Productive entrepreneurship: a street food business model canvas promoting sustainable innovation and digitalisation in the informal economy of Bangladesh

PURPOSE: Our study examines entrepreneurial behaviour among street food vendors functioning within Dhaka, Bangladesh’s informal food sector. We consider our conceptual framework and how it moderates the entrepreneurial behaviour of vendors. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: We aim to investigate entrepreneurship, development, innovation and ethics which are concepts within our conceptual framework shaping the behaviour of street food entrepreneurs. To investigate associated concepts, we adopted a mixed-methods exploratory sequential approach, with qualitative data collection followed by a quantitative phase. FINDINGS: Based on the findings, we proposed amendments to the originally developed framework to enable informal and unproductive entrepreneurs’ transition towards formal and sustainable, productive, value-added outcomes with social impacts. ORIGINALITY: Based on gaps indicated through critical evaluation of local contexts and a literature review, we explored factors influencing entrepreneurs’ unproductive behaviour and developed a Street Food Business Model Canvas that is bespoke for the informal economy and street food vendors functioning within it.