Transition of Manufacturing Companies towards Circular Economy: The Enabling Role of Digital Technologies for Product Life Cycle Extension

Extending the product life cycle is increasingly seen as a key strategy for manufacturing firms transitioning to a circular economy. This involves redesigning products through practices like design for remanufacturing and product-service systems, which also reshape the value proposition towards customers. Digital technologies have recently emerged as enablers of these circular economy practices, yet research in this area remains limited and largely qualitative. This paper addresses the gap of a more comprehensive view on the enabling role of digital technologies as for product life cycle extension by conducting an exploratory empirical study—using Correspondence Analysis—on 41 Italian manufacturing firms that have adopted circular economy practices supported by digital technologies. The findings reveal that while digital technologies generally support the adoption of circular economy, some are more effective than others in enabling specific practices. The study contributes to academic discourse by confirming the enabling role of digital technologies and highlighting their relative effectiveness in extending product life cycle. The study also offers practical insights for managers and policymakers aiming to foster the adoption of circular economy practices in the manufacturing sector.

Abbasi, A., & Kamal, M. M. (2020). Adopting Industry 4.0 Technologies in Citizens’ Electronic-Engagement Considering Sustainability Development. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, 381 LNBIP, 304–313.

Agrawal, R., Wankhede, V. A., Kumar, A., Luthra, S., Majumdar, A., & Kazancoglu, Y. (2022). An Exploratory State-of-the-Art Review of Artificial Intelligence Applications in Circular Economy using Structural Topic Modeling. Operations Management Research, 15(3–4), 609–626.

Alcayaga, A., & Hansen, E. G. (2025). Smart circular economy as a service business model: an activity system framework and research agenda. R&D Management, 55(2), 508-530.

Ahmadov, T., Durst, S., Nguyen, Q., Foli, S., & Gerstlberger, W. (2025). Circular Economy Practices in Manufacturing SMEs: Exploration of Stakeholder Pressure, Managerial Perception, and the Mediating Role of Circular Economy Orientation. Circular Economy, 3(1).

Ahmed, A. A., Nazzal, M. A., & Darras, B. M. (2022). Cyber-physical systems as an enabler of circular economy to achieve sustainable development goals: A comprehensive review. International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing-Green Technology, 9(3), 955–975.

Alcayaga, A., Wiener, M., & Hansen, E. G. (2019). Towards a framework of smart-circular systems: An integrative literature review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 221, 622–634.

Atif, S. (2023). The role of industry 4.0‐enabled data‐driven shared platform as an enabler of product‐service system in the context of circular economy: a systematic literature review and future research directions. Business Strategy & Development.

Bahrin, M. A. K., Othman, M. F., Azli, N. H. N., & Talib, M. F. (2016). INDUSTRY 4.0: A REVIEW ON INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION AND ROBOTIC. Jurnal Teknologi, 78(6–13), 137–143.

Beh, E. J. (2004). Simple Correspondence Analysis: A Bibliographic Review. International Statistical Review, 72(2), 257–284.

Beh, E. J., & Lombardo, R. (2012). A GENEALOGY OF CORRESPONDENCE ANALYSIS. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Statistics, 54(2), 137–168.

Bekrar, A., el Cadi, A. A., Todosijevic, R., & Sarkis, J. (2021). Digitalizing the closing-of-the-loop for supply chains: A transportation and blockchain perspective. Sustainability (Switzerland), 13(5), 1–25.

Bocken, N. M. P., Schuit, C. S. C., & Kraaijenhagen, C. (2018). Experimenting with a circular business model: Lessons from eight cases. 28, 79–95.

Bressanelli, G., Adrodegari, F., Perona, M., & Saccani, N. (2018). Exploring How Usage-Focused Business Models Enable Circular Economy through Digital Technologies. Sustainability 2018, Vol. 10, Page 639, 10(3), 639.

Cagli, A., Kechidi, M., & Levy, R. (2012). Complex product and supplier interfaces in aeronautics. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 23(6), 717-732.

Cagno, E., Neri, A., Negri, M., Bassani, C. A., & Lampertico, T. (2021). The Role of Digital Technologies in Operationalizing the Circular Economy Transition: A Systematic Literature Review. Applied Sciences 2021, Vol. 11, Page 3328, 11(8), 3328.

Cannas, V. G., Pozzi, R., Saporiti, N., & Urbinati, A. (2025). Unveiling the interaction among Circular Economy, Industry 4.0, and Lean Production: a multiple case study analysis and an empirically based framework. International Journal of Production Economics, 109537.

Centobelli, P., Cerchione, R., Chiaroni, D., Del Vecchio, P., & Urbinati, A. (2020). Designing business models in circular economy: A systematic literature review and research agenda. Business Strategy and the Environment, 29(4), 1734–1749.

Chauhan, C., Parida, V., & Dhir, A. (2022). Linking circular economy and digitalisation technologies: A systematic literature review of past achievements and future promises. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 177, 121508.

Chávez, C. A. G., Brynolf, S., Despeisse, M., Johansson, B., Rönnbäck, A. Ö., Rösler, J., & Stahre, J. (2024). Advancing sustainability through digital servitization: An exploratory study in the maritime shipping industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 436, 140401.

Chen, C. W. S., & Lee, S. (2017). Bayesian causality test for integer-valued time series models with applications to climate and crime data. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series C (Applied Statistics), 66(4), 797–814.

Cherrafi, A., Chiarini, A., Belhadi, A., El Baz, J., & Chaouni Benabdellah, A. (2022). Digital technologies and circular economy practices: vital enablers to support sustainable and resilient supply chain management in the post-COVID-19 era. TQM Journal, 34(7), 179–202.

Chiaroni, D., Del Vecchio, P., Peck, D., Urbinati, A., & Vrontis, D. (2021). Digital technologies in the business model transition towards a circular economy. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 168, 105286.

Circular Economy Network. (2021). 3° RAPPORTO SULL’ECONOMIA CIRCOLARE IN ITALIA – 2021. https://circulareconomynetwork.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/3°-Rapporto-economia-circolare_CEN.pdf

Condemi, A., Cucchiella, F., & Schettini, D. (2019). Circular economy and E-waste: an opportunity from RFID TAGs. Applied Sciences, 9(16), 3422.

Davis, C. B., Aid, G., & Zhu, B. (2017). Secondary Resources in the Bio-Based Economy: A Computer Assisted Survey of Value Pathways in Academic Literature. Waste and Biomass Valorization, 8(7), 2229–2246.

de Mattos Nascimento, D.L., Mury Nepomuceno, R., Caiado, R.G.G., Maqueira, J.M., Moyano-Fuentes, J. & Garza-Reyes, J.A. (2022). A sustainable circular 3D printing model for recycling metal scrap in the automotive industry. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 33(5), 876-892.

Den Hollander, M. C., Bakker, C. A., & Hultink, E. J. (2017). Product design in a circular economy: Development of a typology of key concepts and terms. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 21(3), 517-525.

Dudziak, A., Stoma, M., & Derkacz, A. J. (2022). Circular economy in the context of food losses and waste. Sustainability, 14(16), 10116.

Ertz, M., Sun, S., Boily, E., Kubiat, P., & Quenum, G. G. Y. (2022). How transitioning to Industry 4.0 promotes circular product lifetimes. Industrial Marketing Management, 101, 125–140.

European Commission. (2012). A European strategy for Key Enabling Technologies—A bridge to growth and jobs. Text with EEA relevance). Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.

European Remanufacturing Network. (2021). A European-level effort to encourage remanufacturing throughout Europe. www.remanuf%0Aacturing.eu/ern.php

Filho, M. G., Monteiro, L., de Oliveira Mota, R., dos Santos Leite Gonella, J., & de Souza Campos, L. M. (2022). The relationship between circular economy, Industry 4.0 and supply chain performance: A combined ISM/fuzzy MICMAC approach. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(5), 2772.

Florén, H., Barth, H., Gullbrand, J. & Holmén, M. (2021). Additive manufacturing technologies and business models – a systematic literature review”. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 32(1), 136-155.

Franzò, S., Urbinati, A., Chiaroni, D., & Chiesa, V. (2021). Unravelling the design process of business models from linear to circular: An empirical investigation. Business Strategy and the Environment, 30(6), 2758-2772.

Gebhardt, M., Kopyto, M., Birkel, H., & Hartmann, E. (2022). Industry 4.0 technologies as enablers of collaboration in circular supply chains: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Production Research, 60(23), 6967–6995.

Geissdoerfer, M., Morioka, S. N., de Carvalho, M. M., & Evans, S. (2018). Business models and supply chains for the circular economy. Journal of Cleaner Production, 190, 712–721.

Geissdoerfer, M., Pieroni, M. P. P., Pigosso, D. C. A., & Soufani, K. (2020). Circular business models: A review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 277, 123741.

Ghisellini, P., & Ulgiati, S. (2020). Circular economy transition in Italy. Achievements, perspectives and constraints. Journal of Cleaner Production, 243, 118360.

Ghoreishi, M., & Happonen, A. (2020, May). Key enablers for deploying artificial intelligence for circular economy embracing sustainable product design: Three case studies. In AIP conference proceedings (Vol. 2233, No. 1). AIP Publishing.

Govindan, K., Soleimani, H., and Kannan, D. (2014). Reverse logistics and closed-loop supply chain: A comprehensive review to explore the [26] future,” Eur. J. Oper. Res., vol. 240, no. 3, pp. 603–626.

Greenacre, M. (2017). Correspondence analysis in practice, third edition. In Correspondence Analysis in Practice, Third Edition. CRC Press.

Greenacre, M. J. (2010). Correspondence analysis. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Computational Statistics, 2(5), 613–619.

Hallioui, A., Herrou, B., Santos, R. S., Katina, P. F., & Egbue, O. (2022). Sys- tems-based approach to contemporary business management: An enabler of business sustainability in a context of Industry 4.0, circular economy, competitiveness and diverse stakeholders. Journal of Cleaner Production, 373, 133819.

Hennemann Hilario da Silva, T., & Sehnem, S. (2022). The circular economy and Industry 4.0: Synergies and challenges. Revista de Gestao, 29(3), 300–313.

Hettiarachchi, B. D., Brandenburg, M., & Seuring, S. (2022). Connecting additive manufacturing to circular economy implementation strategies: Links, contingencies and causal loops. International Journal of Production Economics, 246, 108414.

Holzmann, P., Breitenecker, R.J., Soomro, A.A. & Schwarz, E.J. (2017). User entrepreneur business models in 3D printing. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 28(1), 75-94.

Huynh Evertsen, P., Rasmussen, E., & Nenadic, O. (2022). Commercializing circular economy innovations: A taxonomy of academic spin-offs. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 185, 122102.

Jamwal, A., Kumari, S., Agrawal, R., Sharma, M., & Gölgeci, I. (2024). Unlocking Circular Economy Through Digital Transformation: the Role of Enabling Factors in SMEs. International Journal of Global Business and Competitiveness, 19(1), 24-36.

Jansen, H. (2010). The logic of qualitative survey research and its position in the field of social research methods. In Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Social Research (Vol. 11, No. 2).

Jayaraman, V., Ross, A., and Agarwal, A. (2008). Role of information technology and collaboration in reverse logistics supply chains,” [27] Int. J. Logist. Res. Appl., vol. 11, pp. 409–425.

Jose, R., & Ramakrishna, S. (2018). Materials 4.0: Materials big data enabled materials discovery. Applied Materials Today, 10, 127–132.

Katsanakis, N., Ibn-Mohammed, T., Moradlou, H., & Godsell, J. (2023). Circular economy strategies for life cycle management of returnable transport items. Sustainable Production and Consumption.

Kayikci, Y., Gozacan-Chase, N., Rejeb, A., & Mathiyazhagan, K. (2022). Critical success factors for implementing blockchain-based circular supply chain. Business Strategy and the Environment, 31(7), 3595–3615.

Khan, S. A. R., Ponce, P., Tanveer, M., Aguirre-Padilla, N., Mahmood, H., & Shah, S. A. A. (2021a). Technological innovation and circular economy practices: Business strategies to mitigate the effects of COVID-19. Sustainability, 13(15), 8479. Khan, S. A. R., Razzaq, A., Yu, Z., & Miller, S. (2021b). Industry 4.0 and circular economy practices: A new era business strategies for environmental sustainability. Business Strategy and the Environment, 30(8), 4001– 4014.

Khan, S. A. R., Piprani, A. Z., & Yu, Z. (2022). Digital technology and circular economy practices: future of supply chains. Operations Management Research, 15(3), 676-688.

Khan, S., Singh, R., Alnahas, J., Abbate, S., & Centobelli, P. (2024). Navigating the Smart Circular Economy: A framework for manufacturing firms. Journal of Cleaner Production, 480, 144007.

Khitous, F., Urbinati, A., & Verleye, K. (2022). Product-Service Systems: A customer engagement perspective in the fashion industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 336, 130394.

Kintscher, L., Lawrenz, S., & Poschmann, H. (2021). A life cycle oriented data-driven architecture for an advanced circular economy. Procedia CIRP, 98, 318–323.

Kirchherr, J., Reike, D., & Hekkert, M. (2017). Conceptualizing the circular economy: An analysis of 114 definitions. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 127(April), 221–232.

Kręt-Grześkowiak, A., & Baborska-Narożny, M. (2023). Guidelines for disassembly and adaptation in architectural design compared to circular economy goals-A literature review. Sustainable Production and Consumption.

Kristoffersen, E., Blomsma, F., Mikalef, P., & Li, J. (2020). The smart circular economy: A digital-enabled circular strategies framework for manufacturing companies. Journal of business research, 120, 241-261.

Laskurain-Iturbe, I., Arana-Landín, G., Landeta-Manzano, B., & Uriarte-Gallastegi, N. (2021). Exploring the influence of industry 4.0 technologies on the circular economy. Journal of Cleaner Production, 321, 128944.

Lönn, C. (2019). Augmented reality smartphone applications as a tool to raise awareness of circular economy.

Lopes de Sousa Jabbour, A. B., Chiappetta Jabbour, C. J., Choi, T. M., & Latan, H. (2022). ‘Better together’: Evidence on the joint adoption of circular economy and Industry 4.0 technologies. International Journal of Production Economics, 252, 108581.

Marconi, M., Germani, M., Mandolini, M., & Favi, C. (2019). Applying data mining technique to disassembly sequence planning: a method to assess effective disassembly time of industrial products. International Journal of Production Research, 57(2), 599–623.

Masi, I., Wu, Y., Hassner, T., & Natarajan, P. (2019). Deep Face Recognition: A Survey. Proceedings – 31st Conference on Graphics, Patterns and Images, SIBGRAPI 2018, 471–478.

Mastos, T. D., Nizamis, A., Terzi, S., Gkortzis, D., Papadopoulos, A., Tsagkalidis, N., Ioannidis, D., Votis, K., & Tzovaras, D. (2021). Introducing an application of an Industry 4.0 solution for circular sup- ply chain management. Journal of Cleaner Production, 300, 126886.

Mestre, A., & Cooper, T. (2017). Circular product design. A multiple loops life cycle design approach for the circular economy. The Design Journal, 20(sup1), S1620-S1635.

Monteiro, T. A., Giuliani, A. C., Pizzinatto, N. K., & Larios-Gomez, E. (2019). Managing the digital consumer: insights from Brazil and Spain. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 30(8), 1196-1215

Morseletto, P. (2020). Targets for a circular economy. Resources, conservation and recycling, 153, 104553.

Nandi, S., Sarkis, J., Hervani, A. A., & Helms, M. M. (2021). Redesigning supply chains using blockchain-enabled circular economy and COVID-19 experiences. Sustainable Production and Con- sumption, 27, 10–22.

Nascimento, D. L. M., Alencastro, V., Quelhas, O. L. G., Caiado, R. G. G., Garza-Reyes, J. A., Rocha-Lona, L., & Tortorella, G. (2019). Exploring Industry 4.0 technologies to enable circular economy practices in a manufacturing context: A business model proposal. Journal of manufacturing technology management, 30(3), 607-627.

Negri, M., Neri, A., Cagno, E., & Monfardini, G. (2021). Circular economy performance measurement in manufacturing firms: A systematic literature review with insights for small and medium enterprises and new adopters. Sustainability, 13(16), 9049.

Neri, A., Negri, M., Cagno, E., Franzò, S., Kumar, V., Lampertico, T., & Bassani, C. A. (2023). The role of digital technologies in supporting the implementation of circular economy practices by industrial small and medium enterprises. Business Strategy and the Environment, 32(7), 4693-4718.

Noman, A. A., Akter, U. H., Pranto, T. H., & Haque, A. K. M. (2022). Machine learning and artificial intelligence in circular economy: a bibliometric analysis and systematic literature review. Annals of Emerging Technologies in Computing (AETiC), 6(2), 13-40.

Pagoropoulos, A., Pigosso, D. C. A., & McAloone, T. C. (2017). The Emergent Role of Digital Technologies in the Circular Economy: A Review. Procedia CIRP, 64, 19–24.

Parker, P. A., Janicki, R., & Holan, S. H. (2023). A comprehensive overview of unit-level modeling of survey data for small area estimation under informative sampling. Journal of Survey Statistics and Methodology, 11(4), 829-857.

Ramanathan, K. and Samaranayake, P. (2022). Assessing Industry 4.0 readiness in manufacturing: a self-diagnostic framework and an illustrative case study. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 33(3), 468-488.

Ranta, V., Aarikka-Stenroos, L., & Saku, J. M. (2018). Creating value in the circular economy: A structured multiple-case analysis of business models.

Ranta, V., Aarikka-Stenroos, L., & Väisänen, J. M. (2021). Digital technologies catalyzing business model innovation for circular economy—Multiple case study. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 164(August 2020), 105155.

Rocca, R., Rosa, P., Sassanelli, C., Fumagalli, L., & Terzi, S. (2020). Integrating virtual reality and digital twin in circular economy practices: A laboratory application case. Sustainability, 12(6), 2286.

Rönnlund, I., Reuter, M., Horn, S., Aho, J., Aho, M., Päällysaho, M., Ylimäki, L., & Pursula, T. (2016). Eco-efficiency indicator framework implemented in the metallurgical industry: part 1—a comprehensive view and benchmark. International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 21(10), 1473–1500.

Rosa, P., Sassanelli, C., Urbinati, A., Chiaroni, D., & Terzi, S. (2020). Assessing relations between Circular Economy and Industry 4.0: a systematic literature review. International Journal of Production Research, 58(6), 1662-1687.

Rose, C. M. (2001). Design for environment: A method for formulating product end -of -life strategies – ProQuest. Stanford University. https://www.proquest.com/openview/cb38d99b1502877e13f330518f31c987/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y

Sassanelli, C., Urbinati, A., Rosa, P., Chiaroni, D., & Terzi, S. (2020). Addressing circular economy through design for X approaches: A systematic literature review. Computers in Industry, 120, 103245.

Sauerwein, M., Doubrovski, E., Balkenende, R., & Bakker, C. (2019). Exploring the potential of additive manufacturing for product design in a circular economy. Journal of Cleaner Production, 226, 1138-1149.

Schäfers, P., & Walther, A. (2017). Modelling circular material flow and the consequences for scm and ppc. Global Journal of Business Research, 11(2), 91–100.

Schöggl, J. P., Rusch, M., Stumpf, L., & Baumgartner, R. J. (2023). Implementation of digital technologies for a circular economy and sustainability management in the manufacturing sector. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 35, 401-420.

Sjödin, D., Parida, V., & Kohtamäki, M. (2023). Artificial intelligence enabling circular business model innovation in digital servitization: Conceptualizing dynamic capabilities, AI capacities, business models and effects. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 197, 122903.

Song, B., Yeo, Z., Kohls, P., & Herrmann, C. (2017). Industrial Symbiosis: Exploring Big-data Approach for Waste Stream Discovery. Procedia CIRP, 61, 353–358.

Soriano-Pinar, I., Díaz-Garrido, E., & Bermejo-Olivas, S. (2023). Digital transformation for a circular economy: insights from co-word analysis. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 1-30.

Spreafico, C. (2022). An analysis of design strategies for circular economy through life cycle assessment. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 194(3), 180.

Stahel, W. R. (2013). Policy for material efficiency – Sustainable taxation as a departure from the throwaway society. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 371(1986).

Stumpf, L., Schöggl, J. P., & Baumgartner, R. J. (2021). Climbing up the circularity ladder? – A mixed-methods analysis of circular economy in business practice. Journal of Cleaner Production, 316, 128158.

Tiwari, D., Miscandlon, J., Tiwari, A., & Jewell, G. W. (2021). A review of circular economy research for electric motors and the role of Industry 4.0 technologies. Sustainability (Switzerland), 13(17), 9668.

Trevisan, A. H., Zacharias, I. S., Castro, C. G., & Mascarenhas, J. (2021). Circular economy actions in business ecosystems driven by digital tech- nologies. Procedia CIRP, 100, 325–330.

Triguero, Á., Cuerva, M. C., & Sáez-Martínez, F. J. (2022). Closing the loop through eco-innovation by European firms: Circular economy for sustainable development. Business Strategy and the Environment, 31(5), 2337–2350.

Triguero, Á., Moreno‐Mondéjar, L., & Sáez‐Martínez, F. J. (2023). Circular economy and firm performance: The influence of product life cycle analysis, upcycling, and redesign. Sustainable Development.

Tukker, A. (2004). Eight types of product-service system: Eight ways to sutainability? Experiences from suspronet. Business Strategy and the Environment, 260, 246–260.

Uçar, E., Le Dain, M. A., & Joly, I. (2020). Digital technologies in circular economy transition: Evidence from case studies. Procedia CIRP, 90, 133–136.

Uhrenholt, J. N., Kristensen, J. H., Rincón, M. C., Jensen, S. F., & Waehrens, B. V. (2022). Circular economy: Factors affecting the financial performance of product take-back systems. Journal of Cleaner Production, 335, 130319.

Ünal, E., Urbinati, A., & Chiaroni, D. (2019a). Managerial practices for designing circular economy business models: The case of an Italian SME in the office supply industry. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 30(3), 561-589.

Ünal, E., Urbinati, A., Chiaroni, D., & Manzini, R. (2019b). Value Creation in Circular Business Models: The case of a US small medium enterprise in the building sector. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 146(April 2018), 291–307.

Upadhyay, A., Mukhuty, S., Kumar, V., & Kazancoglu, Y. (2021). Blockchain technology and the circular economy: Implications for sustainability and social responsibility. Journal of Cleaner Production, 293, 126130.

Urbinati, A., Chiaroni, D., & Chiesa, V. (2017). Towards a new taxonomy of circular economy business models. Journal of Cleaner Production, 168, 487–498.

Urbinati, A., Chiaroni, D., & Toletti, G. (2019). Managing the introduction of circular products: Evidence from the beverage industry. Sustainability (Switzerland), 11(13), 1–12.

Urbinati, A., Rosa, P., Sassanelli, C., Chiaroni, D., & Terzi, S. (2020). Circular business models in the European manufacturing industry: A multiple case study analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production, 274, 122964.

Urbinati, A., Franzò, S., & Chiaroni, D. (2021). Enablers and barriers for circular business models: An empirical analysis in the Italian automotive industry. Sustainable production and consumption, 27, 551-566.

Urbinati, A., Franzò, S., Sassanelli, C., Rosa, P., Chiaroni, D., & Terzi, S. (2023). Exploiting 3-D Printing for Designing Circular Business Models: A Novel Framework. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management.

Vanegas, P., Peeters, J. R., Cattrysse, D., Tecchio, P., Ardente, F., Mathieux, F., … & Duflou, J. R. (2018). Ease of disassembly of products to support circular economy strategies. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 135, 323-334.

Wilson, M., Paschen, J., & Pitt, L. (2021). The circular economy meets artificial intelligence (AI): understanding the opportunities of AI for reverse logistics. Management of Environmental Quality.

Wynn, M., & Jones, P. (2022). Digital technology deployment and the circular economy. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(15), 9077.

Zangiacomi, A., Pessot, E., Fornasiero, R., Bertetti, M., & Sacco, M. (2020). Moving towards digitalization: a multiple case study in manufacturing. Production Planning and Control, 31(2–3), 143–157.

Zheng, T., Ardolino, M., Bacchetti, A., Perona, M. and Zanardini, M. (2020). The impacts of Industry 4.0: a descriptive survey in the Italian manufacturing sector. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 31(5), 1085-1115.

Urbinati, A., Franzò, S., Chiaroni, D. & Pacicco, F. (2025). Transition of Manufacturing Companies towards Circular Economy: The Enabling Role of Digital Technologies for Product Life Cycle Extension. Journal of Circular Economy, 3(3).  https://doi.org/10.55845/CGKJ4679

Open Access: This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third-party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Andrea Urbinati[1][*], Simone Franzò[2], Davide Chiaroni[2], Fausto Pacicco[3]

• [1] School of Industrial Engineering, LIUC Università Cattaneo, Corso G. Matteotti, 22, 21053 Castellanza (Varese), Italy.
• [2] Department of Management, Economics, and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32, 20133 Milano, Italy.
• [3] School of Economics and Management, LIUC Università Cattaneo, Corso G. Matteotti, 22, 21053 Castellanza (Varese), Italy.
• *Corresponding author: [email protected]