainable Development” (https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-cleaner-production/call-for-papers/developing-sustainability-into-a-golden-thread-throughout-al) and features the Flourishing Business Canvas as the tool used for the business modelling aspect of this research.
Research Interests: Experiential Learning (Active Learning), Biogas, Cooperatives, Design Thinking (Business), Experiential Learning, and 7 moreBusiness Design, Business modelling, Strategic Sustainable Development, business models design, value network, Education for Sustainable Development, Business Model Canvas, Flourishing Business, and Flourishing Business Canvas
A conference paper that introduced the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Canvas that is conceptually "powered by" the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Ontology. This practitioner visual design tool supports the description of past,... more
A conference paper that introduced the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Canvas that is conceptually "powered by" the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Ontology. This practitioner visual design tool supports the description of past, current, or future business models that may create outcomes anywhere on a continuum of profit-prioritizing to strongly sustainable. Strongly sustainable outcomes, a term originated by Ecological Economists, are those that "sustain the possibility that human and other life will flourish on this planet forever" (Ehrenfeld).
Slides and other materials from conference presentation: http://systemic-design.net/rsd3-proceedings/business-enterprise-design/
Subsequently the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Canvas has been further refined to become the Flourishing Business Canvas (see www.FlourishingBusiness.org for the most recent practice and developments).
Slides and other materials from conference presentation: http://systemic-design.net/rsd3-proceedings/business-enterprise-design/
Subsequently the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Canvas has been further refined to become the Flourishing Business Canvas (see www.FlourishingBusiness.org for the most recent practice and developments).
Research Interests: Ontology, Design Science, Corporate Social Responsibility, Social Entrepreneurship, Ecosystem Services, and 38 moreDesign for Social Innovation, Ecological Design, Sustainable Development, Collaboration, Ontology (Computer Science), Sustainability (Organisational Strategy), Sustainable Business, Corporate Sustainability, Design Innovation, Resilience (Sustainability), Environmental Sustainability, Strategy (Business), Sustainable Design, Visual Design, Business Plan, Business Models, Business architecture, enterprise Ontology, Flourishing, Strong Sustainability, Creating Shared Value, Socially responsible design, Human flourishing, Business modelling, Strong Sustainability practice, Business Model Canvas, Design for Social Impact, Impact Investment, Socially Responsible Investment, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Sustainability, Socially Responsible Consumption, Tri-Profit, Tri-Profitability, Visual Design Tool, Flourishing Enterprises, Flourishing Business, and Future Fit Business
What distinguishes true leaders in the sustainable business movement is their ability to drive innovation by articulating a compelling vision for their business and monitoring performance relative to that vision - i.e., “How much closer... more
What distinguishes true leaders in the sustainable business movement is their ability to drive innovation by articulating a compelling vision for their business and monitoring performance relative to that vision - i.e., “How much closer to sustainability are we getting through our innovations and performance improvements?”
That simple question deserves a simple answer. Sustainability experts are good at describing how a business would perform if it were more sustainable. It is time that we put a stake in the ground and described how a company would perform if it were totally sustainable. That is, we need a gold-standard benchmark for a truly sustainable business.
A truly sustainable business creates positive financial, social, and natural capital. A gold-standard benchmark for a truly sustainable business includes key performance indicators (KPIs) with accompanying goals that clearly define what that visionary goal line looks like―so that we will recognize companies that have reached it when we see them.
[Since this report this work continues to evolve becoming the Future Fit Business Benchmark. For current details of this project in which I am still involved please see http://futurefitbusiness.org]
That simple question deserves a simple answer. Sustainability experts are good at describing how a business would perform if it were more sustainable. It is time that we put a stake in the ground and described how a company would perform if it were totally sustainable. That is, we need a gold-standard benchmark for a truly sustainable business.
A truly sustainable business creates positive financial, social, and natural capital. A gold-standard benchmark for a truly sustainable business includes key performance indicators (KPIs) with accompanying goals that clearly define what that visionary goal line looks like―so that we will recognize companies that have reached it when we see them.
[Since this report this work continues to evolve becoming the Future Fit Business Benchmark. For current details of this project in which I am still involved please see http://futurefitbusiness.org]
Research Interests: Business, Measurement and Evaluation, Evaluation, Environmental Sustainability, Benchmarking, and 11 moreSocial sustainability, Flourishing, Strong Sustainability, Strong Sustainability practice, Future Fit, Flourishing Enterprises, Flourishing Business, Future Fit Business, Future Fit Business, Future Fit Business, and Future Fit Business
This white paper explores the rationale for building a consensus within the broader field of biomimicry, biomimetics and biologically inspired design to encourage dialogue, increase collaboration and help build a community of practice.... more
This white paper explores the rationale for building a consensus within the broader field of biomimicry, biomimetics and biologically inspired design to encourage dialogue, increase collaboration and help build a community of practice. The goal is to improve scalability, repeatability and predictability of bio-inspired practice by describing a set of common characteristics and proposing a set of actions.
Research Interests:
A Book Review of The Nature of Business: Redesign for Resilience by Giles Hutchins
Research Interests: Sustainability (Organisational Strategy), Change Management, Environmental Sustainability, Organizational Effectiveness, Sustainable Design, and 6 moreBiomimicry, Biomimicry and Social Systems, Ecologically sustainable design and biomimicry, Organizational Sustainability, Organizational resilience, and Organizational Design and Structure
30 min talk: Slides only, embedded video and speakers notes sharable by request (this PDF will also be published on conference website http://2019.reporting3.org) In this talk we share our experiences shifting the mind-sets and... more
30 min talk: Slides only, embedded video and speakers notes sharable by request
(this PDF will also be published on conference website http://2019.reporting3.org)
In this talk we share our experiences shifting the mind-sets and changing the behaviours of leaders in Norway with business evolution: a fit-for-the-future strategy program, method and tools.
(Text in grey was not presented)
(this PDF will also be published on conference website http://2019.reporting3.org)
In this talk we share our experiences shifting the mind-sets and changing the behaviours of leaders in Norway with business evolution: a fit-for-the-future strategy program, method and tools.
(Text in grey was not presented)
Research Interests: Enterprise Architecture, Ecological Economics, Sustainability (Organisational Strategy), Transformational Leadership, Strategy (Business), and 13 moreDesign Thinking (Business), Eco-efficiency, Corporate Strategy, Business Models, Flourishing, Strong Sustainability, Whole systems thinking and Sustainability, Strong Sustainability practice, Design Strategy, Design Thinking & Business, Business Model Canvas, United Nations Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals, Flourishing Business Canvas, and UN SDGs
20 min talk: Slides with speakers notes (will also be published on conference website http://2018.reporting3.org) In this talk, made in support of the launch of the Reporting 3.0 New Business Models Blueprint... more
20 min talk: Slides with speakers notes (will also be published on conference website http://2018.reporting3.org)
In this talk, made in support of the launch of the Reporting 3.0 New Business Models Blueprint (https://reporting3.org/publications/), I argue that to realize the benefits of "new" / integral / flourishing / strongly sustainable / future-fit / regenerative business models companies needs methods, tools and practices to design and implement strategies / business models.
Further, in our changing world, to remain financially viable, *all* enterprises' strategies must consider how they define success. I close with an introduction to the six major projects of the members of the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Group - Future-Fit Business Benchmark, Flourishing Business Canvas, REFOCUS on Sustainability, Lean for Flourishing Startups, Aim2Flourish and Reporting 3.0 (http://forum.SSBMG.com)
(Text in grey was not presented)
In this talk, made in support of the launch of the Reporting 3.0 New Business Models Blueprint (https://reporting3.org/publications/), I argue that to realize the benefits of "new" / integral / flourishing / strongly sustainable / future-fit / regenerative business models companies needs methods, tools and practices to design and implement strategies / business models.
Further, in our changing world, to remain financially viable, *all* enterprises' strategies must consider how they define success. I close with an introduction to the six major projects of the members of the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Group - Future-Fit Business Benchmark, Flourishing Business Canvas, REFOCUS on Sustainability, Lean for Flourishing Startups, Aim2Flourish and Reporting 3.0 (http://forum.SSBMG.com)
(Text in grey was not presented)
Research Interests: Enterprise Architecture, Ecological Economics, Systems Thinking, Sustainability (Organisational Strategy), Strategy (Business), and 14 moreDesign Thinking (Business), Eco-efficiency, Corporate Strategy, Business Models, Flourishing, Strong Sustainability, Human flourishing, Whole systems thinking and Sustainability, Strong Sustainability practice, Design Strategy, Design Thinking & Business, Business Model Canvas, United Nations Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals, Flourishing Business Canvas, and UN SDGs
A talk: Slides with speakers notes + link to video recording (see links above). In this talk I argue that increasingly, in our our changing world, to remain financially viable *all* enterprises must consider how they define success. I... more
A talk: Slides with speakers notes + link to video recording (see links above).
In this talk I argue that increasingly, in our our changing world, to remain financially viable *all* enterprises must consider how they define success. I explore current, emerging and necessary future definitions of enterprise success informed by the latest trans-disciplinary systems-thinking science. I close with a call to action.
In the discussion we explore the need for a global movement towards flourishing #Movement4Flourishing - focusing on establishing the UN Flourishing Goals to succeed the UN Sustainable Development Goals in 2030.
(Text in grey, and slides with yellow square bottom right were not presented; a 20 minuite "Ted Talk" version is also available upon request)
In this talk I argue that increasingly, in our our changing world, to remain financially viable *all* enterprises must consider how they define success. I explore current, emerging and necessary future definitions of enterprise success informed by the latest trans-disciplinary systems-thinking science. I close with a call to action.
In the discussion we explore the need for a global movement towards flourishing #Movement4Flourishing - focusing on establishing the UN Flourishing Goals to succeed the UN Sustainable Development Goals in 2030.
(Text in grey, and slides with yellow square bottom right were not presented; a 20 minuite "Ted Talk" version is also available upon request)
Research Interests: Enterprise Architecture, Ecological Economics, Systems Thinking, Design Thinking (Business), Eco-efficiency, and 9 moreBusiness Models, Flourishing, Strong Sustainability, Human flourishing, Strong Sustainability practice, Business Model Canvas, United Nations Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals, Flourishing Business Canvas, and UN SDGs
A keynote talk: I was asked by the organizing committee to attempt to be provocative - after all doing anything "new", like "new business models", implies we will need to stretch ourselves In this light I introduce the work of the... more
A keynote talk: I was asked by the organizing committee to attempt to be provocative - after all doing anything "new", like "new business models", implies we will need to stretch ourselves
In this light I introduce the work of the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Group whose work applies a primarily design science rather than a descriptive science epistemology.
In our work we undertake systemic-design research...and this approach requires us to be explicit about the normative – a scary subject for many.
In my talk I argue that this is a vital aspect of all research into new business and propose some approaches to how researchers *and* practitioners can proceed with confidence
(Text in grey, and slides with yellow square bottom right were not presented at the conference. A longer version of this talk including more about design science vs. descriptive science and additional details on successful business models was presented at Halmstad University, Sweden, June 1, 2017 and is available on request)
In this light I introduce the work of the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Group whose work applies a primarily design science rather than a descriptive science epistemology.
In our work we undertake systemic-design research...and this approach requires us to be explicit about the normative – a scary subject for many.
In my talk I argue that this is a vital aspect of all research into new business and propose some approaches to how researchers *and* practitioners can proceed with confidence
(Text in grey, and slides with yellow square bottom right were not presented at the conference. A longer version of this talk including more about design science vs. descriptive science and additional details on successful business models was presented at Halmstad University, Sweden, June 1, 2017 and is available on request)
Research Interests: Enterprise Architecture, Ecological Economics, Systems Thinking, Design Thinking (Business), Eco-efficiency, and 9 moreBusiness Models, Flourishing, Strong Sustainability, Human flourishing, Strong Sustainability practice, Business Model Canvas, United Nations Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals, Flourishing Business Canvas, and UN SDGs
Human commerce utilizes the most significant share of natural resources and produces the largest aggregate impact on the earth’s environment. As a consequence of modern employment and work cultures, commerce, corporations as opposed to... more
Human commerce utilizes the most significant share of natural resources and produces the largest aggregate impact on the earth’s environment. As a consequence of modern employment and work cultures, commerce, corporations as opposed to governments, also construct much of the social contract and social organizational forms in developed societies. Sustainable development movements to conserve resources and to democratize or enhance organizational practices have called for culture change or transformation. However, these approaches have not yielded results that will significantly enhance human flourishing in the face of globalized commerce, which has no common governance system. We suggest that the goals of alignment toward sustainable development or so-called corporate sustainability are misguided and systemically depreciative, as they purport to sustain activities that foreseeably accelerate ecological degradation. We propose a modeling practice for stakeholder design of strongly sustainable enterprises for the intention of whole system flourishing across living ecosystems and organized social systems. This systemic design approach to business transformation functions at the level of the business model. We claim that business model design affords the highest leverage across all modes of organizing for collective cultural adoption ecosystemic practices.
Research Interests:
A workshop featuring a case study using the Flourishing Business Canvas, used to explore the business model of Redwood Classics - an innovative apparel company in Toronto, Canada.
Research Interests:
The global launch event of the Flourishing Enterprise Innovation Toolkit, including workshops featuring version 2.0 of the Flourishing Business Canvas.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
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Research Interests:
The Flourishing Enterprise Strategy Design Method is a robust procedure that helps leaders craft effective enterprise strategies in our increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world. Informed by the latest science and... more
The Flourishing Enterprise Strategy Design Method is a robust procedure that helps leaders craft effective enterprise strategies in our increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world. Informed by the latest science and practice, it enables leaders to create strategic paths for enterprises and their stakeholders to improve their performance financially, socially and environmentally. The method integrates business design and strategy techniques with vital science-based principles for flourishing. From an overall process perspective, the method employs the backcasting approach. From a strategic planning standpoint, the method hosts a strategic conversation about the stakeholder’s definition of success for the enterprise considering science-based principles. This occurs during an iterative co-creative systemic-design process focused on business modelling. Business modelling is enabled by the Flourishing Business Canvas: an innovative visual design tool aligned with the science-based principles. A case study of a medium-sized manufacturing business illustrates how the method is applied. Finally, the case is made for swift adoption of these innovative strategy methods by enterprises in all sectors and sizes to enable their powerful response to current climate challenges, to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and to go beyond to ensure the conditions for all life to flourish are re-enabled for future generations.
Research Interests: Strategic Foresight, Strategic Management, Strategy (Business), Futures Studies and Foresight, Strong Sustainability, and 13 moreBusiness Model, Backcasting, Backcasting Using Principles, Human flourishing, Business modelling, Business Model Design, Strategic Sustainable Development, business models design, value network, FLOURISHING AT WORK, Systemic Design, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Flourishing Enterprises, Systemic Eco-innovation, and Systemic Innovation Design
Research Interests:
(To read this thesis click "URL hdl.handle.net" at top of this entry) An ontology describing the constructs and their inter-relationships for business models has recently been built and evaluated: the Business Model Ontology (BMO). This... more
(To read this thesis click "URL hdl.handle.net" at top of this entry)
An ontology describing the constructs and their inter-relationships for business models has recently been built and evaluated: the Business Model Ontology (BMO). This ontology has been used to conceptually power a popular practitioner visual design tool: the Business Model Canvas (BMC).
However, implicitly these works assume that designers of business models all have a singular normative goal: the creation of businesses that are financially profitable. These works perpetuate beliefs and businesses that do not create outcomes aligned with current natural and social science knowledge about long term individual human, societal and ecological flourishing, i.e. outcomes are not strongly sustainable. This limits the applicability and utility of these works.
This exploratory research starts to overcome these limitations: creating knowledge of what is required of businesses for strongly sustainable outcomes to emerge and helping business model designers efficiently create high quality (reliable, consistent, effective) strongly sustainable business models.
Based on criticism and review, this research project extends the BMO artefact to enable the description all the constructs and their inter-relationships related to a strongly sustainable business model. This results in the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Ontology (SSBMO). To help evaluate the SSBMO a practitioner visual design tool is also developed: the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Canvas (SSBMC).
Ontological engineering (from Artificial Intelligence), Design Science and Systems Thinking methodological approaches were combined in a novel manner to create the Systemic Design Science approach used to build and evaluate the SSBMO. Comparative analysis, interviews and case study techniques were used to evaluate the utility of the designed artefacts.
Formal 3rd party evaluation with 7 experts and 2 case study companies resulted in validation of the overall approaches used and the utility of the SSBMO. A number of opportunities for improvement, as well as areas for future work, are identified.
This thesis includes a number of supplementary graphics included in separate (electronic) files. See “List of Supplementary Materials” for details.
[Since this research was completed, the practitioner visual design tool (the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Canvas) that is conceptually "powered by" the the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Ontology, has been further refined to become the Flourishing Business Canvas - see www.FlourishingBusiness.org for the most recent practice and developments].
An ontology describing the constructs and their inter-relationships for business models has recently been built and evaluated: the Business Model Ontology (BMO). This ontology has been used to conceptually power a popular practitioner visual design tool: the Business Model Canvas (BMC).
However, implicitly these works assume that designers of business models all have a singular normative goal: the creation of businesses that are financially profitable. These works perpetuate beliefs and businesses that do not create outcomes aligned with current natural and social science knowledge about long term individual human, societal and ecological flourishing, i.e. outcomes are not strongly sustainable. This limits the applicability and utility of these works.
This exploratory research starts to overcome these limitations: creating knowledge of what is required of businesses for strongly sustainable outcomes to emerge and helping business model designers efficiently create high quality (reliable, consistent, effective) strongly sustainable business models.
Based on criticism and review, this research project extends the BMO artefact to enable the description all the constructs and their inter-relationships related to a strongly sustainable business model. This results in the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Ontology (SSBMO). To help evaluate the SSBMO a practitioner visual design tool is also developed: the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Canvas (SSBMC).
Ontological engineering (from Artificial Intelligence), Design Science and Systems Thinking methodological approaches were combined in a novel manner to create the Systemic Design Science approach used to build and evaluate the SSBMO. Comparative analysis, interviews and case study techniques were used to evaluate the utility of the designed artefacts.
Formal 3rd party evaluation with 7 experts and 2 case study companies resulted in validation of the overall approaches used and the utility of the SSBMO. A number of opportunities for improvement, as well as areas for future work, are identified.
This thesis includes a number of supplementary graphics included in separate (electronic) files. See “List of Supplementary Materials” for details.
[Since this research was completed, the practitioner visual design tool (the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Canvas) that is conceptually "powered by" the the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Ontology, has been further refined to become the Flourishing Business Canvas - see www.FlourishingBusiness.org for the most recent practice and developments].
Research Interests: Ontology, Design Science, Corporate Social Responsibility, Ecosystem Services, Design for Social Innovation, and 40 moreEcological Design, Sustainable Development, Collaboration, Ontology (Computer Science), Sustainability (Organisational Strategy), Sustainable Business, Corporate Sustainability, Design Innovation, Resilience (Sustainability), Environmental Sustainability, Strategy (Business), Sustainable Design, Ontology Engineering, Visual Design, Business Plan, Business Models, Reflexive Modernisation, Business architecture, enterprise Ontology, Flourishing, Strong Sustainability, Creating Shared Value, Socially responsible design, Human flourishing, Business modelling, Ontologies, Knowledge representation, Semantic web, Cloud computing, Ontology based data access, Knowlede management, Strong Sustainability practice, Business Model Canvas, Design for Social Impact, Impact Investment, Socially Responsible Investment, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Sustainability, Social Entrepreneruship, Socially Responsible Consumption, Tri-Profit, Tri-Profitability, Flourishing Enterprises, Flourishing Business, and Future Fit Business
Understanding a project's unintended consequences can boost long-term infrastructure effectiveness and profitability. Business models are a key approach to creating more effective and profitable opportunities.
Research Interests:
Learnings, musing, observations and in the moment conclusions - a trail led by my disassociative brain!
Research Interests:
An exploration of what achieving flourishing and strong sustainability means for human enterprises of all kinds - businesses, NGOs, governments
Research Interests: Sustainability (Organisational Strategy), Innovation and Creativity (Business), Business Models, Business Innovation, Business Model Innovation, and 7 moreFlourishing, Strong Sustainability, Human flourishing, Business modelling, Weak Sustainability, Strong Sustainability practice, and Sustainability
Third post to the blog of the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Group (SSBMG), an applied research group within OCAD U’s Strategic Innovation Lab (sLab) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This blog post discusses one aspect of my thesis... more
Third post to the blog of the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Group (SSBMG), an applied research group within OCAD U’s Strategic Innovation Lab (sLab) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
This blog post discusses one aspect of my thesis (https://www.academia.edu/5392357): If the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Ontology (SSBMO) and the canvas it “powers” (the SSBMC, subsequently the Flourishing Business Canvas) asks the right questions of business model designers who are trying to create strongly sustainable business model designs… What, based on the same natural and social science literature of strong sustainability used to identify the questions asked by the SSBMO, are good answers to those questions?
This blog post discusses one aspect of my thesis (https://www.academia.edu/5392357): If the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Ontology (SSBMO) and the canvas it “powers” (the SSBMC, subsequently the Flourishing Business Canvas) asks the right questions of business model designers who are trying to create strongly sustainable business model designs… What, based on the same natural and social science literature of strong sustainability used to identify the questions asked by the SSBMO, are good answers to those questions?
Research Interests: Action Research, Systems Thinking, Ontology (Computer Science), Ontology Development, Sustainability (Organisational Strategy), and 17 moreSocial Ontology, Resilience (Sustainability), Innovation and Creativity (Business), Ontology Engineering, Visual Design, Design Tools, Business Models, Business Innovation, Business Model Innovation, Flourishing, Strong Sustainability, Human flourishing, Business modelling, Weak Sustainability, Strong Sustainability practice, Business Model Canvas, and Design Toolkits
Second post to the blog of the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Group (SSBMG), an applied research group within OCAD U’s Strategic Innovation Lab (sLab) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This blog post is about one part of my thesis: the... more
Second post to the blog of the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Group (SSBMG), an applied research group within OCAD U’s Strategic Innovation Lab (sLab) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
This blog post is about one part of my thesis: the literature review (full thesis here: https://www.academia.edu/5392357/)
This blog post is about one part of my thesis: the literature review (full thesis here: https://www.academia.edu/5392357/)
Research Interests: Systems Thinking, Ontology (Computer Science), Ontology Development, Sustainability (Organisational Strategy), Social Ontology, and 16 moreResilience (Sustainability), Innovation and Creativity (Business), Innovation Management (Business), Ontology Engineering, Visual Design, Design Tools, Business Models, Business Model Innovation, Flourishing, Strong Sustainability, Human flourishing, Business modelling, Weak Sustainability, Strong Sustainability practice, Business Model Canvas, and Design Toolkits
A first post in the blog for the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Group (SSBMG), an applied research group within OCAD University's Strategic Innovation Lab in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The SSBMG group’s convener, Dr. Nabil Harfoush,... more
A first post in the blog for the Strongly Sustainable Business Model Group (SSBMG), an applied research group within OCAD University's Strategic Innovation Lab in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The SSBMG group’s convener, Dr. Nabil Harfoush, has asked me, as a co-founder of the SSBMG and the originator of the term “Strongly Sustainable Business Model”, to provide my perspective on this exciting new field of practice and research.