World Café Insights: Combining Digital Technologies, Sustainability Goals, and Organizational Capabilities for Business Model Innovation

Companies face challenges in balancing the adoption of digital technologies with the achievement of sustainability goals. Research has shown that integrating digital technologies into business models can enhance sustainable value creation. However, successfully implementing data-driven sustainable business models requires more than technology adoption; it also depends on aligning digital technologies with sustainability objectives and organizational capabilities. This study takes an exploratory approach using the World Café method to examine how companies align digital technologies with sustainability goals and to identify the organizational capabilities needed to develop data-driven sustainable business models. The paper contributes to the research with three key findings: First, integrating digital technologies into business models is essential for enhancing value creation. Second, digital technologies play a crucial role in advancing sustainability efforts and enable sustainable business model innovation when supported by the necessary organizational capabilities. Third, key organizational capabilities—such as a willingness to embrace change, adopt a transformative mindset, and promote cross-departmental cooperation—are essential for aligning digital technologies with sustainability goals to drive data-driven sustainable business model innovation. While this research provides valuable insights, it focuses primarily on the positive impacts of digital technologies on sustainability. Future studies should address long-term sustainability outcomes and explore organizational barriers to developing these capabilities.