The Circular Transformation: How Intrapreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems Reshape Enterprises

The transition to a Circular Economy (CE) offers a vital pathway for traditional enterprises seeking to meet rising sustainability demands. In practice, many enterprises navigate this transition through hybrid models, blending circular initiatives with existing linear structures as part of an incremental evolution. Organizational complexity further shapes this progression, making internal innovation and strategic collaboration essential. This study explores how environmental awareness, intrapreneurship, and innovation ecosystems enable CE adoption within established firms. A decision tree analysis of 200 survey responses from professionals and master’s students engaged in corporate work-study programs in France reveals that employee-driven innovation is the strongest predictor of CE engagement. Focusing on traditional enterprises, where structural inertia is greater than in startups, our findings show that aligning internal capabilities with external collaboration is critical to advancing circular practices. The study offers actionable insights for business leaders and policymakers aiming to foster sustainable economic transformation.

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Andriamanantena, A. N., Rasolomanana, O. M., Viala, C., & Mbena, J. Y.   (2025). The Circular Transformation: How Intrapreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems Reshape Enterprises. Journal of Circular Economy, 3(3). https://doi.org/10.55845/LRFB9921

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Aina Ndrianjara Andriamanantena [1][2][*]  , Onjaniaina Mianin’Harizo Rasolomanana[3], Céline Viala[4], Jacques Yana Mbena[1][2]

• [1] Society for Inclusive and Collaborative Entrepreneurship (S4ICE), Germany
• [2] Université Sorbonne Paris Nord (USPN), CEPN department, 99 Av. Jean Baptiste Clément, 93430 Villetaneuse, France
• [3] Miyazaki Municipal University, Faculty of Humanities, International Cultural Department, Media & Communication, 880-8520 Funatsuka Miyazaki-shi Miyazaki 1-chome 1-2, Japan
• [4] ESCE International Business School, 82 Espl. du Général de Gaulle, 92400 Courbevoie, France
• [*]Corresponding author’s email address: [email protected]