"From Dirt to Shirt": Australian Cotton Conferences Driving Industry Transformation

Although the literature identifies various benefits of business events, more work is required to investigate the ways in which such outcomes are achieved and how they fit into a whole of industry ecosystem. In this study, we apply the concept of sustainable business models to explore elements and mechanisms of how values combining economic, social, and environmental stakeholder benefits are proposed, created, delivered, and captured through conferences. To study these nuances, we analyze the case of the Australian cotton industry conferences. Our findings suggest that mechanisms of building industry community, forming a social platform, and managing sustainability solutions were core conference elements that led to desired industry changes. The study contributes to business events literature by delineating a means of achieving industry outcomes as a result of organizing industry conferences. The article proposes a business model specifically reflective of the Australian cotton industry conferences.