Showing papers by "Oksana Mont published in 2019"

Challenges and opportunities for scaling up upcycling businesses – The case of textile and wood upcycling businesses in the UK

Abstract: Upcycling is a process in which used or waste products and materials are repaired, reused, repurposed, refurbished, upgraded and remanufactured in a creative way to add value to the compositional elements. It has been part of human life throughout history, and the past few years have seen its revival, driven by multiple factors including growing concern for the environment and resource scarcity. Upcycling increases quality and lifetimes of materials and products, reduces wastes, creates employment opportunities, and encourages sustainable consumer behaviour. Despite such benefits and increasing interest, upcycling is largely considered as a niche practice. One of the important gaps in the current state of knowledge on upcycling is a lack of systemic understanding about challenges and success factors relating to scaling up upcycling businesses. This paper aims to address this gap by employing a broad range of methods for reaching its goal, including literature review, stakeholder analysis, semi-structured interviews, group model building, development of causal loop diagrams, and a workshop with stakeholders and experts to validate causal loop diagrams and discuss promising interventions and how to proceed. The results identified potential actors for the success of upcycling businesses, key challenges and success factors, causal linkages among the challenges and success factors, key system mechanisms, and interventions for scaling up upcycling businesses. Collaboration across the upcycling value chain involving a wide range of actors is also discussed.

Urban sharing in smart cities: the cases of Berlin and London

Abstract: Addressing urban sustainability challenges requires changes in the way systems of provision and services are designed, organised and delivered. In this context, two promising phenomena have gained ...

Bicycle Sharing: Sustainable Value Creation and Institutionalisation Strategies in Barcelona

Abstract: A highly debatable issue is whether or not a paradigm shift toward the sharing economy could help to address the economic, social and environmental challenges of our time. This article contributes to the academic discussion by exploring the types of value created by sharing organisations and the strategies they use to institutionalise themselves in relation to powerful institutions. The study applies two analytical frameworks, based on value creation and institutional strategies, to three empirical case studies of bicycle sharing systems (BSS) in Barcelona. Rich data was collected from a variety of primary and secondary sources, including a field visit to Barcelona, interviews with representatives of the three bicycle sharing systems, observations and literature analysis. We found that the environmental value these organisations create is closely interlinked with the social value they produce and that these values outweigh negative impacts of their operations. All case organisations employ regulative, normative and cultural-cognitive strategies for their institutionalisation but are also subject to powerful institutions beyond their individual control. We recommend that entrepreneurs, city officials, the public and other stakeholders engage in collaborative and open development processes to shape the emerging sharing economy alongside the institutional work of sharing organisations.

Sustainable innovation in business models: celebrated but not interrogated

Abstract: This chapter contributes to literature on sustainable innovation by critically engaging with the concept of sustainable innovation in business models. Four types of models purported to contribute to sustainability are explored: circular business models, product–service systems, business models for collaborative consumption, and business models for collaborative production. First, we evaluate each model according to the framework of value proposition, value creation and value capture. Second, we investigate how each model addresses the economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainability differently. Third, we study the different forms of innovation these business models rely on for their success, by following the classification of innovation that distinguishes between technological (product and process), organizational (management systems at a company, value chain or value network level), and societal innovation (change of lifestyles, consumer behaviour and consumption patterns). We end the chapter by outlining future research directions for studying sustainable innovation in these business models. (Less)

Urban Sharing in Amsterdam

Abstract: “Urban Sharing in Amsterdam” explores the landscape of the sharing economy in the city context. This research is a result of a Mobile Research Lab conducted by 7 researchers from Lund university in 2019. Specific focus is on three sectors: sharing of space, mobility and physical goods. For each sector, we discuss the drivers and barriers to the sharing economy, the associated sustainability impacts,the potential impacts on incumbent sectors, and the institutional context of sharing. Then, attention is turned to the role of the city council in engaging with the sharing economy and specific governance mechanisms employed by the city council aredescribed.Since the sharing economy is not sustainable by default, urban sharing organisations, city governments and incumbents all have important roles to play in ensuring that the sharing economy positively impacts cities and their citizens. In the face of negative perceptions and possible impacts of the sharing economy, we may need to be more deliberate in thinking in terms of scaling the sharing economy to the size, needs, and capacities of cities. Insights contained within this report may support the City of Amsterdam and other Sharing Cities, as well as urban sharing organisations and third-party actors in Amsterdam and beyond in their strategic work with the sharing economy for sustainability. (Less)

Exploring social, economic and environmental consequences of collaborative production: The case of bike repair maker spaces in three European countries

Abstract: Cities have emerged as leading forces in transforming societies towards sustainable development. Numerous repairs, do-it-yourself (DIY) and maker communities across European countries are established to: improve resource efficiency by extending the lifespan products through repair and part recovery from urban material streams; create new sources of income for local communities by sharing resources and skills; and enhance social cohesion by enabling new kinds of social interactions. The aim of this research study is to examine the contribution of such initiatives to the environment, economy, and society. The study focuses on cases of maker spaces in Sweden, Switzerland, and Spain engaged in bicycle repairs as study objects. The study addresses the following research question: What are the main social, economic and environmental impacts of collaborative production organizations? Overall sustainability effects of collaborative production activities depend upon the design, operational activities, and institutional contexts. Thus, this study analyses these cases of maker spaces from socio-economic, environmental and institutional entrepreneurship perspectives. Qualitative data is gathered through interviews with the organizers of maker spaces to formulate a systemic understanding of key activities (repair, resource recovery etc.) and exchanges (spare parts, skills, tools, financial etc.) carried out at the maker spaces in the context of the circular economy. A user survey focusing on the benefits of the maker spaces to the users is carried. The study contributes to identifying critical system dynamics associated with collaborative production in the circular economy context and highlighting main areas of further research assisting a better understanding of the systemic impacts of collaborative production.

Att inreda hållbart: En kartläggning av vad hållbar heminredning kan innebära

Abstract: Denna rapport har tagits fram inom forskningsprogrammet Mistra Sustainable Consumption – fran nisch till mainstream som engagerar forskare fran olika vetenskapliga discipliner och samhallspartners fran offentlig sektor, naringsliv och civilsamhalle. Syftet med programmet ar att stimulera en overgang till mer hallbar konsumtion. Forskningen ar finansierad av Mistra, Stiftelsen for miljostrategisk forskning, samt med medfinansiering fran samtliga deltagande universitet och samhallspartners.De som skrivit texter till rapporten ar Matthias Lehner, Heather Schoonover, Oksana Mont, Karin Bradley, Anneli Kamb och Asa Svenfelt. Karin Bradley och Anneli Kamb har ocksa varit redaktorer for rapporten. Miriam Borjesson Rivera, Annika Carlsson-Kanyama, Mikael Klintman, Vishal Parekh, Ola Persson, Eleni Stamatopoulou, Maria Thorson och Hanna Zetterberg har bidragit med underlags-material. Alla partners, listade nedan, har bidragit med inspel till kartlaggningen av hallbarakonsumtionspraktiker. Emma Gerdin har arbetat med layout och bildsattning. Johan Jarelin paKonsumentverket, Ulrika Celin Wedin pa Lunds kommun och Nina Wolf pa Goteborgs stad har last och bidragit med vardefulla kommentarer.Denna rapport har tva syskonrapporter som ar upplagda pa liknande satt och som har gemensamma inlednings- och avslutningstexter. De tre rapporterna Att ata hallbart?, Att semestra hallbart? ochAtt inreda hallbart? finns tillgangliga i digital form via programmets hemsida:www.sustainableconsumption.se.Stockholm och Lund den 4 februari 2019 (Less)