iBlue

iBlue contributes to the sustainable relaunch of yachting sector (shipbuilding, nautical services, tourism) creating a Mediterranean transnational network to help the economic upturn by sharing business models (BM) which integrate the 3 pillars of sustainability (environmental, social, economic), developing the “3-PBM” methodology.

The sector is now facing crisis and unemployment challenges, but a focus only on economic aspect would represent a threat for the Mediterranean ecosystem balance, from an environmental and a social viewpoint. “3-PBM” application and the systematic data collection will create a database providing:

  • a critical mass of knowledge about Mediterranean yachting in terms of economic impact, employment, strengths, weaknesses and sustainability, exploitable by several users (SMEs, policy makers, researchers);
  • an indicator system about the sustainability of the yachting enterprises, useful to the policy makers for a better resource allocation and for impact evaluation;
  • a collection of best practices, innovation patterns and policies exploitable by the Mediterranean yachting sector actors for performance improvement;
  • training material for the realization of sustainable Business Models in yachting, going towards circular economy principles, and for the maritime tourists for improving awareness about rules for the Mediterranean safeguard.

Type of tool

Business model, Methodology

Theme

Blue Growth

End-User

Educators, Private sector

Geographical scale

Regional

Year

2018

Keywords

Companies, sustainable business models, blue growth, yachting industry

Pilot Areas

Albania, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain

What problems would this tool solve?

This tool enables multipurpose use – to enable various actions like description, analysis, design, change, improvement, and creation of the business models in parallel. It creates complexity simplification capability – 3-PBM aims to enable management of not only economic but also social and environmental business model impacts without adding a high level of complexity. Finally, the tool ensures a pragmatic and result oriented approach – 3-PBM implementation aims to deliver tangible benefits to SMEs of the whole yachting sector value chain.

What is needed for its implementation?

Technological infrastructure 

PC/Tablet and an internet connection to access the excel file of the tool.

Training

No training is needed.

Investment 

No particular investment is needed.

How to use it?

The 3-PBM methodology has two phases with a total of six groups of activities or actions which are listed in sequence but in practice are/can be iterative:

Phase 1 – Analysis of the existing business model from the perspective of the three pillars

  • “As is “description of the economic perspective of the business model “and its current impact on society and environment.
  • As is” description of Resources-Processes-Values framework and documentation of their current impacts on society and environment.
  • Identification of relationships between business model elements that drive results in three perspectives and analysis of influential trends.

Phase 2 – Improvement actions and implementation design

  • Design of the business model improvement actions and RPV transformations and expected results.
  • Drafting the improved 3-PBM visualized by BMC and RPV “to be”. Testing and learning activities and performance timeline for each perspective and appropriate key indicator.

What are the expected results?

Quantitative/qualitative

Through a pragmatic and result oriented approach, 3-PBM implementation aims to deliver tangible benefits to SME companies of the yacht sector value chain. Benefits are to be intended as cost reduction and competitive advantage.

Transfer potential

The 3-PBM methodology is simple to learn, apply, transfer, and manage.

The tool is supported by scientific literature:
– Christensen, C. M. (2001). Assessing your organization’s innovation capabilities. Leader to Leader, No. 21 Summer 2001
– Osterwalder, A., & Pigneur, Y. (2010). Business model generation: a handbook for visionaries, game changers, and challengers. John Wiley & Sons.

  • Policy makers as well as managers and entrepreneurs, but also business and research community representatives may present the 3-PBM methodology to SMEs through tailored training activities.
  • The robustness of methodology used is recognized. The 3-PBM methodology was developed from the results of the preliminary theoretical studies (about business models and related innovation actions) and from the data collection about the yachting and maritime tourism sector.
  • The tool is ready to be implemented. During the pilot actions, 3-PBM methodology was tested, refined, and improved with additional best practices and validated for future use.
  • There is no need to have a social acceptability to implement the tool.
  • There is no need to have a specific legal or institutional framework/instrument to implement it.
  • There is no need to have a specific capacity and/or organizational expertise to implement it.
  • No specific financial resources are needed to implement it.
  • No other pre-conditions are needed to implement it.

The 3-PBM methodology could be transferred through:

  • specialized thematic conferences (policy makers, practitioners): organization/active attendance;
  • scientific publication/platforms (scientific articles; journal ordinary issues, special issues, monographs);
  • scientific conference;
  • scientific/expert conferences;
  • videos;
  • strategic partners (research institutions, technology platforms and business support institutions, NGOs) that would have interest to further use and co-create the 3-PBM methodology;
  • other specialized events (meetings, fairs, …).

Project contact

Giulia Tonizza: giulia.tonizza@uniud.it

Further information