Sustainable business model designs toward 6G era

This research investigates the diverse range of sustainability-focused business model designs within the current mobile communication ecosystem toward 6G era. The anticipated general-purpose 6G technology platform, characterized by its open architecture and interfaces, holds the potential to foster a vibrant developer community dedicated to innovating services, applications, and business models for enhancing network value and benefiting from innovations in a sustainable manner. The study analyzed sustainability-related documents from key stakeholders in the mobile communications ecosystem from business model viewpoint. The reviewed materials comprised environmental, social and governance (ESG) compliance reports, sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures, as well as technical white papers and policy briefs addressing 6G conceptual frameworks and the sustainable development of products, services, and applications. The sustainable business model (SBM) pattern taxonomy analysis classified sustainable business models into eleven categories and thirty-eight design patterns, supporting sustainability-oriented 6G business model innovation across the environmental, social, and economic sustainability pillars. These sustainable business model design patterns were further characterized based on their value perspectives. The findings indicate that currently mobile communications ecosystem actors have primarily adopted environmental-economic business models and value maintaining functions, emphasizing ecodesign and circular economy patterns in sustainable development. Mechanisms for sharing social value are still rare and in their formative phase. The outcomes of this study establish a basis for designing innovative sustainability-oriented business models for 6G and offer a framework for conducting more integrated sustainability assessments within the 6G ecosystem. The findings of this research may inform the development of innovative, sustainability-oriented business models and enhance the articulation of sustainable value propositions to relevant stakeholders.