A religious business: biographical insights from L’Abbaye de St Jacut-de-la-Mer – a polyphasic approach

We examine a case of business model innovation in a religious context. Literature on the cognitive dimensions of business models is longstanding but small, mostly relating to cognitive models as providing descriptions of business model types that operate as recipes or templates for managers to follow. This study takes a more processual view. We first describe the origins of an exemplar cognitive perspective, using the example of the late manager of an Abbaye in Brittany, who sought to retain a religious culture while also generating revenue by providing spiritual retreats, creativity workshops and individual and family holiday accommodation. Second, we illustrate the value of the concept of cognitive polyphasia in contexts where different modes of thought and roles need to be brought together -here religious and secular norms. We see relevance in this for those seeking to enact norms of strong sustainability in a world that is far from this condition.