A conceptual framework for sustainable value creation: a case study of a French ecovillage
Résumé
Awareness of planetary boundaries underscores the need for systemic changes to maintain Earth's habitability. Local initiatives, such as ecovillages, are pivotal in driving sustainable transitions by fostering innovative social and technical solutions. Ecovillages, designed to regenerate social and natural environments, provide models of sustainable living that address the harmful effects of human activities. However, there is limited research on how ecovillages can generate sustainable value (SV). Drawing on both theoretical and empirical approaches, this article introduces a conceptual framework for co-creating SV in ecovillages, integrating their ecosystems, territories, actors, resources, and capabilities. The framework considers three stages for creating SV in the early phases of the design process: understanding the ecovillage ecosystem, analyzing the territory, and generating an SV proposition for the local territory. A case study of a French ecovillage illustrates how the framework facilitates the generation of concrete sustainability projects. This article highlights the impact of understanding SV creation in ecovillages for researchers and practitioners working on local initiatives with strong sustainability paradigm. It addresses the gap in recognizing the role of integrating actors and resources as essential for the sustainable transitions of the local territory. Further studies could focus on testing this framework in other ecovillages to evaluate its practical effectiveness in generating sustainable projects.
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