A Model for the Development of Sustainable Innovations for the Early Phase of the Innovation Process

Current industrial development is faced by the global challenge to meet the continuously growing demand for capital and consumer goods in emerging countries while simultaneously ensuring a sustainable industrial growth in the social, environmental and economic dimension. By means of market dynamics of cooperation and competition in global value creation and knowledge networks, innovations geared towards sustainability can be essential drivers for realizing a sustainable development. The targeted development of new sustainable innovations is consequently a key activity in order to move towards sustainable industrial growth. This paper will describe a model for the development of sustainable innovations. The model focuses on idea generation in the early phase of the innovations process, addressing the fuzzy front end of innovation. In this context, specific goals and principles of sustainable development are integrated into a problem-solving approach. This integrated approach is subsequently used as a foundation for the targeted development of sustainable innovations in the frame of a workshop concept.