Consolidating strategies for innovative business models

Abstract

To help face an unknown future, including ecological and social crisis, the public requires similar opportunities as government in problem solving. Deliberative democracy can facilitate quick responses to complex problems in society, so too, in small and medium-sized enterprises with limited resources. Of the latter’s engagement with deliberative democracy, we know too little. Service design and innovation lays a foundation for transformative service research. This action research brings the theoretical framework of service design into action using the practice of World Café first outlined by Juanita Brown. As a method, participants and organizations can explore various innovation business model topics whilst developing competencies in communication within their own context. The aims of this paper are to identify what can be accomplished through collective consciousness. It offers an example of action research as an integrative examination of how multiple perspectives contribute to the whole. In this study, the authors based in a Non-Governmental Organization for professional development, encourages organizations to reflect on practices and develop critical thinking to suggest action steps for industry innovative services. In the following the reader will: (a) Explore Taiwan SMEs’ efforts to form collective consciousness and to achieve consensus on the innovation industry strategy formulation; (b) Learn how groups’ and organizations’ learning was facilitated with recommendations for the feasibility of future actions; (c) Note how effective group discussion and emotional interaction between SMEs’ members were achieved such that the participants unanimously committed to subsequent actions. In sum, the action research orientation to business development contributed to achieving through collective consciousness by which consensus and action was developed on strategy, opportunities, and resources.