Short answer
When designing sustainable solutions, actively engage with and leverage the network of partners within an innovation ecosystem to maximize value creation and capture.
- Field
- Innovation & Design
- Source
- International Journal of Business and Management (2025)
- Method
- Literature Review and Theoretical Proposition Formulation
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Organizations within collaborative innovation ecosystems are better positioned to create and capture value from sustainability-oriented initiatives. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2025 study published in International Journal of Business and Management. Using Literature review and theoretical proposition formulation, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing sustainable solutions, actively engage with and leverage the network of partners within an innovation ecosystem to maximize value creation and capture.
Collaborative Ecosystems Accelerate Sustainable Innovation Value
Organizations within collaborative innovation ecosystems are better positioned to create and capture value from sustainability-oriented initiatives.
International Journal of Business and Management · 2025
Key Findings
- 01Innovation ecosystems provide a framework for addressing complex sustainability challenges.
- 02The Relational View theory offers a lens to understand value creation and capture through inter-organizational relationships in these ecosystems.
- 03Specific dimensions of value in sustainability-oriented innovation ecosystems require further exploration.
Application
Design takeaway
When designing sustainable solutions, actively engage with and leverage the network of partners within an innovation ecosystem to maximize value creation and capture.
How to apply
When initiating a sustainability-focused design project, map out potential ecosystem partners and identify how shared goals can lead to mutual value.
Project actions
- 01Consider who else is involved in making a sustainable product or service successful.
- 02Think about how different partners can share in the benefits of a sustainable design.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Provides a theoretical framework for understanding complex collaborative innovation.
- +Highlights the importance of relationships in achieving sustainability goals.
Limitations
It can be difficult to get detailed information about the specific value-sharing agreements between organizations in an ecosystem.
Reliability & validity
The findings are based on a literature review, so reliability and validity depend on the quality and scope of the reviewed sources. The theoretical propositions require empirical testing to establish their validity.
Think critically
To what extent does the 'Relational View' theory adequately capture the complexities and power dynamics within real-world innovation ecosystems for sustainability?
Design Principles
"Foster collaborative relationships within innovation ecosystems to drive sustainable design outcomes."
Designing for sustainability often requires navigating complex challenges that extend beyond a single organization. Understanding how to leverage the collective resources and knowledge within an innovation ecosystem is crucial for developing and implementing effective sustainable solutions.
What This Means for Your Design
Working with others in a 'team' (an innovation ecosystem) helps create and benefit from new green ideas.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this to justify why you need to consider a wider network of users or manufacturers in your design project.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This research highlights the importance of collaborative innovation ecosystems in driving value from sustainability-oriented design. By integrating the Relational View theory, it suggests that organizations within these networks are better equipped to create and capture value from sustainable initiatives, emphasizing the need to consider broader stakeholder relationships in design practice.
Source
International Journal of Business and Management
Value in Sustainability-Oriented Innovation Ecosystems: Integrating the Relational View
journal · 2025
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about collaborative ecosystems accelerate sustainable innovation value?
- When designing sustainable solutions, actively engage with and leverage the network of partners within an innovation ecosystem to maximize value creation and capture. Evidence: International Journal of Business and Management (2025).
- Why does "Collaborative Ecosystems Accelerate Sustainable Innovation Value" matter for design?
- Designing for sustainability often requires navigating complex challenges that extend beyond a single organization. Understanding how to leverage the collective resources and knowledge within an innovation ecosystem is crucial for developing and implementing effective sustainable solutions.
- How can designers apply this research?
- When designing sustainable solutions, actively engage with and leverage the network of partners within an innovation ecosystem to maximize value creation and capture.
- What were the main findings?
- Innovation ecosystems provide a framework for addressing complex sustainability challenges.. The Relational View theory offers a lens to understand value creation and capture through inter-organizational relationships in these ecosystems.. Specific dimensions of value in sustainability-oriented innovation ecosystems require further exploration.
- What research method was used?
- Literature Review and Theoretical Proposition Formulation.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2025 journal from International Journal of Business and Management.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When initiating a sustainability-focused design project, map out potential ecosystem partners and identify how shared goals can lead to mutual value.
- What are the limitations?
- The study is theoretical and requires empirical validation. The specific mechanisms of value creation and capture within diverse ecosystems may vary.