A Strategic Implementation Framework for Stakeholder Inclusion in Values-Based Innovation Development

Current challenges such as climate change, resource scarcity, and social injustice require new approaches to tackle complex problems. The fashion industry is among top contributors to the negative environmental and social impacts. Values-based innovation is seen as a promising approach to enable the transformation of fashion ecosystem towards more sustainable and socially responsible together with firm’s stakeholders. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) comprise a large part in the fashion industry and are seen as a driver for innovative solutions. However, they are affected by scarce resources impeding their progress, including effective stakeholder inclusion in VBI process. The research aim is to ground a conceptual model for stakeholder inclusion in values-based innovation development in SMEs in the fashion industry. A qualitative research approach was used, which included a multiple case study of the SMEs in the fashion industry. Based on empirical findings, theoretical and managerial implications were derived.