Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Global disruptions such as climate-induced shocks, geopolitical conflicts and the Covid-19 pandemic have exposed the vulnerability of contemporary agri-food systems and underscored the strategic importance of the small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that knit those systems together. Drawing on a literature review of peer-reviewed research published between 2015 and 2025, this report investigates how business model innovation (BMI) can strengthen SME resilience while advancing sustainable development goals. Following PRISMA guidelines, 179 initial records from Web of Science and Scopus were screened, resulting in nine articles that were ultimately analysed through the lens of Bocken et al.’s (2014) sustainable business model archetypes and associated value-factors. The review reveals that technology-driven BMI has dominated the academic field, yet social and organisational pathways remain comparatively under-explored. Furthermore, core reconfiguration of value proposition, value creation and delivery, and value capture is a prerequisite for long-term alignment with the triple bottom line. Collaboration emerges as the critical enabler, amplifying resource efficiency, knowledge exchange and adaptive capacity. Conversely, financial constraints, regulatory complexity and limited external networks suppress both collaborative initiatives and transformative BMI. The thesis concludes that empowering agri-food SMEs requires policies and support mechanisms that foreground collaborative architectures and nurture experimentation with social and organisational innovations alongside technological advances. Future research should quantify the performance impacts of such collaborations and extend conceptual frameworks to capture the evolving landscape of sustainable BMI.