Advantages, Disadvantages, and Types of Innovation in Sustainable Organizations

Sustainable organizations have advantages such as competitive advantage, cost reduction, and waste reduction, but also have disadvantages such as time taking, higher initial investment, and complex models. There are four types of innovation in sustainable businesses: architectural, radical, incremental, and disruptive. Sustainable businesses are important as they encourage green communities, increase opportunities, increase productivity, save the environment, and provide employment opportunities.

Building Sustainable
Organisation

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
PART – A........................................................................................................................................3
Advantages of sustainable organisation......................................................................................3
Disadvantages of sustainable organisation..................................................................................4
Types of innovation.....................................................................................................................4
Importance of sustainable business.............................................................................................5
PART – B.........................................................................................................................................7
Reflection....................................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
Books and journals......................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
A group of people within any organisation who focuses that, by their efforts and actions
they could establish an advance sustainability within their organisation is termed as sustainable
organisation (Brunoro, Bolis and Sznelwar, 2018). The ability to fulfil present needs from natural
resources without compromising on the needs of future generation is sustainability. Now a days
business organisations are involved in combining innovation with sustainability, which is
important for the organisations to survive in this competitive era. Currently, there are number of
companies involved in this kind of businesses (de Sousa Jabbour, Jabbour and Godinho Filho,
2018). Out of which, one world's largest British Firm of coffee grounds recycler is Bio – bean.
They are involved in producing Eco - friendly fuel from the waste of coffee. Alone, UK produces
tonnes of coffee waste everyday, by consuming 98 million cups of coffee everyday (Mayson and
Williams, 2021). It's a Private company, founded by Arthur Kay and Benjamin Harriman. It's
headquarter is in Cambridgeshire, England, founded in 2013. This file includes advantages and
disadvantages of sustainable organisation, types of innovation and it's importance. Later we will
see how lifestyle can be changed by using sustainable ideas.
PART – A
Advantages of sustainable organisation
 Competitive advantage – The rapid increase in the competition results in easy
availability of the substitute products and rise in the competition (Karpunina and et. al.,
2019). So, for a company to gain the competitive advantage their should be some
uniqueness in the product, that attracts the customer to purchase their product in-spite of
their competitors product. By producing sustainable products now a days companies are
getting advantages. Also, as per survey reports the customers are more involved in
purchasing sustainable or natural products, as they are becoming more health and
environment conscious (Jardón, 2018). Big bean is the world's largest manufacturer of
the fuel producer, who supplies power to the buses of London.
 Reduces cost – The raw material used while producing sustainable waste in something
which is unused or waste material for them (Chassé and Courrent, 2018). Waste for
general people is the raw material for the sustainable companies. So, the cost which
occurred in purchasing raw material is cut off. Apart from this the waste raw material is

also easily available so no delays while purchasing raw material. The same strategy is
used by the Big bean, the money saved from the raw material is being used for
purchasing heavy machines (Roxas, Rivera and Gutierrez, 2020).
 Reduces waste – The main aim of producing sustainable goods is to reduce the waste.
The product is being manufactured from the waste material and that waste is being
collected and used for producing the another finished goods (Waheed and Zhang, 2020).
Although recycling of the products is the most effective way to reduce waste. All this
process is directly helpful in reducing the waste and conserving the environment. The
waste generated from the coffee is being collected and then recycled by Big bean.
Disadvantages of sustainable organisation
 Time taking – To start a sustainable business needs a lot of time for its smooth
functioning both for the company and employees (Jiménez and Ortíz, 2021). As the
process used for producing sustainable goods is different from producing goods for
normal raw material. The wastes like biodegradable and non – biodegradable are to
separated, then the process of production takes place (Barnes, Thomson and Ferreira,
2020). So, it takes time for the employees and organisation to adapt the change and the
process becomes lengthy.
 Higher initial investment – The technology and techniques used for manufacturing
sustainable products are new and not easily available (Popescu, 2021). So, the machines
used need to be modified as per the companies requirements. All this results in,
increasing the initial cost and difficulty in establishment of the organisation.
 Complex model – The main aim of every organisation is to make profit by increasing
revenue (Ciconkov, 2018). But to maintain profit in sustainable business for a long run is
little bit complex. As customers are more attracted towards innovative products and
continuous innovation in such business model which is dealing only in sustainable
products are little bit difficult (Isac, 2019).
Types of innovation
The innovation used in sustainable businesses are basically divided into four parts, in
which low market ideas is implemented easily, where as high market ideas are difficult to
implement and are costly enough (Expósito and Sanchis-Llopis, 2019).

 Architectural innovation – In this type of sustainable innovation business, the
technology used by the company is the existing one that the company have, but the
market or environment in which they deal are the newest one (Bonesso, Gerli, Pizzi and
Boyatzis, 2020). Some necessary improvement are made in the products with the motive
to remain at same position in the existing market. They only focus on changes and adding
new features to gain the position in the market and to differentiate themselves from its
competitors. Raspberry PI foundation has launched a machine which can be plugged into
a TV and the children can learn program through it. The developers then keep on track of
the activities done by the children's.
 Radical innovation – This type of sustainable innovation business, the technology used
by the company is the new one, also the market or environment in which they are dealing
is the new one. They made the complete changes in technology as well as in design of the
products (Barrutia and Echebarria, 2019) . The new set of design's are being designed by
the companies and are merged with the new architecture. Mind Candy launched the new
online platform where the kids can adopt their virtual or online pet. This technology used
the online space for the app.
 Incremental innovation – The technology and the market or environment used by the
companies is the existing one in the incremental innovation (Escrig-Tena, Segarra-Cipres
and Garcia-Juan, 2021). The contentious improvement are tends to be made in the
existing products. By continuous improvement the organisation can make the continuous
growth in the market. As Spotify used added the new feature that the customers can go
for paid ad – free access. The company have around 26 million active users out of with 6
million people had the paid access with them. Same as with Mark & Spencer uses the
sustainability approach and transformed its stores, offices, warehouses and work places
into carbon – neutral places.
 Disruptive innovation – The quarter with new technology and existing market is being
covered under disruptive innovation. They use the optimum utilisation of the resources.
They plays very safe as compare to other innovation types (Rammert, Windeler,
Knoblauch and Hutter, 2018). They are affordable and convenient. With the use of new
technology they easily acquires the focus of the existing customer they have in the
market. Tesco influence 43% of their shoppers to use online mode for shopping and

getting their products home delivered. As per their recent announcement Tesco is
planning to pair-up with Amazon-Go for cashier less billing, this will help customers to
preclude from long queues.
Importance of sustainable business
 Encourages green community – As the sustainable businesses are involved in recycling
of the products means they are contributing in the protection of the environment and
encouraging the green business to be established soon (Bellucci, Bini and Giunta, 2020).
When these businesses are generating a good sum of revenue for the business they are
promoting the investors to invest more and other business persons to engage in this
business. By recycling the Big beans the company is able to maintain sustainability in the
environment (Jabnoun, 2019).
 Increases opportunities – The opportunities related with investment and finance are
trends to increase, because when the organisations generates revenue for the businesses
and makes higher profit and inventors get more return, then the investors gets motivated
to invest more in the business and make the business grow and helps the organisations in
their expansions (Comin and et. al., 2019). A lot investors are ready to invest in the Big
bean after seeing its successful start.
 Increases productivity – The raw material used while manufacturing the sustainable
products are the wastes for the other companies. So the problem for expensive raw
material that are need to be purchased is solved (Cocquyt, Crucke and Slabbinck, 2020).
From this the companies saves a lot of money and uses that money for the purchasing the
machines. Big beans collects the coffee ground from various places and saves money.
 Saves environment – By collecting the waste and start manufacturing products from it
in-spite of throwing it here and there is the the best possible way to save and protect the
environment (Buffa, Franch and Rizio, 2018). By putting efforts in conservation of the
environment the government provides subsidiaries and other benefits to the company.
This encourages the people to make more investment in such business or to take initiative
in establishment of the business, this is how Big bean is getting advantages.
 Employment opportunities – The sustainable business is the new type of business
which requires more human efforts then the machine efforts so a lot of employment
opportunity is generated in this business (Tiscini, Testarmata, Ciaburri and Ferrari, 2020).

Apart from this is a emerging business and soon it will be very popularised so this
business requires and lot of employees, which results in many employment
opportunities. The employees get the fair pay as the companies generates a sufficient
amount of money. This will results in higher retention rates of the employees.
 Attracts new customers – The competition is very high in each and every industry so
the substitutes of products are easily available for this customer wants something unique
in the products to acquire the focus of the customers (Metaxas, Chatzoglou and
Koulouriotis, 2019). The sustainable business is the new type of business in the market,
which is acquiring the attention of lot of customers because the customers are getting
something different and unique which is not in the competitors products.
PART – B
Reflection
 Description – I planed and decided to divide my work into different section so that the
work can be completed more effectively and efficiently on time. I had completed my
work before the deadline so I got enough time to check is everything correct or not. After
completing it I found that some of the sections were not up to mark, so I decided to
rewrite them. As the sections were already divided so this gave me a clear understanding
where the changes are to be made.
 Feelings – When I start preparing I felt bit boring as I was thing what could someone do
with the waste things, but as I start reading about the innovation used by the companies I
was astonished. The bio bean was generating power from the waste material of coffee
grounds, which is just a waste and through in the dustbins.
 Evaluation – I feel like things were in my favour, with the help and under the guidance
of my teachers I completed my work before the deadline. Initially it was boring for me to
work upon the topic which I was not aware about, but after doing some reseach work and
after knowing some important facts will feel like why didn't I read about this topic
earlier. It was an amazing experience.
 Analysis – I think the main reason why my work go well was my decision for dividing
me work into different small section. This gave me a clear understand what activities do I
topic do I have to include or to exclude. By making this file I get the better understanding

about the most emerging topic that is sustainable businesses. The company Bio – bean
uses the waste material of coffee and convert it into the finished goods for some other
company. Imagining a waste that is going to be thrown into the dustbin will be converted
into the power for the buses, this is amazing. All this helps me in increasing me
knowledge about the subject.
 Conclusion – I think with this theoretical project if the project was practical based also
then it will help in giving us real time exposure. While visiting at the place and knowing
the things and process particularly will give the better understand, who work is being
performed. Although theoretical think also helps in knowing most of the thing which I
was never aware of and might be if I didn't get this project I have never read about it in
future also. Along with this Bio – bean is only supplying power for the buses of London,
if they merge with other companies and try to expand then this would provide them a
ample of profit which they had never though off.
 Action plan – Next time I would never make perception on my own that the topic
provide to me is of no use, because by doing so this time I wasted my lot of time. In this
peak time I can visit the industry and get the information about the things personally.
This would increase my knowledge and would save my time. Initially I will read about
the industry and project then will gather the information and make a proper notes, then I
will visit the site and clear all my queries. After this I will continue with my project with
will give me a effective solution of me problem and help me in completing my file
smoothly.
CONCLUSION
From the above research it can be concluded that with the help of sustainable business
organisations environment can be saved and protected, also revenue generation is more and
investment less. With this the sustainable businesses helps in getting competitive advantages,
reducing cost and reducing wastage. Also it promotes the investors to invest more in this type of
businesses , even the other business persons are interested in starting sustainable business. But
the initial cost in starting this business is high because the technology used are not easily
available it needs some modification. Moreover, different types of innovation shows affect of
using new and existing technology in new as well as in the old market. Innovation which keeps

on making new products and keeps on modifying is the one surviving in the market for the long
run. Lastly, the adaption of sustainable lifestyle will make the individual healthy and follow by
individuals.

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