Date : June 16, 2026
Ormskirk, UK : A new interdisciplinary conceptual model named TSESOM has been proposed to revolutionise sustainable operations management (SOM) within botanic garden communities worldwide. Published in Biological Diversity , the research starts with two core research questions targeting existing SOM frameworks and their integration with service ecosystem logic to drive transformative sustainability progress.
The author adopted a rigorous integrative literature review (ILR) guided by the PRISMA guidelines. Targeted literature searches were conducted across Scopus and Web of Science. After screening, 54 peer-reviewed articles were included for analysis. NVivo qualitative analysis software was utilised to extract key themes, research gaps and conceptual foundations for model development.
The research reveals prominent limitations in current SOM studies: insufficient integration of biodiversity research, ecosystemic thinking, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles. Most existing models focus merely on organisational efficiency rather than regenerative, co-creative ecosystem collaboration across diverse stakeholders.
Reconceptualising SOM as a dynamic service ecosystem, the TSESOM framework consists of six interconnected, cyclical components: partnership mapping, expertise mobilisation, integration mechanisms, ecosystem resilience, leadership and governance, as well as evaluation and learning. It shifts SOM from siloed operational optimisation to holistic strategies that balance supply chains, stakeholders and natural systems.
Taking botanic gardens and garden tourism as typical application scenarios, the model facilitates innovations in biodiversity conservation, public engagement, public health and well-being, and sustainable visitor economies. Two practical implementation pathways centring on big data and tourism further verify its operability.
The TSESOM framework bridges theoretical and practical gaps. It offers a flexible, scalable tool to advance interdisciplinary collaboration, ecosystemic innovation and transformative service design, supporting planetary health and global sustainability transitions. The paper also points out future research directions, including empirical verification, longitudinal studies and solutions to value co-destruction risks in multi-stakeholder cooperation.
Original Source
Catahan, Nicholas. 2026. “Transformative Service Ecosystems for People, Plants, Place, Planet, and Prosperity: A Sustainable Operations Management Perspective,” Biological Diversity : 1–14.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bod2.70029
Keywords
biodiversity conservation, botanic gardens, co‐creation/co‐creative innovation, Service‐Dominant Logic (SDL), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Sustainable Operations Management (SOM), Transformative Service Ecosystem for Sustainable Operations Management (TSESOM), Transformative Service Research (TSR)
About the Author
Nicholas Catahan ( First author and corresponding author) , Programme Leader and Senior Lecturer in Business and Management at Edge Hill University Business School, specialising in botanic garden tourism, transformative service, sustainability, and place management, marketing and development. With expertise spanning tourism education, ecology, environmental studies, environmental science, geography, horticulture and garden and greenspace design, this work integrates academic insight in collaboration with practice. It focuses on developing evidence-based teaching and research that support reimagining responsible, mindful tourism and a global, more sustainable visitor economy, alongside environmental stewardship and service and place-based innovation, while fostering inclusive learning environments and opportunities for students, communities and industry partners.
About the Journal
Biological Diversity (ISSN: 2994-4139) is a peer-reviewed, international, open-access journal sponsored by the South China Botanical Garden (SCBG), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and published in partnership with John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd. It is dedicated to advancing biodiversity conservation, safeguarding ecosystem functions and services, and promoting the sustainable utilization of biological resources under global environmental change. The journal welcomes original research, reviews, commentaries, and short communications across a broad spectrum of disciplines, including botany, zoology, microbiology, taxonomy, phylogenetics, genomics, cytology, ecology, climatology, economics, sociology, and real-time policy theory.
Biological Diversity
Literature review
Not applicable
Transformative Service Ecosystems for People, Plants, Place, Planet, and Prosperity: A Sustainable Operations Management Perspective
10-Jun-2026
Ethics Statement: This study is based exclusively on an integrative literature review and synthesis of previously published literature and publicly available sources. It did not involve the collection of primary data from human participants or animals, nor did it involve interventions, experiments, or access to personal or sensitive information. As such, formal ethical approval was not required for this research in accordance with institutional and journal guidelines. Conflicts of Interest: The author declares no conflicts of interest.