Innovative business models

The business concepts of the social economy require as much care and creativity in their generation as the social ideas. The two are best developed together to sustain and re-enforce each other. For social enterprises, the business model represents a strategy for sustainability. It needs to be simple, persuasive and striking, since along with the social idea, it is a key part of a venture’s attraction. Business models that work are themselves a prime area for social innovation. They are as diverse as business models in commercial markets, ranging from direct service provision to commissioners through models that create value for customers to models similar to those around the web that share knowledge and IP.