Value Network Analysis for (Re) Organizing Business Models Toward the Sustainable Development Goals: The Case of the Agricultural Commodity Exchange in Malawi

This chapter introduces the use of value network analysis (VNA) as a diagnostic tool for (re-)organizing business models seeking to contribute to the achievement of multiple sustainable development goals (SDGs). While VNA has already been widely applied to the study of technological innovation ecosystems, this chapter introduces its role for decision-makers in business models seeking to support sustainability transitions toward the SDGs. To demonstrate the approach, the authors apply VNA to the case of the Agricultural Commodity Exchange (ACE) in Malawi. The ACE represents a business model seeking to increase value-chain efficiency while including smallholder farmers to foster food security and reduce rural poverty and marginalization. The authors discuss how VNA can act also as a diagnostic tool for actors seeking to contribute to reduce poverty and hunger (SDGs 1 and 2); enhance economic growth and public infrastructure (SDGs 8 and 9); and foster cross-sector partnerships for sustainability (SDG17). The ACE case demonstrates that VNA provides several entry points for building strategic cross-sector partnerships that act as systemic instruments in science, technology, and innovation policy, coordinating actions to ensure that the right policy mix comes in place to tackle different SDG targets in an integrated way.