Fink, Ma hias; Ma esch, Daniela; Lang, Richa d; Rich e , Ralph; Cha zich is os,
Geo gios
A icle — Published Ve sion
How p oduc ion coope a i es ope a ing a sha ing
economy business model inno a e in u al places
R&D Managemen
P o ided in Coope a ion wi h:
Leibniz Ins i u e o Resea ch on Socie y and Space (IRS)
Sugges ed Ci a ion: Fink, Ma hias; Ma esch, Daniela; Lang, Richa d; Rich e , Ralph; Cha zich is os,
Geo gios (2024) : How p oduc ion coope a i es ope a ing a sha ing economy business model
inno a e in u al places, R&D Managemen , ISSN 1467-9310, Wiley, Hoboken, NJ, Vol. 54, Iss. 5, pp.
1213-1233,
h ps://doi.o g/10.1111/ adm.12679
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How p oduc ion coope a i es
ope a ing a sha ing economy
business model inno a e in u al
places
Ma hias Fink1,2,* , Daniela Ma esch3,
Richa d Lang4, Ralph Rich e 5 and
Geo gios Cha zich is os6
1 Ins i u e o Inno a ion Managemen ,Johannes Keple Uni e si y Linz, Al enbe ge S . 69, 4040,
Linz, Aus ia. [email p o ec ed]
2 S a egy, Inno a ion, and Socie y G oup,G enoble Ecole de Managemen , 12 ue Pie e Séma d,
38000, G enoble, F ance. [email p o ec ed]
3 En ep eneu ship and Inno a ion G oup,G enoble Ecole de Managemen , 12 ue Pie e Séma d,
38000, G enoble, F ance. [email p o ec ed]
4 Compe ence Cen e o he Managemen o Coope a i es,F ee Uni e si y o Bozen- Bolzano, Piazza
Uni e si à, 1, 39100, Bolzano, I aly. [email p o ec ed]
5 Economics and Ci il Socie y G oup,Leibniz Ins i u e o Resea ch on Socie y and Space e.V. (IRS),
Falken S . 29- 31, 15537, E kne , Ge many. [email p o ec ed]
6 Depa men o Poli ical Sciences,A is o le Uni e si y o Thessaloniki, K.E.D.E.A. Building, A is o le
Uni e si y Campus, 1 T i is Sep em iou, 54636, Thessaloniki, G eece. [email p o ec ed]gean.g
In his s udy, we in es iga e how p oduc ion Coope a i es wi h a Sha ing Economy
Business Model (CSE- BMs) os e inno a ions in s uc u ally weak u al places. Taking
a place- based social capi al pe spec i e, we a gue ha he s eng h o CSE- BMs in de el-
oping p ocess, se ice, p oduc , and social inno a ion lies in hei abili y o econ igu e
sha ed esou ces ac oss communi ies and ac o s loca ed on di e en le els o powe and
wi h di e en access o esou ces. Empi ically, we econs uc he mobiliza ion and econ-
igu a ion o sha ed esou ces ac oss he ne wo k in an in- dep h case s udy o a CSE- BM in
u al G eece. We ind ha CSE- BMs can mobilize esou ces ac oss he ne wo k by o e -
ing alue p oposi ions ha s akeholde s ega d as c edible because decision- make s show
a achmen o he place. To ealize su icien alue o membe s o sus ain hei con ibu-
ions o he CSE- BM, p oduc , se ice, and p ocess inno a ions a e complemen ed by social
inno a ions. Mobilizing and econ igu ing sha ed esou ces ac oss di e en in e es g oups
unleashes he inno a i e po en ial o CSE- BMs bu causes ensions be ween di e en mind-
se s a he same ime. Coope a i es o e an o ganiza ional s uc u e o u n hese ensions
om a h ea in o an oppo uni y o inno a ion. Ou indings con ibu e o he Sha ing
[Co ec ion added on 16 Ma ch 2024, a e i s online publica ion: The email add ess o Richa d Lang has been co ec ed in his e sion.]
© 2024 The Au ho s. R&D Managemen published by RADMA and John Wiley & Sons L d.
Ma hias Fink, Daniela Ma esch, Richa d Lang, Ralph Rich e and Geo gios Cha zich is os
1214 R&D Managemen 54, 5, 2024
Economy Business Model (SE- BM) li e a u e on ypology building and he cons uc ion o
ideal ypes. We also ad ance he SE- BM deba e by shedding ligh on he po en ial o coop-
e a i e o ms o o ganizing collabo a i e p oduc ion in he sha ing economy. P ac ically,
we con ibu e o he discussion abou he impo ance o physical s. digi al pla o ms as
in e media ies in SE- BMs.
1. In oduc ion
In his s udy, we in es iga e how p oduc ion
Coope a i es (ICA, 2019) wi h a Sha ing
Economy Business Model (CSE- BMs) d i e in-
no a ion in s uc u ally weak u al places. This
esea ch is mo i a ed by h ee obse a ions. Fi s ,
a subs an ial body o li e a u e explains he eme -
gence o Sha ing Economy Business Models
(SE- BMs) as a powe ul o m o social inno a-
ion (Belk,2014; Ma in e al.,2015; Joyce and
Paquin, 2016; Clauss e al., 2019); howe e ,
much less esea ch explains how inno a ions de-
elop in es ablished o ganiza ions ope a ing a
SE- BMs. This is su p ising gi en ha he sha -
ing economy is a powe house o inno a ion
(Gawe and Cusumano,2014; Richa dson,2015;
Bai and Velamu i,2021). O ganiza ions pu suing
SE- BMs econ igu e a ailable esou ces o col-
lec i ely gene a e and cap u e alue o he ben-
e i o he communi y (Belk,2014; Clauss,2017;
Ze as e al.,2017; Clauss e al.,2019; Ma kman
e al., 2021) and i s indi idual membe s (Kible
e al.,2015). These econ igu a ions can esul in
no el social ela ions (social inno a ion, Moulae
e al., 2005; De ou ny and Nyssens, 2013; Oeij
e al.,2019), no el ways o p oduc ion (p ocess in-
no a ion, OECD,2005; Ga ud e al.,2013; Wes ley
e al.,2014), and no el ma ke o e s (p oduc and
se ice inno a ion, Schumpe e , 1983 [1911];
Edquis e al.,2001; Baue and Leke ,2013). This
obse a ion calls o u he esea ch on he inno-
a ions ha eme ge om o ganiza ions ope a ing
SE- BMs.
The second obse a ion is ha s udies on SE- BM
inno a ion end o ocus on digi al pla o m- and
c owd- based sha ing, lea ing a oid by neglec ing
analogue sha ing models in he ield o p oduc-
ion. CSE- BMs comp ise p oduc ion coope a i es,
which p o ide p oduce s an ideal o ganiza ional
o m o sha e know- how, acili ies, and machine y
o imp o e p oduc i i y and join ly ma ke hei
p oduc . Munoz and Cohen ecognize his ype
o business model as ‘space- based, low- ech SE-
BM[s]’ (Munoz and Cohen, 2017, p. 29). Gi en
he eno mous p ac ical ele ance o hese busi-
nesses— o example, in ood p oduc ion (Nys öm
and Ed a dsson,1982; Nilsson,2001; Ba ilani and
Zamagni,2012; Candemi e al.,2021)— he e is a
need o add ess his oid wi h esea ch ocusing on
CSE- BMs.
The hi d obse a ion a ises om s udies sugges -
ing ha he p omise o SE- BMs o enable o ganiza-
ions o os e inno a ions (Joyce and Paquin,2016) is
especially ele an in s uc u ally weak u al egions
because hey a e despe a e o no el and aluable
solu ions o he issues aced by local communi ies
(Neumeie ,2016; Rich e e al.,2020). A he same
ime, such egions supposedly ha e high social cap-
i al and s ong adi ions o collec i e and pa icipa-
o y p oblem- sol ing, making hem an ideal con ex
o in es iga ing how inno a ions eme ge om CSE-
BMs (Jack and Ande son, 2002; Zog a os, 2007;
Fa me e al.,2008; Munoz e al.,2015). Thus, he
need o unde s and he ole o CSE- BMs in os e ing
inno a ions seems mos p essing in s uc u ally weak
u al a eas.
We add ess hese aspec s by asking: How can
CSE- BMs os e inno a ions in s uc u ally weak
u al places? Speci ically, we a gue and empi i-
cally subs an ia e he claim ha CSE- BMs de elop
p ocess, se ice, p oduc , and social inno a ions in
s uc u ally weak u al a eas. We a gue ha hei
s eng h lies in hei abili y o mobilize esou ces
o sha ing om he ne wo k in a place and econ-
igu e hese esou ces in inno a ions ha simul a-
neously add ess he in e es s o local communi ies
and egime- le el ac o s. We explain his speci ic
capaci y o CSE- BMs by d awing on he mul i-
le el ne wo k model o egional inno a ion sug-
ges ed by Lang and Fink(2019), which is oo ed
in he social capi al app oach (Pu nam e al.,1994),
social ne wo k heo y (G ano e e ,1985), and he
concep o economic ac o s’ place- based beha -
io (Wel e , 2011; Kible e al., 2015; Kimmi
e al.,2023).
Empi ically, we econs uc he mobiliza ion and
econ igu a ion o sha ed esou ces ac oss he le els
o he ne wo k in an in- dep h case s udy o a G eek
CSE- BM o p oduce he sus ainable c op o s e ia in
he s uc u ally weak u al egion o Cen al G eece.
We ollowed he case o ganiza ion wi h h ee wa es
o pa icipa o y obse a ions and in e iews con-
duc ed be ween 2016 and 2023.
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Sha ing- economy business models & coope a i es
R&D Managemen 54, 5, 2024 1215
We ind ha (1) CSE- BMs mobilize esou ces
ac oss he le els o he ne wo k because hey o e
c edible alue p oposi ions o bo h he commu-
ni y and egime le els. (2) These alue p oposi-
ions a e c edible because he decision- make s in
he CSE- BM a e ins umen ally and emo ionally
a ached o he place. (3) To ealize su icien alue
o he membe s o sus ain hei con ibu ions o
he CSE- BM, p oduc /se ice and p ocess inno a-
ions a e complemen ed by social inno a ions in
he place. (4) Mobilizing and econ igu ing sha ed
esou ces ac oss he di e en le els o he ne wo k
unleashes he inno a i e po en ial o he CSE- BM,
bu c ea es ensions a he same ime, because he
mindse s o he ac o s a di e en powe - le els
con lic . Coope a i es o e an o ganiza ional
s uc u e o u n hese ensions om a h ea in o an
oppo uni y o CSE- BMs o become ambidex ous
o ganiza ions.
Ou insigh s con ibu e o esea ch, policy,
and p ac ice in he ollowing ways. Fi s , we con-
ibu e o he SE- BM li e a u e ha deals wi h
ypology- building and he cons uc ion o ideal
ypes. Second, we ad ance he SE- BM deba e by
shedding mo e ligh on he po en ial o coope a i e
o ms o o ganizing in he sha ing economy. Thi d,
we con ibu e o he discussion abou he impo -
ance o physical s. digi al pla o ms as in e medi-
a ies in SE- BMs.
2. Theo e ical backg ound
2.1. SE- BMs and ypes o inno a ion
While we s ill lack an es ablished de ini ion o SE-
BMs, schola s ag ee ha he e m e e s o socioeco-
nomic sys ems in which indi idual and collec i e
ac o s mobilize unde - u ilized esou ces o a mu u-
ally bene icial exchange o goods and se ices
(Chase,2015; McLa en and Agyeman,2015; Munoz
and Cohen,2017). Compa ed o adi ional business
models, in SE- BMs he idea is o sha e esou ces ha
a e aluable o all ansac ion pa ies a he han he
exchange o esou ces ha a e mo e aluable o one
pa y han o he o he .
SE- BM is no a ‘one size i s all’ business model
(Munoz and Cohen,2017, p. 21), bu an umb ella
concep ha ela es o a ange o business- model
ypes, each o which combines and shapes co e
SE- BM elemen s in a pa icula way (Acquie
e al.,2017). These models span om high echnol-
ogy dependence o low- ech; om s onge ocus
on P2P in e ac ions o weake ; and om eliance on
widesp ead sha ing o op imized exchanges a local
communi y le el.
P e ious wo k has s essed he social bene i s o
SE- BMs and linked hem o he concep o social
inno a ion (Belk, 2014; Ma in e al.,2015; Joyce
and Paquin,2016). SE- BMs a e said o ad ance sus-
ainable modes o p oduc ion and consump ion due o
hei ocus on ealizing e iciencies om unde used
esou ces ins ead o p omo ing e e - inc easing pu -
chase and usage o new p oduc s (Bo sman and
Roge s,2010; Hein ichs,2013). A second claimed
bene i is social capi al building and mo e equi able
esou ce dis ibu ion as a esul o P2P exchanges
among ci izens (Ma in e al.,2015; Benjaa a and
Hu2020; S o be g e al.,2021).
Despi e he subs an ial li e a u e linking SE- BMs
o he discou se a ound social inno a ion, conside -
ably less esea ch has explained i s in e play wi h
o he componen s o inno a ion. This seems impo -
an , howe e , because social inno a ion is a a he
‘slippe y’ concep , and i is e en di icul o cap u e
he meaning o ‘social’ in he no ion o inno a ion
(Oeij e al.,2019, p. 244). Thus, as a baseline, we
ollow a undamen al dis inc ion be ween he p o-
cess and ou come iews o inno a ion (U e back
and Abe na hy,1975; Moulae e al.,2005; Baue
and Leke ,2013). The ou comes o inno a ion come
in he o m o a new o imp o ed p ocess, p oduc
o se ice, o , in b oade e ms, a solu ion ha is
no el and c ea es alue o e and abo e he exis -
ing solu ions in a gi en con ex (Schumpe e ,1983
[1911]; Edquis e al.,2001). Inno a ion as a p o-
cess un olds o e a ious s ages ha equi e di -
e en se s o skills and ac o s (Ga ud e al.,2013;
Wes ley e al.,2014). Any inno a ion is ela ed o
exchanging and econ igu ing exis ing knowledge
and ideas, which highligh s he impo an ole o
social ela ions o bo h, he inno a ion p ocess,
and he esul ing inno a ions (Schumpe e , 1983
[1911]; Rich e , 2019). These social ela ions a
play in he p ocess o inno a ion can also be econ-
igu ed esul ing in a social inno a ion (Moulae
e al.,2013; TEPSIE,2014), o example, h ough
he pa icipa ion o new s akeholde g oups. Social
inno a ion can also esul om p oduc , se ice
o p ocess inno a ions, o example, when no el
p oduc s, se ices, o p ocesses empowe social
g oups (De ou ny and Nyssens,2013).
The basic idea o any SE- BM is he in e me-
dia ed coo dina ion o esou ces among ac o s o
enable sha ed use a he han exclusi e owne ship
(Acquie e al., 2017; Munoz and Cohen, 2017;
Ap e and Da is,2019). The e o e, social ela ions
and ans e o embedded esou ces a e c ucial
componen s o bo h inno a ion and SE- BMs. This
insigh leads us o apply a social capi al app oach
as an analy ical pe spec i e in he empi ical pa
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Ma hias Fink, Daniela Ma esch, Richa d Lang, Ralph Rich e and Geo gios Cha zich is os
1216 R&D Managemen 54, 5, 2024
o his pape (Pu nam e al.,1994). B oadly, social
capi al e e s o esou ces embedded in ne wo ked
communi ies ha can be mobilized h ough social
in e ac ions, leading o po en ial bene i s o bo h
indi idual and collec i e ac o s (B unie, 2009).
While some s udies ha e explo ed how coop-
e a i es deal wi h he complex in e play o di -
e en o ms o social capi al as o ganiza ional
esou ces (e.g., Ha ak e al., 2016; Bauwens and
De ou ny,2017), we belie e ha social capi al is
also a p omising analy ical pe spec i e o in es-
iga ing how SE- BMs pu sued by coope a i es—
ha is, CSE- BMs— os e inno a ion in u al
con ex s (Johns one and Lionais,2004; Lang and
Roessl, 2011; Wel e , 2011; Kible e al., 2014,
2015).
2.2. CSE- BMs as in e media ies in mul i-
le el ne wo ks
Ou analysis builds on he mul i- le el ne wo k
model o egional inno a ion sugges ed by Lang
and Fink(2019), which helps explain he mobili-
za ion and inno a i e econ igu a ion o esou ces
ac oss communi y- , in e media e- , and egime-
le el ac o s in a speci ic place (see Figu e1).
Ac o s on he egime le el a e powe ul com-
pa ed o he in e media e and communi y- le el
ac o s in he sense ha hey ha e mo e in luence
and decision- making au ho i y o e alloca ion o
esou ces and shaping o policies o he bene i o
a place (Fe lande ,2007). Ne e heless, he esul -
ing powe di e en ials be ween ne wo k ac o s
need o be in e p e ed agains he backd op o he
speci ic communi y conce n and ypes o esou ces
needed o add ess he issue. A he bo om o he
ne wo k is he communi y le el. This le el is popu-
la ed by indi iduals who sha e a speci ic issue ha
is bound o he place, o example, a me s who join
a CSE- BM o de elop sus ainable cul i a ions o
c ops o igh unemploymen and clima e change.
The sha ed issue implies bonding social capi al
associa ed wi h closeness and s ong ies among
he membe s o homogenous g oups, which enables
esou ce lows among hem (G ano e e , 1973;
Poo inga, 2012). Because he pool o esou ces
a ailable in any gi en communi y in s uc u ally
weak egions is ine i ably insu icien o each he
goals o he CSE- BM, i s membe s will no be able
o add ess hei sha ed issue e ec i ely wi hou
eaching ou o ex e nal esou ce holde s, ei he in
o he communi ies o a he egime le el (Lang and
Fink,2019). To mobilize complemen a y esou ces
om membe s o ano he communi y, membe s
mus es ablish b idging social capi al ha ho izon-
ally connec s he wo communi ies’ speci ic issues
in such a way ha esou ce holde s see esou ce
exchange as bene icial (Gi ell and Vidal, 1998;
Woolcock and Na ayan,2000).
Linking social capi al also ‘cu s ac oss di e -
en g oups’ (Fe lande , 2007, p. 119), bu con-
nec s ac o s e ically ‘ac oss powe di e en ials’
(Sz e e and Woolcock,2004, p. 655). Fo ins ance,
i can link communi y membe s o egime- le el
ac o s who can le e age esou ces ha a e c i i-
cal o add essing he communi y’s speci ic issue
(Lang and No y,2014; Agge and Jensen,2015;
B aunhol z- Speigh , 2015). Depending on he
con ex , egime- le el ac o s can include sup a-
na ional conglome a es o coope a i es, egional
and na ional go e nmen s, uni e si ies, ade
unions, in e na ional associa ions, o mul ina ional
Figu e 1. Resou ce mobiliza ion and econ igu a ion in he mul i- le el ne wo k.
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R&D Managemen 54, 5, 2024 1217
co po a ions. Howe e , i akes ac o s on he
in e media e le el o mobilize and econ igu e
esou ces on he o he wo le els h ough link-
ing social capi al. Mos impo an is he abili y
o in e media e- le el ac o s o b oke esou ce
exchange ho izon ally, be ween membe s o he
same communi y and membe s o di e en com-
muni ies, as well as e ically, be ween communi y-
and egime- le el ac o s (Hulga d and Spea ,2006;
Lehne ,2011). Following Osbo ne e al.(2016) and
Lang and Fink(2019), we a gue ha CSE- BMs can
e icien ly in e media e he mobiliza ion and sha -
ing o esou ces on and ac oss di e en le els o
he ne wo k and hus ad ance inno a ion in u al
se ings.
To success ully mobilize embedded esou ces
(Kible and Kau onen,2016), CSE- BMs mus com-
munica e he igh mix o emo ional and ins u-
men al place a achmen o gain social legi imacy
among bo h communi y- and egime- le el ac o s
(Ha ey,1996; Hudson,2001; Giuliani,2003; Lang
e al., 2014; Kible and Kau onen, 2016). Social
legi imacy deno es he deg ee o which people in a
ce ain place app o e o CSE- BMs (Bi ek ine and
Haack,2015). In line wi h Kible e al.(2015), we
dis inguish be ween emo ional and ins umen al
place a achmen . While he i s no ion e e s o
he eelings and a ec i e bonds a pe son has wi h
a place, he la e deno es closeness o a place based
on i s use ulness o mee ing o ganiza ional goals.
Exp essing place a achmen helps o cul i a e social
legi imacy among hose who ha e posi i e eelings
o a place. He e, he e m place conno es a sociolog-
ical unde s anding o loca ion, highligh ing aspec s
such as communi y, social ne wo ks, and he cul-
u al iden i ies o indi iduals and collec i e ac o s
(Ha ey,1996; Hudson,2001).
Add essing a place’s challenges allows CSE-
BMs o a icula e a c edible alue p oposi ion
and posi ion hemsel es as ad oca es o he local
u al communi y (Rich e , 2021). In his way,
CSE- BMs build on hei legi imacy in he place o
‘ ake i ’ il hey make i .’ In o he wo ds, in o de
o mobilize esou ces embedded in he commu-
ni y le el, CSE- BMs mus gain communi y- le el
ac o s’ us in hei abili y o mobilize egime-
le el esou ces—a p omise hey can only keep
when egime- le el ac o s us ha hey can mobi-
lize esou ces embedded in he communi y le el
(Lang and Fink, 2019). This app oach esol es
he dilemma o a simul aneous ac ion p oblem
(G ano e e , 1973; Obs eld, 2005) and idea
p oblem (Bu ,2004; Obs eld,2005): communi-
ies lack powe and ideas o ackle hei challenges
due o in o ma ion and knowledge no being
employed in cohesi e g oups (G ano e e ,1973).
A he same ime, egime- le el ac o s s uggle
o implemen new app oaches because hey a e
un amilia wi h he place and lack access o indi-
iduals and g oups who can enac no el ideas
he e (Rich e , 2019). Thus, CSE- BMs can bind
egime- and communi y- le el ac o s oge he in a
symbio ic ela ionship. Regime- le el ac o s gain
ele ance and legi imacy by in es ing esou ces
in e ec i e measu es ha a e implemen ed by
communi y- le el ac o s o coun e he chal-
lenges aced in u al communi ies. Fo hei pa ,
communi y- le el ac o s in CSE- BMs sha e hei
esou ces wi h o he communi y membe s o gain
access no only o he esou ces sha ed wi h hem
bu also o hose in es ed by egime- le el ac o s—
such as ideas, knowledge, unds, o powe — ha
a e lacking in he place i sel .
3. Resea ch me hods and da a
3.1. Da a collec ion
We conduc ed an in ensi e single case s udy, which
is app op ia e o a subjec wi h a g owing body o
knowledge bu li le heo e ical ag eemen among
schola s (e.g., Lau ell and Sands öm, 2018). The
single case s udy app oach enables us o econs uc
he phenomenon as an ideal ype (Webe ,1949) o
ou line CSE- BMs as a speci ic bu also pa adigma ic
d i e o inno a ion in s uc u ally weak u al places.
This equi es explaining he unc ioning o he o ga-
niza ion and he ins i u ional amewo k condi ions
o he mechanisms a play (Yin,2009). Repea edly
collec ing explici knowledge on a single case om
di e se in o man s o e a pe iod o se e al yea s
helps o enhance he in e nal alidi y o he empi ical
subjec (Ebbinghaus,2009) and unde s and he case
as a whole (Ragin,1987).
In his con ex , da a collec ion is an open, p ocess-
o ien ed unde aking comp ising dialogical com-
munica ion in semi- s uc u ed expe in e iews
(Lieblich e al.,1998; Flick e al.,2008), ield no es
om pa icipan obse a ions, and documen s. The
da a collec ion un olded in h ee phases: Be ween
2016 and 2017, he au ho s conduc ed 2 mon hs o
ieldwo k a he loca ion o he case o ganiza ion
and collec ed da a om pa icipa o y obse a ions,
semi- s uc u ed in e iews, and documen s. This was
ollowed by a second esea ch s ay in 2019, which
ocused on collec ing da a abou he egional ame-
wo k condi ions in which he case o ganiza ion was
ope a ing. In ea ly 2023, we conduc ed ollow- up
in e iews o unde s and how he case o ganiza ion
d o e inno a ion in he place.
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1218 R&D Managemen 54, 5, 2024
The quali a i e mul ime hod app oach (Mik-
Meye , 2020) made i possible o econs uc
unde lying s a egies and p inciples, conc e e
ac ions, and subjec i e meanings (P zybo ski and
Wohl ab- Sah , 2010). Ha ing mul iple ypes o
da a a hand helped o es ablish alidi y h ough i-
angula ion o he obse a ion, in e iew, and doc-
umen da a in he ligh o concep s and ca ego ies.
The selec ion o he in e iewees aimed a cap u -
ing he mos di e se pe spec i es possible ega d-
ing he unc ioning o he case o ganiza ion o e
ime, he meanings and mo i a ions o i s membe s,
and i s embeddedness in i s economic and socie-
al en i onmen . We in e iewed o dina y mem-
be s, boa d membe s o he case o ganiza ion and
ex e nal s akeholde s including business pa ne s
and poli icians. Collec ing da a on he case om
bo h inside s and ou side s helps o coun e check
and complemen in e nal na a i es wi h ex e nal
pe spec i es and esul s in iche and mo e eliable
heo y (Eisenha d ,1989).
We conduc ed in e iews un il he da a eached
heo e ical sa u a ion (S auss and Co bin, 1990)
esul ing in 33 pages o ield no es, 12 documen s,
and 24 quali a i e in e iews (see Table1). Th ee
in e iewees we e in e iewed in 2016/2017 and
2023, allowing o empo al compa isons and he
econs uc ion o pe sis ence and change in he o ga-
niza ion and indi idual mindse s.
3.2. Da a p ocessing and analysis
We ansc ibed, ansla ed, and anonymized he
da a and ans e ed hem in o he so wa e package
MAXQDA. S a ing poin o he mul i- s age analy-
sis (Figu e2) was he esea ch mo i a ion. In a i s
s ep, we de eloped a case desc ip ion o iden i y
he phenomenon in he da a. Nex , we mobilized
he mul i- le el ne wo k model sugges ed by Lang
and Fink(2019) o de elop a heo e ical aming
ha allows o an explici o mula ion o a esea ch
ques ion: How can CSE- BMs os e inno a ions in
s uc u ally weak u al places? In he ollowing
s ep, we engaged in in e p e i e analysis. We i s
coded he in e iews line by line and u he de el-
oped he concep s and ca ego ies be o e selec i ely
coding he ma e ial ega ding he de eloped ca e-
go ies. We concluded his s ep by compa ing he
s a emen s o di e en in e iew pa ne s on sim-
ila issues o iden i y con as s and commonali ies
and de elop assump ions abou he mechanisms a
play. Compa ing ecen in e iew da a wi h ea lie
in e iews enabled us o econs uc con inui ies
and changes in he case o ganiza ion. In he ou h
s ep, we de eloped heo e ical explana ions o
he iden i ied mechanisms and o mula ed p opo-
si ions (Gioia e al.,2013; see also AppendixA).
Finally, we assessed he limi a ions imposed by ou
da a and me hod on he obus ness and each o ou
indings. This c i ical assessmen o he indings
also highligh ed implica ions o heo y, policy,
and p ac ice.
3.3. Case selec ion, case desc ip ion, and
esea ch con ex
The case S e iaCo (a pseudonym) was i s in es i-
ga ed in an EU- unded esea ch p ojec be ween 2016
and 2018 ha ocused on inno a i e en e p ises wi h
a social mission loca ed in s uc u ally weak u al
egions ac oss Eu ope (Fink e al.,2017). S e iaCo
is mos sui able o ou in es iga ion because i is a
CSE- BM ha u ned ou o be a pa adigma ic case
o he in es iga ed phenomenon.
S e iaCo is a p oduc ion coope a i e loca ed
in a e ile a ea o Cen al G eece. I has some 50
membe s, mos o whom a e amily a me s. Despi e
wo king in a adi ional sec o , S e iaCo is highly
inno a i e. I has in oduced no el p oduc s and
p ocesses and es ablished an agile o ganiza ional
s uc u e. S e iaCo was among he i s ag icul u al
en e p ises in Eu ope o begin cul i a ing s e ia, a
ze o- calo ie suga subs i u e. Unlike o he coope a-
i es in G eece, S e iaCo does no only p oduce aw
Table 1. O e iew o he empi ical da a collec ed du ing he longi udinal case s udy
Phases o da a collec ion
Pu pose o he esea ch s ay Pages o
ield no es
No. o in e iews
conduc ed
No. o
documen s
analyzed
Ap il 2016–Ap il 2017 Explo a ion o he case, unde s anding
he SE- BM and how he coope a i e
os e s social inno a ion
16 11 4
2019 Unde s anding he egional amewo k
condi ions
12 7 6
Feb ua y 2023 Unde s anding he e olu ion o he
coope a i e and i s business model
5 6 2
To al 33 24 12
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Sha ing- economy business models & coope a i es
R&D Managemen 54, 5, 2024 1219
ma e ials bu also p ocesses he ha es ed c ops and
ma ke s he inal p oduc s wi h he idea o co e ing
he whole alue chain o gene a e be e income o
he a me s in ol ed.
A p o ound c isis laid he ounda ion o inno a-
ion. Un il he ea ly 2000s, he cul i a ion o obacco
plan s p o ided a good income o G eek a me s.
Howe e , he b eakdown o he obacco ma ke , he
G eek deb c isis, and he EU’s es ic i e ag icul u al
policy o ced a change o di ec ion. S e ia, a c op ha
had been p edominan ly cul i a ed in Sou h Ame ica
and Asia un il hen, o e ed a me s new hope.
When we in es iga ed S e iaCo in 2016 and
2017, hese ini ial hope seemed o ealize a e
yea s o hea y in es men and modes p o i s.
Con ac s wi h ading companies and a be e age
manu ac u e b ough s e ia p oduc s o supe ma -
ke shel es ac oss G eece, and S e iaCo had ambi-
ious plans o in e na ionalize. Howe e , ensions
had eme ged be ween agile business minds and
conse a i e a me s.
Se en yea s on, S e iaCo is s ill in ope a ion.
I s o ganiza ional s uc u e has p o ed esilien , bu
he coope a i e g ew mo e slowly han en isaged.
Recen ly, S e iaCo has mode nized i s p oduc ion,
in oduced new p oduc s, and eplica ed i s business
model, all indica o s o a dynamic and s ill- ambi ious
en e p ise.
4. Resul s
4.1. The mul i- le el ne wo k o egional
coope a i es: how o mobilize and
sha e esou ces
Fo ou case o ganiza ion he Lang and Fink model
(2019) implies ha egime- le el ac o s a e mo e
powe ul han ac o s on he in e media e o com-
muni y le el in he sense ha hey can de ine he
amewo k condi ions o he p oduc ion and ma -
ke ing o s e ia by o mula ing laws/ egula ions,
in e e e in he ma ke condi ions by se ing whole-
sale p ices o p o iding subsidies, and p o ide pub-
licly unded esea ch and de elopmen . Likewise,
ac o s on he in e media e le el a e mo e powe -
ul han he communi y- le el ac o s. Fo example,
as boa d membe s o he coope a i e hey ha e o
ex- an e in ol e he membe s in decisions o s a-
egic impo ance and ex- pos jus i y hei manage-
men decision is- à- is he membe s in he gene al
assembly, bu in p ac ical e ms hey s ill ha e mo e
in o ma ion and ope a i e leeway han he single
Figu e 2. The abduc i e esea ch p ocess.
Resea ch mo i a ion:
How can CSE-BMs d i e inno a ions
in s uc u ally weak u al places?
Da a om in-dep h case s udy
ollowed o e se en yea s (p oduc ion
coope a i e)
Iden i ica ion o he phenomenon:
Desc ip ion o he CSE-BM o d i e
inno a ion in u al G eece
Theo e ical aming o he
phenomenon
Fo mula ion o esea ch ques ion
Iden i ica ion o emblema ic
s a emen s cap u ing he phenomenon
Sensemaking ega ding he
mechanisms a play and
con ingencies
Theo e ical explana ion o he
mechanisms a play
Fo mula ion o p oposi ions
Iden i ica ion o limi a ions a ising om
he da a and he analy ical s a egy
Implica ions and con ibu ions o
heo y, policy and p ac ice
Empi ical ealm Theo e ical ealm
Iden i ica ion o limi a ions a ising om
he heo e ical pe spec i e
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1220 R&D Managemen 54, 5, 2024
membe o he coope a i e. The model exp esses
his mul i- le el s uc u e in ela ion o he issue
add essed in he egional communi y. S e iaCo
ac s as a media o who es ablishes links be ween
communi ies and holde s o c i ical esou ces on
di e en le els o he ins i u ional en i onmen .
S e iaCo’s ounde s and CEO a e wo impo an
d i e s o i s ac i i ies. One o he ounde s is he
o me leade o he associa ion o obacco coope -
a i es—a highly in luen ial igu e in he egion due
o his ex ensi e expe ience and expe ise in a m-
ing and he coope a i e mo emen in G eece. He
buil on he social bonds among S e iaCo membe s
o o m a cohesi e g oup and used his in luence o
engage in communi y de elopmen and sus ainable
a ming p ojec s. To en ich he CSE- BM wi h new
business knowledge and os e he en ep eneu ial
spi i o he o me obacco a me s, he hi ed an
enginee ing g adua e and in es men banke wi h
egional oo s as CEO.
The ask was o con ince he a me s ha he main
disad an ages o he egion we e challenges ha
could be o e come by joining o ces in a CSE- BM.
Al hough he a me s s ongly esis ed change a
i s (see s a emen I3C in he Appendix), S e iaCo
succeeded in ec ui ing some 50 membe s. This was
possible because o c edible alue p oposi ions such
as expe iencing social cohesion and bene i ing om
sha ed esou ces (appx. I1A and I1B). S e iaCo’s
membe s sha e an in e es in making a good li ing
om a ming, which he CSE- BM se es by le e -
aging esou ces o sha ing om he ne wo k embed-
ded in he place.
Sha ing is one o he i al ing edien s o main-
aining and de eloping bonding social capi al. While
he numbe o sha ed esou ces has inc eased o e
ime (appx. I2B), an a emp o sha e esou ces ia
an elec onic pla o m—‘like an Ube o ac o s’
(appx. I2D)— ailed because a me s p e e ed sha -
ing wi hin hei own illages and among S e iaCo
membe s. In addi ion o machine y o plan ing, ha -
es ing, and p ocessing s e ia, sha ing also includes,
o example, sha ed ma ke ing and adminis a i e
expenses (appx. I2C).
The limi ed esou ces a ailable in he communi y
make i ha de o S e iaCo membe s o each hei
common goals. By eaching ou o people ou side
he egion (b idging social capi al) who can p o ide
access o new in o ma ion and esou ces, S e iaCo
and i s membe s ap in o he esou ce pools o o he
communi ies. The e a e ho izon al links wi h a new
s e ia CSE- BM in No he n G eece, which S e iaCo
has s ongly suppo ed and now bene i s om a sub-
s an ial inc ease in p oduc ion capaci y and enhanced
ma ke powe . A he same ime, he di usion o he
business model a es s o he success o S e iaCo’s
app oach.
In addi ion o b idging social capi al, S e iaCo
also builds linking social capi al ha spans di e -
en le els o he ne wo k. By aking on he in e -
media y ole, S e iaCo es ablishes e ical links
be ween he communi y and he egime le el. Ou
analyses show ha egime ac o s see S e iaCo as a
ole model (appx. I3B). Ag icul u e is an impo -
an sec o in he egion bu su e s om low p o-
duc i i y and a lack o en ep eneu ial spi i (appx.
I3C). S e iaCo illus a es ha a me s can become
mo e en ep eneu ial, which is a c edible alue
p oposi ion o egime- le el ac o s. Thus, o mobi-
lize esou ces, S e iaCo mus o e c edible alue
p oposi ions o bo h communi y- and egime- le el
ac o s.
P oposi ion 1 CSE- BMs mobilize esou ces o
sha ing ac oss he ne wo k by o e ing c edible
alue p oposi ions o he communi y and egime
le els.
4.2. Emo ional and ins umen al place
a achmen : how CSE- BMs gain
legi imacy in he communi y
Whe he a alue p oposi ion is pe cei ed as c edi-
ble by hese ac o s depends on he legi imacy ha
CSE- BMs enjoy, which, in u n, depends on hei
emo ional and ins umen al a achmen o he local
communi y. S e iaCo’s membe s, and especially
i s CEO, ha e s ong emo ional ies wi h he place
and he communi y. The CEO’s emo ional place
a achmen s ems om his amily’s oo s in he
egion (appx. II1B) and is ein o ced by he s ong
endo semen o he ounde s. Mo eo e , he CEO
is ins umen ally a ached o he place and he com-
muni y because he sees hem h ough he eyes o a
success ul in es men banke and business de el-
ope . His expe ise in inancing and managing
s a - ups, as well as his en ep eneu ial mindse ,
ha e shown local a me s he alue in ha ing him
on boa d (appx. II2A).
S e iaCo builds on membe s’ and especially he
CEO’s emo ional and ins umen al place a ach-
men o gain legi imacy. I le e ages he commu-
ni y’s accep ance o i s membe s as hei own.
Simul aneously, he membe s’ ins umen al place
a achmen enables S e iaCo o posi ion i sel as
an ad oca e o he communi y, ne wo king wi h
highe - le el ac o s such as ep esen a i es o he
egional and na ional go e nmen and o ganiza-
ions such as he chambe o comme ce. F om he
ou se , S e iaCo has encou aged i s membe s o
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Ma hias Fink is a p o esso o inno a ion man-
agemen a JKU Linz, Aus ia and a p o esso o
s a egy a G enoble Ecole de Managemen . His
esea ch conce ns S a egy as P ac ice (SAP) in
he con ex o inno a ion (gene a ion o no el
p ocesses and aluable ma ke o e ings), socio-
echnical ans o ma ion (in e play be ween social
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Ma hias Fink, Daniela Ma esch, Richa d Lang, Ralph Rich e and Geo gios Cha zich is os
1228 R&D Managemen 54, 5, 2024
change, echnological p og ess and business mod-
els) and business en u ing (in new and es ablished
o ganiza ions).
Daniela Ma esch an associa e p o esso a GEM and
an associa e p o esso a he Uni e si y o Sou he n
Denma k (DK). The ocus o he esea ch is on op-
ics a he in e sec ion o en ep eneu ship, egional
de elopmen , and inno a ion, such as en ep eneu ial
inance, echnology en ep eneu ship, social and mi-
g an en ep eneu ship, and en ep eneu ship educa-
ion. In he esea ch, she employs he in e disciplin-
a y expe ise om managemen and law. The esul s
o Daniela’s wo k ha e been published bo h in schol-
a ly jou nals such and in ans e publica ions such
as he Eu opean Cen al Bank Wo king Pape Se ies.
Richa d Lang is a p o esso a he Compe ence Cen e
o he Managemen o Coope a i es a F ee Uni e si y
o Bozen-Bolzano. He held an APART- ellowship o
he Aus ian Academy o Sciences and was Senio
Resea ch Fellow in he School o Social Policy a he
Uni e si y o Bi mingham, UK, whe e he ea lie held
a Ma ie Cu ie Fellowship. Richa d’s esea ch in e es s
include social inno a ion and social en e p ises, social
capi al and ne wo ks, collabo a i e and coope a i e
housing, ci il socie y and social economy o ganiza-
ions, as well as u ban and egional de elopmen .
Ralph Rich e is a senio esea che a he IRS Leibniz
Ins i u e o Resea ch on Socie y and Space in E kne /
Ge many and membe o he esea ch g oup ‘Economy
and Ci il Socie y’. The esea ch ocus o Ralph is on
egional and u ban de elopmen , social change in u al
egions, social inno a ion and social en ep eneu ship
and socio- ecologic ansi ion in anspo . He is cu -
en ly wo king in esea ch p ojec s on socio- ecologic
ansi ion in logis ics and on egional ac o s o inno-
a ion and change in s uc u ally weak egions.
Geo gios Cha zich is os is a pos doc o al e-
sea che a he Uni e si y o he Aegean. He s udied
Economics a he Uni e si y o Macedonia. He e-
cei ed a MSc in Poli ical Theo y om he London
School o Economics and Poli ical Science (LSE),
a MA in Philosophy om King’s College London
(KCL) and a PhD om he Uni e si y o he Aegean
as a Eu opean Union. He has augh as a isi ing
lec u e a he Eu opean Public Law O ganisa ion
(2020–2021) and as a lec u e a he Depa men o
Social Policy o he Democ i us Uni e si y o Th ace
(2021–2022). He pa icipa es in he ‘ReWo kAegean’
and ‘YOUTHSha e’ p ojec s implemen ed by he
Uni e si y o he Aegean and is an ex e nal e alua o
o LEADER. His esea ch ocuses on u al de elop-
men , social inno a ion and social economy.
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Sha ing- economy business models & coope a i es
R&D Managemen 54, 5, 2024 1229
APPENDIX A
Da a s uc u e and coding scheme
1s o de concep s (concep s)
2nd o de hemes (ca ego ies) P oposi ions
( heo ies) (agg e-
ga e dimension)
I1A: “We a e a amily and should help each o he . In he coope a i e, we ha e common in e es s
and should ac as one. We all wan o make ou li ing om a ming.” (In - 01)
Coope a i e membe s sha e an in e es in a good li ing om a ming. De ending his in e es
equi es a amily- like cohesion and solida i y.
I1B: “We a e one big amily, as I old you.” (In - 02)
Coope a i e membe s ha e close ies, jus as amily membe s do.
I1C: “Gene ally, he coope a i e is an e o ha hasn’ b ough in any c azy e enue so a .
So we can’ say ha he i s p io i y in wha we’ e doing is e enue. […] He e we’ e ying o
some hing ha we buil , some hing ha ’s good. We’ e come ou and we ha e a e y good b and
name. We’ e making a e y good e o ha we’ e p oud o .” (In - 03)
Coope a i e membe s do no join in o de o make money bu o become pa o a p omising
endea o ha makes hem p oud
I1: The CSE- BM p omises
cohesion, solida i y, and
p ide, which a e c edible
alue p oposi ions o he
sha ing communi y
P oposi ion I:
CSE- BMs mo-
bilize esou ces
o sha ing
ac oss he
ne wo k by o -
e ing c edible
alue p oposi-
ions o he
communi y and
egime le els
I2A: “We sha e machines a lo . So p ac ically om soil p epa a ion, plan ing, collec ion, which
is ela i ely ecen because we ecen ly bough some collec ion machines. These a e machines
ha a e sha ed ou in he ield and hen he e a e he lea so ing machines ha a e held in he
coope a i e and we all use hem collec i ely.” (In - 03)
Coope a i e membe s sha e machine y o in- ield cul i a ion and p ocessing aw p oduc s.
I2B: “The a io has been small so a , clea ly in a o o p i a e machines. I was one o i e,
le ’s say; now ha we’ e go he machines collec i ely i may be one o one.” (In - 03)
Mo e and mo e machine y is sha ed among he coope a i e membe s.
I2C: “I is di icul o an indi idual o manage and sell s e ia, especially i you only ha e
a small quan i y. So, [ he coope a i e is] basically used o managing and selling s e ia. And
hen all he inancial bene i s ha a coope a i e gi es you. Plus he business axa ion and so
on— he accoun ing pa .” (In - 04)
Indi idual a me s bene i om membe ships in p oduc ion coope a i es because hey sha e
e o s o en e he ma ke , hey sha e adminis a i e cos s, and help o sa e business axes.
I2D: “Eigh yea s ago, we s a ed an idea h ough he coope a i e. We we e alking abou
making i in o a pla o m o expand i and ge mo e people in ol ed. So ha ’s […] like an Ube
o ac o s. Sha ing economy: on he one hand he e is demand and on he o he hand he e is
supply. Someone uploads his machine and he e is a machine he e and someone else is looking
o such a machine. He can ind i he e and do his job. […] I didn’ go e y well because we
don’ ha e he men ali y in G eece o exchange hese machines. Now i is do man .” (In - 05)
An ea lie a emp o sha e machine y ia an elec onic pla o m was abandoned because i
didn’ mee he expec a ions o he G eek a me s
I2: The sha ing o machine y
as well as sha ed expenses
o business adminis a-
ion, ainings and ma ke
access a e c edible alue
p oposi ions o he sha ing
communi y
(Con inues)
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Ma hias Fink, Daniela Ma esch, Richa d Lang, Ralph Rich e and Geo gios Cha zich is os
1230 R&D Managemen 54, 5, 2024
1s o de concep s (concep s)
2nd o de hemes (ca ego ies) P oposi ions
( heo ies) (agg e-
ga e dimension)
I3A: “I is impo an ha hey ge o know us and ha we ge o know hem. Decisions a e easie
i you know he aces behind he p ojec s.” (In - 01)
Coope a ion wi h ac o s on highe le els is easie i hey know no only he CEO bu also
o dina y membe s o he coope a i e.
I3B: “[S e iaCo is a] ole model and a change- make . People need o be ac i a ed. They
need o unde s and ha en ep eneu ship is good o us. [S e iaCo] will show hem!” (In - 06)
The coope a i e is seen as a ole model o he communi y in e ms o ac i a ion and en e-
p eneu ial spi i .
I3C: “[Fa me s] don’ hink ha change is some hing good. […] Because o ha men ali y,
hey don’ wan o change and p oduce some hing new.” (In - 07)
Fa me s end o ha e conse a i e a i udes, which makes hem a e se o change and inno a-
ion
I3: The CSE- BM p omises
access o people a he com-
muni y le el ( a me s) and
o imbue hem wi h en e-
p eneu ial spi i —bo h a e
c edible alue p oposi ions
o he egime
II1A: “We y o make su e ha he supplie s a e all om ou egion. The new building ha we
a e cons uc ing, all he con ac o s a e om ou a ea. We a e ying as much as we can o gi e
back o he socie y.” (In - 05)
The CSE- BM demons a es place a achmen by p io i izing supplie s and con ac o s om
i s own egion.
II1B: “They ha e known me since I was a li le boy, saw me g owing up and hey ollowed my
in e na ional ca ee . This amilia i y opens doo s.” (In - 08)
Sha ing one o igin builds us so ha wo king oge he is possible i espec i e o di e en
ca ee pa hs.
II1: The CSE- BM gains legi -
imacy because i s membe s
demons a e and inco po-
a e place a achmen
P oposi ion II:
To make hei
alue p oposi-
ion c edible,
CSE- BMs gain
legi imacy
h ough hei
membe s’ in-
s umen al and
emo ional place
a achmen
II2A: “[He is] one o us, bu he is an expe who can deal wi h he big playe s. We need his ex-
pe ise, bu [we] canno wo k wi h somebody who does no unde s and us.” (In - 09)
The CEO combines bo h local embeddedness and he sup a- egional con ac s and skills o
deal wi h ac o s on highe le els.
II2B: “[The CEO is] a bo n en ep eneu . He is ene ge ic and commi ed. He has been suc-
cess ul ab oad, so he will also succeed he e.” (In - 07)
The CEO was a success ul businessman ab oad, which makes egional decision- make s con-
iden ha he CEO will succeed in he egion as well
II2: Decision- make s in CSE-
BMs who combine local
embeddedness, sup a- local
con ac s, and en ep e-
neu ial skills a e c edible
p omo e s o a success ul
business
APPENDIX A (Con inued)
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Sha ing- economy business models & coope a i es
R&D Managemen 54, 5, 2024 1231
1s o de concep s (concep s)
2nd o de hemes (ca ego ies) P oposi ions
( heo ies) (agg e-
ga e dimension)
III1A: “He e we a e dealing wi h a p oduc ha was being g own in Eu ope o he e y i s
ime. The e was no p eceden , so we we e lying blind. I was de ini ely he coope a i e ha
helped a lo mo e in allowing his e o o de elop.” (In - 10)
The coope a i e was an impo an p e equisi e o he es ablishmen o he p oduc inno a-
ion.
III1B: “We ce ainly opened up a ma ke ha didn’ exis ; ha is, when we s a ed in 2012,
he e was p ac ically no s e ia on he supe ma ke shel es anywhe e. So ha alone… And he e
was ce ainly no s e ia a ming. The ac ha we also wo ked wi h some ins i u ions along he
way […] and we ans e ed expe ise o hem and o anyone who was in e es ed along he way.
I hink ha was he big inno a ion ha we did.” (In - 03)
The p oduc inno a ion is e lec ed in he ac ha he coope a i e de eloped a new ma ke
o he p oduc and ans e ed i s expe ise o o he s akeholde s
III1: The CSE- BM enables
a me s o de elop and
es ablish p oduc inno a-
ions and o s ep in o new
ma ke s
P oposi ion III:
CSE- BMs de-
elop no only
p oduc /se ice
and p ocess
inno a ion bu
also social in-
no a ion. This
helps o sus ain
membe s’
con ibu ions
o he sha ing
communi y
III2A: “Each o us has di e en skills […] I hink he combina ion o his di e en ia ion makes
he inno a ion in ou coope a i e, ‘cause we’ e no only businesspeople […] We ha e di e en
people who a e speaking he same language.” (In - 02)
In eg a ing people wi h di e se skills such as business skills in one coope a i e is an inno a-
ion.
III2B: “We made qui e a big change compa ed o i e yea s ago. We we e a li le bi con-
se a i e. […] We didn’ wan in es o s. We didn’ wan addi ional sha es. Now we’ e open o
e e y hing and we’ e mo ed o wa d.” (In - 03)
The new CSE- BM has a signi ican impac on i s membe s in e ms o openness o change.
III2C: “We’ e de eloping a pa ne ship wi h a coope a i e […] I ’s ano he coope a i e ha
has been se up o g ow s e ia in Th ace. […] The old obacco a me s he e ha e se up a local
coope a i e, which is closely coope a ing wi h ou s, in he sense ha basically all he p oduc
ends up he e wi h us and he managemen o i om he e onwa ds.” (In - 03)
The coope a i e expo s i s inno a ions o ano he coope a i e, ounded by o me obacco
a me s in a neighbo ing egion
III2: To sus ain he mem-
be s’ gain om p oduc
and p ocess inno a ions,
he coope a i e also os e s
social inno a ions. These
social inno a ions e lec in
a combina ion o skills and
a new en ep eneu ial mind-
se and i s di usion o o he
coope a i es
(Con inues)
APPENDIX A (Con inued)
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Ma hias Fink, Daniela Ma esch, Richa d Lang, Ralph Rich e and Geo gios Cha zich is os
1232 R&D Managemen 54, 5, 2024
1s o de concep s (concep s)
2nd o de hemes (ca ego ies) P oposi ions
( heo ies) (agg e-
ga e dimension)
IV1A: “Because I hink his is also e y impo an , ha one o he easons why we ha e ailed a
he le el o coope a i es in G eece is ha he coope a i es we e un by he p oduce s hemsel es.
You can’ be a a me and a he same ime be in ma ke ing and be he CEO and be he one o
communica e he p oduc .” (In - 03)
P oduc ion coope a i es wi h a me s as manage s, which a e a ypical coope a i e model in
G eece, end o ail because a me s canno ake on mul iple oles.
IV1B: “I [ he CEO] say o he membe s: ‘Guys, shall we ge a loan?’ … ‘No way, man, wha
do we need a loan o ?’ … ‘Shall we pu up ou own money?’… ‘A e you kidding me? We’ e
gonna use ou own money?’ … ‘Shall we ge an in es o ?’ … ‘I we ha e an in es o , in he end
he will ake e e y hing’ … ‘So how a e we gonna do his [in es men ], guys?!’ I ’s no he igh
mindse .” (In - 05)
Tensions a ise om in eg a ing a me s and business de elope s in a single coope a i e be-
cause o di e en mindse s wi h ega d o in es men s
IV1: The o ganiza ional o m
o CSE- BMs is dispu ed
because pu e p oduc ion
coope a i es end o ail and
coope a i es ha combine
p oduc ion and business
de elopmen end o be
con lic ual
P oposi ion IV:
Because CSE-
BMs s e ch
ac oss di e en
in e es g oups
wi h di e -
en mindse s,
ensions a ise.
These ensions
can be handled
h ough an
ambidex ous
o ganiza ional
s uc u e o he
coope a i e
o m
IV2A: “We’ e a coope a i e and […] we’ e an en e p ise, consis ing o wo laye s: One laye is
he laye wi h he a me s and he o he laye is he laye wi h businesspeople, le ’s say. So, his
combina ion, as I old you, is he inno a ion o ou coope a i e.” (In - 02)
O ganizing he coope a i e in wo dis inc o ganiza ional uni s, he p oduc ion uni and he
business de elopmen uni , is an o ganiza ional no el y.
IV2B: “Fa me s and businesspeople— his combina ion is he inno a ion. So, […] we s a ed
a end he e in his. Because o he coope a i es a ound he a ea, hey a e also buil his way
[now]. Businesspeople wi h a me s o wi h someone else, buil in o a coope a i e.” (In - 02)
Combining p oduc ion and business de elopmen in a coope a i e is an o ganiza ional inno-
a ion and se s a end in he egion
IV2: To deal wi h he en-
sions be ween he di e en
in e es g oups CSE- BMs
c ea e o ganiza ional mod-
els wi h dis inc uni s: one
esponsible o p oduc ion,
he o he o dis ibu ion
and ma ke ing
APPENDIX A (Con inued)
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Sha ing- economy business models & coope a i es
R&D Managemen 54, 5, 2024 1233
1s o de concep s (concep s)
2nd o de hemes (ca ego ies) P oposi ions
( heo ies) (agg e-
ga e dimension)
In - 01: In e iew wi h a boa d membe o he coope a i e, conduc ed in G eek and ansla ed in o English. Cen al G eece, Ap il 1, 2017, Du a ion:
41 min. Conduc ed by membe s o he eam o au ho s.
In - 02: In e iew wi h he CEO o he coope a i e, conduc ed in English. Cen al G eece, May 11, 2016, Du a ion: 1 h 7 min. Conduc ed by mem-
be s o he eam o au ho s.
In - 03: In e iew wi h a me and boa d membe o he coope a i e, conduc ed in G eek and ansla ed in o English. Cen al G eece, Feb ua y 2,
2023, Du a ion: 47 min. Conduc ed by a membe o he eam o au ho s.
In - 04: In e iew wi h a a me and boa d membe o he coope a i e, conduc ed in English. Cen al G eece, Feb ua y 1, 2023, Du a ion: 41 min.
Conduc ed by a membe o he eam o au ho s.
In - 05: In e iew wi h he CEO o he coope a i e, conduc ed in G eek and ansla ed in o English. Cen al G eece, Feb ua y 2, 2023, Du a ion:
38 min. Conduc ed by a membe o he eam o au ho s.
In - 06: In e iew wi h a ep esen a i e o he egional go e nmen , conduc ed in English. Cen al G eece, May 12, 2016, Du a ion: 1 h 19 min.
Conduc ed by membe s o he eam o au ho s.
In - 07: In e iew wi h a ep esen a i e o he egional go e nmen , conduc ed in English. Cen al G eece, Ma ch 7, 2017, Du a ion: 1 h 38 min.
Conduc ed by membe s o he eam o au ho s.
In - 08: In e iew wi h he CEO o he coope a i e, conduc ed in English. Cen al G eece, Ap il 1, 2017, Du a ion: 1 h 25 min. Conduc ed by
membe s o he eam o au ho s.
In - 09: In e iew wi h membe s o he coope a i e, conduc ed in English. Cen al G eece, Ma ch 14, 2017, Du a ion: 1 h 26 min. Conduc ed by
membe s o he eam o au ho s.
In - 10: In e iew wi h a a me and boa d membe o he coope a i e, conduc ed in G eek and ansla ed in o English. Cen al G eece, Feb ua y
2, 2023, Du a ion: 32 min. Conduc ed by a membe o he eam o au ho s.
APPENDIX A (Con inued)
14679310, 2024, 5, Downloaded om h ps://onlinelib a y.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ adm.12679 by Leibniz-Ins i u Fü , Wiley Online Lib a y on [20/10/2025]. See he Te ms and Condi ions (h ps://onlinelib a y.wiley.com/ e ms-and-condi ions) on Wiley Online Lib a y o ules o use; OA a icles a e go e ned by he applicable C ea i e Commons License
