This paper presents a framework for assessing the efficacy of business models. It explores cases in Afghanistan, Zambia, Kosovo and Nigeria to draw out practical lessons on how market systems practitioners can support business models that bring both commercial viability and development impact.
Market systems development aims to catalyse private sector investments into new or improved products, services and practices. Too often, however, interventions fail to scale or be sustained because they do not generate profitable returns for market actors.
Programmes need to get better at unpacking business models and looking more closely at core drivers of company decision-making that shape whether innovations are likely to become embedded in the market system.