Collaborative business models: a new perspective for shaping transition processes

Transition process

These changes do not come about by themselves. Unfortunately, good initiatives fail all too often as soon as start-up grants and other forms of support end, and market parties have to stand on their own two feet. In a transition, the existing system has to be dismantled while the new system is being built. There are always many parties involved, with differing interests. And the outcome is often unpredictable and subject to change. This means that in practice, a transition process often follows an erratic pattern that cannot be tightly controlled.

How does the collaborative business model method work?

With Collaborative Business Models for Transition, TNO is developing a practical method to help coalitions of parties jointly plan and shape a transition. In a collaborative business model, all stakeholders are mobilised and connected. First, all parties jointly formulate an objective based on a balanced interplay of financial, social, and ecological values. All objectives, considerations, and timelines are then combined to form a collaborative business model in which all stakeholders make agreements with each other.

Prospering

Only when all parties take well-synchronised steps can they prosper. That is the basis for a successful transition. A collaborative business model ensures that all parties are clear about a common goal and can maximise value creation – both individually and collectively – and that processes and timelines are optimally aligned. Only then do complex innovations have a chance of succeeding within a transition, because they’re an intrinsic part of how organisations work together.