Business Model Innovation for Sustainable Landscape Restoration

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/bmi-sustainable-landscape-restoration

Introduction

### Course Review: Business Model Innovation for Sustainable Landscape Restoration (Coursera) In an era where environmental concerns dominate the global dialogue, the course "Business Model Innovation for Sustainable Landscape Restoration" offered on Coursera provides a crucial framework for addressing the pressing issue of land degradation. This eight-week online course delves deep into the intersection of sustainable business practices and landscape restoration, offering insights and practical tools to those passionate about environmental conservation and business innovation. #### Course Overview The course is expertly designed to address the alarming problem of land degradation, which affects nearly 40% of the global population, exacerbating climate change and contributing to biodiversity loss. With a potential for restoring approximately two billion hectares of land, this course taps into the immense opportunity for sustainable landscape restoration through innovative business models. The syllabus is structured into eight thematic weeks, each focusing on different aspects of the business model innovation process. Themes range from understanding the degradation challenges to implementing successful models that can drive restoration initiatives, ensuring that participants gain a comprehensive understanding of both theory and practical applications. #### Week-by-Week Breakdown 1. **Vision Formulation**: This introductory week sets the foundation by exploring the importance of vision in sustainable business model innovation. Participants will learn about different dimensions of landscape degradation and will select a challenge to address. 2. **Systems Analysis**: Participants will explore systems thinking, learning how to analyze complex environmental issues through real-life case studies from Spain and Iceland. This week’s focus is on understanding the interconnectedness of factors contributing to land degradation. 3. **Stakeholder Analysis**: Understanding the critical role of stakeholders is key to any successful restoration project. This week equips learners with the skills to identify and analyze stakeholders, ensuring that all voices are heard in the restoration process. 4. **Co-Creation and Opportunity Analysis**: This phase emphasizes collaboration. Participants will engage with stakeholders to explore opportunities for creating shared value, using co-innovation networks to foster inclusive solutions. 5. **Business Model Design**: Participants will gain a deep understanding of the triple-layered business model canvas, allowing them to create a robust business model tailored to their chosen restoration challenge. 6. **Solution Validation**: Here, the focus is on testing hypotheses related to the business idea. Practical methodologies are presented for small-scale validation, providing participants with the tools to iterate their concepts based on real-world feedback. 7. **Assessment and Monitoring**: This week reinforces the importance of solid financial management and performance evaluation. The course utilizes case studies to demonstrate assessment tools, which learners will apply to their business models. 8. **Reflection and Iteration**: The final week encourages introspection and encourages a community approach to learning. Participants will review their projects and connect with global practitioners, building a network for future collaboration. #### Target Audience This course is ideal for sustainability practitioners, entrepreneurship enthusiasts, environmental scientists, and anyone keen on leveraging business strategies to combat environmental challenges. Students, professionals, and organizations focused on land restoration will find it particularly beneficial. #### Recommendations Having gone through this detailed curriculum, I wholeheartedly recommend "Business Model Innovation for Sustainable Landscape Restoration" for anyone committed to fostering sustainable landscapes. The course structure is clear and methodical, ensuring that participants can build their knowledge progressively. The integration of real-life case studies makes the learning process engaging, while the actionable tools and frameworks offered throughout the course facilitate practical application. Those interested not just in learning but in making a tangible impact will find this course particularly rewarding. By the end of the course, participants will be equipped not only with theoretical knowledge but with concrete skills and insights that can help them drive real change in the fight against land degradation. This course is not just a learning opportunity; it's a call to action for sustainable practices in landscape restoration.

Syllabus

Vision Formulation

Welcome to this 8-week course on ‘Business model innovation for sustainable landscape restoration’! Your teachers will introduce you to the process of business model innovation, the concept of landscape restoration and to 3 real-life cases of landscape restoration projects. For each step of the innovation process, we zoom in on those landscapes to show you how the theory looks in practice. By doing this, you will apply the “4 returns” thinking (returns of inspiration, natural capital, social capital and financial capital). Week 1 introduces you to the problem of landscape degradation and the process of landscape restoration. You will also learn about the role of business models in landscape restoration and how important visions are for sustainable business model innovation. We will introduce you to our 3 practical example cases of landscape restoration. Each of these cases has encountered different problems related to landscape degradation and formulated innovative solutions by using the approach set out in this MOOC: the power of sustainable business models to successfully restore natural environments. You will choose a land degradation challenge and formulate a vision and key question.

Week 2 is all about systems thinking and systems analysis. In our practical example cases you will see how diversified crop systems can help in Spain, and how birch woodlands can improve the resilience of the system in Iceland. You will learn how to conduct a systems analysis for your chosen landscape degradation challenge by identifying boundaries and key factors, creating a system map, constructing a central narrative and determining points of intervention.

In this week you will learn what stakeholders are and why they are important. You will see the application of the main concepts in two of our landscape examples. At the end of week 3 you can conduct your own stakeholder analysis of your chosen landscape degradation challenge.

In week 4 we enter the second phase of the sustainable business model innovation process: designing. In this phase we move from forming an understanding of the problem and what means we have available, to generating ideas for new business model solutions. Now you will actually start working with your stakeholders to analyse opportunities for value creation based on common goals and commitment. In week 4, the focus is on co-innovation networks and captured and destroyed value. You are going to build your co-innovation network, validate your current understandings, identify opportunities to add value and generate first business model ideas.

In week 5 you will learn about business models and the triple-layered business model canvas. You will also see the triple-layered business model canvas applied to all of our three cases. You reach the point now where you will select a business idea and complete your own triple layered business model canvas.

Week 6 is about assumptions and methods and how to validate them. You will see what methods the practical example cases in Spain and Portugal used. This week then allows you to start testing your own business idea on a small scale. You will identify your own key assumptions, design the testing of those assumptions and actually test them. At the end you will iterate or pivot your business model.

In week 7 we enter the third phase of the sustainable business model innovation process - implementing. In this phase your business model moves from being a design concept to an implemented practice that is helping to restore landscapes. We will consider how we will manage the finances, understand if we our business model is delivering its intended value, and forecast potential outcomes. We will also reflect on our constructed business models to consider how they could be scaled-up or scaled-out, and what next actions we need to take to make them a reality. You will learn about assessment and monitoring tools such as financial analysis, 4 Return Model (20 years outcomes & value creation in 3 zones), key performance indicators and scenario analysis. The cases in Portugal and Iceland serve as examples of how these can be implemented. You will make a financial analysis of your business model, set specific KPIs to measure the success of your business model for four returns in 20 years, evaluate how you can involve the stakeholders that are impacted through the 4 returns and do a Scenario Analysis.

In this last week you will learn about key leadership principles, our Community of Practice and the nexus challenge of the SDGs. You will read about the application of concepts in practice in all of our landscapes. You will review your exercises of the past weeks, reflect about what you learned and forecast your next actions. If you want you can also connect to a global community of practitioners.