Integrating Sustainability and Digitalization in Business Model Innovation. A Bibliometric Study

The aim of the study is to get a comprehensive understanding of the research landscape at the nexus between business model innovation, sustainability and/or digitalization, in order to determine key research patterns and trends. Accordingly, the following objectives have guided the development of the paper: (a) to examine the dynamics and structure of the research output (articles and citations) on the topic; (b) to explore the network of the most impactful articles; (c) to trace the origins of the research on the topic; (d) to decipher current developments in the research on the topic; and (e) to search for emerging trends in the research on the topic. An advanced search of the SCOPUS database was conducted to identify the relevant literature available; 1195 articles (published between 2014 and 2023) were selected and exported in VOSviewer for bibliometric analysis. The results suggest the emergence of a niche research area in the broad strategic management field, bringing together four related (sub)topics: (1) circular economy and sustainable business models; (2) tools, frameworks and processes for sustainable business model innovation; (3) digitalization and business model transformation; (4) business models for societal and sustainability transitions. For this research area to crystallize, the identified emerging research trends – on digital innovation and technology; strategic management and analytical methods; supply chain and manufacturing; policy, governance and sustainability – need to be further explored, both individually (in search of refinement and clarity) and collectively (in search of consistency and synergy).