The Territorial Circular Ecosystem: Foundations for a Systemic and Place-Based Approach to Circular Economy
This article introduces the concept of the Territorial Circular Ecosystem (TCE) as a framework to understand the conditions that support the deployment of circular economy principles at the local level. It draws on the legacy of local production systems, from Marshallian districts to more recent approaches such as green clusters and industrial symbioses. These models have contributed to the ecological transition of economic systems but continue to show important limitations regarding for example the coordination of actors, the integration of stakeholders, and the implementation of circular strategies based on the 10R. The TCE framework defines a set of components and relational mechanisms rooted in territorial dynamics. It places emphasis on various types of local cooperation, geographical and organized proximities, institutional support, and societal involvement. This contribution establishes a conceptual foundation for the analysis of local circular systems and provides useful orientations for public policy and future empirical research.
Copyright (c) 2026 André Torre, Sebastien Bourdin (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Politics of Circular Economy Networks – How Inter-Organisational Networks Manage Succession
Attaining a Circular Economy is an aspired dream of the collective human race. Through collaboration and networks, it is possible to fast-track the implementation of Circular Economy. However, the function of networks is affected by political processes within the network. This paper assesses network politics and its effects on Circular Economy activities. The study was based on 9 Case Studies located in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Kenya. Through interviews, questionnaire, observation and document reviews; two succession patterns emerge - namely electoral and appointment of incumbents. The research concludes that there is jostling for positions and tendencies of voting on regional lines. Consideration of merit in appointing network leadership lags behind charisma, oratory skills and popularity of candidates. Furthermore, politics of networks present opportunities to select leaders with influence, power and Circular Economy capabilities. The unclear role of founder members may cause upheavals and recycling of leadership, whilst paradoxically presenting benefits of institutional memory.
Copyright (c) 2025 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Circular Economy Practices in Manufacturing SMEs: Exploration of Stakeholder Pressure, Managerial Perception, and the Mediating Role of Circular Economy Orientation
This study delves into the dynamics of Circular Economy (CE) practices in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), acknowledging their essential contribution to promoting sustainability. As we explore the various influences on SMEs' adoption of CE, we closely examine the distinct impacts of internal and external stakeholder pressure. Additionally, we highlight the role of positive managerial perceptions and introduce a fresh perspective by framing CE orientation as a mediating force. Employing a survey methodology, our data collection spanned three phases, resulting in 196 responses from the Estonian SMEs. The results challenge the assumptions of uniform stakeholder pressures, unveiling nuanced effects on CE practices. Significantly, a heightened CE orientation emerges as a driving factor in enhancing organisational responsiveness to external stakeholder pressure. This study advances our understanding of the intricate relationships between stakeholder dynamics, managerial perceptions, and CE practices, providing valuable insights essential for SMEs to navigate the path towards sustainable practices. This study presents both theoretical and practical contributions and suggests avenues for future research to further explore the multifaceted nature of the relationships uncovered in this study
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)
Logistics for Building Circular, Biobased, and Modular: Environmental Impacts in Amsterdam
Circular, biobased, and modular construction practices are gaining traction as cities seek to reduce the environmental impact of the built environment. However, little is known about how these strategies affect construction logistics and their associated emissions. We develop an agent-based model to assess the environmental and spatial impacts of construction logistics in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Region (AMA) under six future scenarios. These scenarios vary in transport modes, construction practices, and logistics hub configurations. Results show that modular construction significantly reduces emissions through delivery consolidation, while circular and biobased approaches present trade-offs. Circular logistics reduce total emissions by sourcing materials locally but increase local emissions and congestion due to more frequent, short-distance trips in case of fossil transport. Biobased construction reduces transport emissions because of lower weight but may increase emissions when materials are sourced from distant suppliers, often located abroad, e.g. in Austria. The study also reveals that water transport lowers CO₂ but often raises NOₓ and PM emissions in case of use of ships with older engines. Also, decentralized logistics networks may perform worse than centralized ones without advanced coordination. These findings emphasize that sustainability benefits depend not just on what is built, but how and where materials are transported. Policymakers and urban planners must weigh both global and local trade-offs when designing logistics systems for sustainable construction. Our model offers a data-driven framework to support such decisions, highlighting the need for integrated, spatially grounded planning approaches in the circular transition.
Application and Integration of Digital Tools for a Circular Economy
Data and Data Competencies for a Circular Economy – Data-driven enablement of the digital circular economy
Copyright (c) 2025 Tanya Tsui, Petar Koljenšić, Tim van Binsbergen, Jip Kuiper, Walther Ploos van Amstel, Ruben Vrijhoef (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Ecological Design Thinking for a Circular Economy: the impact of the forest metaphor for circular business
This paper presents an evaluation of the educational tool Ecological Design Thinking for a Circular Economy, which uses the metaphor of a forest to support new ways of thinking about circular business models. The study responds to concerns that circular economy (CE) discourse continues to be shaped by mechanistic and linear metaphors, which may limit how change is understood and implemented in practice. The forest metaphor emphasises interconnection, non-linearity, and ongoing transformation. The tool was designed as an origami-style pamphlet with structured prompts to guide participants in relating forest dynamics to circular economy principles. An exploratory comparative case study was conducted to assess the tool’s impact. One workshop in 2023 engaged participants with the forest metaphor without the tool, while a second workshop in 2025 used the tool to support the same process. In both cases, pre- and post-programme surveys were used to explore conceptual change and perceived value. The results show that the tool supported participants in generating more concrete insights and applying ecological ideas to circular economy contexts. It also brought attention to the contrast between some ecological principles and the realities of existing businesses and organisations. This study contributes to circular economy education by showing how metaphor-based tools can support conceptual development. It indicates that working with ecological metaphors can help participants question dominant assumptions and consider alternative models for circular practice.
RCO100, 100% recycled cotton denim: A case study on circular-oriented innovation in the textiles and apparel sector
The prevailing linear model of the textiles and apparel (T&A) sector results in unsustainable impacts on planetary boundaries. Transitioning to a circular model requires large-scale innovation facilitated by unprecedented levels of pre-competitive collaboration. This study investigates the determinants of successful Circular Oriented Innovation (COI) through a qualitative case study of RCO100—a collaborative circular ecosystem that enabled the production of denim from 100% recycled cotton. Combining desk research, stakeholder interviews, and fieldwork, the research identifies critical success determinants: collaboration motives, iterative innovation processes, complementary resources and competencies, shared purpose, trust-based collaboration and leadership skills. Findings highlight the interplay between organisational, technical, and relational dimensions in enabling circular ecosystems. A key new insight is the importance of human (or soft) dimensions in determining successful outcomes for COI. This research contributes to emerging scholarship on circular ecosystems by providing a nuanced understanding of COI success determinants. The results inform businesses, policymakers and CE facilitators seeking to scale circularity within legacy sectors.
Envisioning just circularity: A scoping review of normative justice claims in circular economy literature
The circular economy (CE) is widely believed to have significant potential to achieve environmental, economic, and social sustainability. However, its social sustainability promises remain contested. We conduct a scoping review of literature at the intersection of CE and justice, building upon earlier work on environmental and energy justice to develop a novel framework. Using this framework, we map CE’s justice community (subjects, scale, time, knowledge), stakes (distribution, procedure, recognition), and relevant justice principles. Our analysis reveals multiple tensions, which future research on just CE should address. First, parameters to the justice community require further scrutiny, especially surrounding agency of subjects; relative importance of place; politicization of time-frames; and the balance between quantitative methods and socially constructed knowledge. Second, the stakes require further consideration, especially as they pertain to the distribution of dwindling resources; political inclusion of essential stakeholders; and recognition of non-economic contributions. Finally, we call for clear justice principles to arbitrate trade-offs, and visions for social organization in the just CE.
Circular Economy Flow:er – A Visualisation Rooted in Interrelatedness, Consumer Inclusion, and Co-creation
The transformation towards a circular economy (CE) depends on the active participation and collaboration of actors across different stakeholder groups. Consumers, not least, have a crucial role to play in this shift, yet their perspective has largely been overlooked. This gap is also reflected in existing CE visualisations, which are primarily designed from a company perspective. To encourage more effective involvement of consumers as key stakeholders in the CE loop, this paper proposes a new CE visualisation. The CE Flow:er builds on recent scholarly insights, and seeks to envision CE in a way that is not only relevant from a company perspective, but also inclusive and intuitive for consumers. This flower-shaped visual metaphor also aims to evoke a sense of holism and purpose by illustrating how our inherent interrelatedness with nature calls for regenerative acts in return for the resources we receive.
Implementation of Circular Design Principles in Industrial Product Development
The transition to a Circular Economy is a key driver of sustainable development and requires the design of circular products, services and business models at the industrial level. However, current product design and Circular Economy approaches often lack holistic integration from the strategic to the operational level, limiting the full implementation of circular strategies. This paper addresses the urgent need for an integrated approach that makes general circular economy guidelines fully operational by providing detailed design principles to optimize circularity and sustainability outcomes throughout the product life cycle, from raw material sourcing to end-of-life. Because the practical implementation of circularity in industrial product development processes is not a relevant subject of current research and publications in the circularity domain, this paper conceptualizes a comprehensive Design for Circularity approach. By demonstrating the interaction between Circular Economy Business Models, Ecodesign Approaches, and specific product life cycle intensities, this study introduces a decision support method tailored to industrial product development processes. The key result of this study is a proposed solution list, presenting circular design principles in a structured solution matrix. This matrix provides tailored practical guidelines which are directly applicable in industrial product development. By operationalizing circularity for industrial design processes, this paper not only addresses an existing research gap, but also provides a comprehensive decision support tool for circular design. Moreover, this approach enables the quantitative assessment of circular solution paths from strategic planning down to the product structure level, thus promoting the effective implementation of circularity in industrial practice.
Socioeconomic Impacts and Regional Disparities in Circular Economy Adoption: Insights from Europe and Beyond
The transition to a Circular Economy (CE) aims to decouple economic growth from resource consumption by promoting resource efficiency, sustainable industries, and regional economic resilience. CE offers environmental benefits, such as reduced resource demand and lower greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) but also introduces complex economic effects that require further research. This article examines the socioeconomic impacts of the CE, focusing on the European Union (EU), where member states have developed specific strategies to address their economic and environmental challenges, exploring employment dynamics and resource optimisation. It explores employment dynamics and resource optimization across sectors. It combines a comprehensive review of existing literature with an empirical analysis to contrast theoretical insights with current data on investment and employment trends in CE sectors. The findings highlight opportunities, such as job creation in recycling, repair, and service-based industries, as well as challenges, including job losses in manufacturing and mining. Germany and France are confirmed as leaders, with steady investments in EC and employment growth. Meanwhile, southern European countries are being addressed, underscoring the need for urgent and tailored strategies and policies that align macroeconomic goals with the principles of CE. This dual approach provides actionable insights for fostering sustainable economic growth, environmental resilience, and inclusive transitions within the EU and beyond. Correction note: The author affiliations in this article were corrected on 17 December 2025. The scholarly content of the article remains unchanged.
Circular Economy and Core–Periphery Relations: Territorial Inequalities in Waste Management through Agglomeration, Proximity, and Structural Effects
This article examines the territorial effects of the circular economy (CE) through the lens of waste management in France, using the core-periphery model from economic geography. Relying on a unique dataset of 62 million tons of waste flows (IREP), we combine spatial analysis with regression, gravity and shift-share models. Results confirm a concentration of high-value recovery operations in urban centres, while disposal operations remain dominant in rural and peri-urban areas. However, we also highlight emerging complementarities, including energy and material recovery in small towns and rural areas. These findings prompt a reevaluation of territorial justice in the transition towards a circular economy.
Assessing Product Circularity in Practice: Insights from Industry
The use of the concept of ‘circularity’ and Circular Economy (CE), and within it, product circularity within government, policy, industry, and academia has grown exponentially in the last decade. However, despite this, there is a lack of harmonization on circularity and CE definitions within the literature and a gap in knowledge on how they are understood and implemented within industry. As such, 21 in-depth qualitative interviews were completed with companies that claimed to have a core circular economy business strategy with the objective to gain insight into how circularity is currently understood and is being implemented at a product level and measured by Industry. This research was undertaken as part of the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 project, ORIENTING. The data collected from the interviews was analysed using a thematic coding methodology to 1) gain insights into how product circularity (PC) is understood by industry and identify PC strategies currently being implemented across various sectors; 2) identify barriers for implementation that can lead to solutions for remanufacturing, reuse, refurbish and repair and new ways for production and consumption, and 3) contribute to the development of methodologies and tools for measuring product circularity beyond recycled inflows and outflows. A key finding from the interviews was the lack of harmonization of the concept of circularity and CE within industry, and thus how to implement this at a product level across different sectors. Moreover, the surge in methodologies that seek to quantitively assess product circularity performance for internal decision making and external communications, have until recently, focused primarily on assessing the use of recycled material inflows and outflows; thus, positioning circularity as synonymous to recycling. The paper also shows how measuring use phase related product circularity issues e.g., repair, reuse, etc. is still in the early stages due to a lack of data ownership by companies.
Design and Development Lifecycle Sustainability Assessment
Exploration of solar energy as a means for sustainable management of non-renewable natural resources for present and future generations
Solar energy has the potential to help alleviate fears about depleting fossil fuel energy reserves, but it is not widely accepted. The concern about sustainability and resource depletion for non-renewable resources makes the evaluation of the acceptance rate of renewable energy resources an important endeavour to ensure adequate planning for energy sustainability for present and future generations. Using the amount of electricity generated from solar energy by selected provinces in Canada, this study evaluates the rate of acceptance of solar power as an alternative energy source. The study’s results showed that there is considerable room for improvement in efforts to utilize solar power as a means of sustainably managing ‘non-renewable’ energy resources for present and future generations. This study recommends continuous improvement in the exploration of solar energy systems as an alternative source of energy to address concerns about the depletion of non-renewable fuels.
From Carbon Footprint to Circular Brainprint: Advancing Behavioral Foundations of the Circular Economy
This conceptual article introduces the “circular brainprint,” a framework that links upstream mindset conditions to the concrete uptake of circular practices across the 10R. We address a clear gap: existing work measures downstream outcomes (footprints/handprints) or offers generic behavioral tools, but lacks a map from identifiable antecedents—biases, ownership frames, norms, trust, skills, and access—to adoption of repair, reuse, sharing, and product-service systems. We define the circular brainprint as the cognitive–social–educational infrastructure that raises the probability of these choices and makes them persistent. Building on a structured narrative synthesis across psychology, behavioral economics, and sustainability education, the article derives testable propositions that connect micro-mechanisms and meso-level supports to specific circular options. Education features as a lever that reconfigures antecedents—building skills and perceived control, shifting descriptive/injunctive norms, and strengthening provider trust—rather than as awareness alone. We outline measurable indicators (e.g., repair/reuse rates, refurbished share, PSS uptake) that operationalize the brainprint and enable policy design. Correction note (13 January 2026): The wording of the funding statement was updated to reflect the current mandatory formulation required by the European Commission. The funding source and scholarly content of the article remain unchanged.
Barriers to the Adoption of Digital Technologies for a Circular Economy: Insights from the Manufacturing Industry
Academics, industry representatives, and policymakers widely recognize that adopting digital technologies is essential for successfully implementing circular economy solutions in manufacturing companies. However, many organizations still struggle to adopt these technologies effectively to achieve circularity. This study identifies and examines the barriers manufacturing companies encounter when leveraging digital technologies and data to implement circular economy solutions. Based on insights from 61 experts, the study provides robust empirical evidence on the barriers these companies face in transitioning to a smart circular economy. By offering an in-depth analysis of 13 distinct barrier dimensions, grouped into five broader themes embedded in the Natural Resource-Based View, this study presents a comprehensive framework. This framework deepens our understanding of the specific barriers impeding the transition to a smart circular economy, while identifying areas that demand targeted interventions.
Regenerative Practices in Circular Economy SMEs
Circular economy (CE) companies have increasingly adopted business models that strive to balance economic, social, and environmental value creation. As a result, sustainable business models within the CE domain have gradually evolved to incorporate regenerative elements. However, the concept of regeneration remains ambiguous in the context of CE, particularly regarding how regenerative business models differ from sustainable and circular ones. This paper aims to identify and describe the key elements of regenerative business models implemented by CE companies. It presents a multiple case study of five Finnish SMEs operating within the CE domain, all of which follow regenerative principles. The theoretical framework is based on three primary business model types: circular, sustainable, and regenerative. The findings reveal that these companies generate clearly positive impacts on both societal and planetary well-being. Notably, a positive impact on nature is central to the business models of all case companies. The paper also outlines several policy implications derived from the case analysis.
Rethinking Inflation through the Circular Economy: A Markov Switching Analysis of European Countries
This paper investigates whether the transition to a circular economy reduces or increases the inflation rate. To address this question, we model the inflation rate using a Markov switching panel data model, analyzing data from 27 European countries over the period 2010–2019. Our findings provide strong evidence that advancing toward a circular economy significantly reduces inflation. To support these results, we employ various circular economy indexes and conduct robustness checks by estimating all models using the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM). The GMM results confirm the robustness of the relationship between the circular economy and inflation. These findings carry important policy implications, demonstrating that transitioning to a circular economy not only preserves resources and protects the environment but also reduces inflation—a critical consideration for policymakers.
Design for Disassembly (DfD) applications in the United States: gaps and drivers towards a circular industrialized construction economy
Growing awareness of the construction industry’s substantial environmental impacts has driven increasing interest in circular and sustainable building practices. This paper presents a literature and industry scoping review of the U.S. construction sector to identify emerging trends in sustainable and circular design, with a particular focus on Design for Disassembly (DfD). DfD is defined here as the intentional design of buildings and assemblies to enable efficient modification, repair, and reuse of components at the end of their service life. Given the limited peer-reviewed research on DfD in the U.S., the review draws on a broad range of sources, including market analyses, case study reports, and governmental and corporate publications, to map relevant legislation, stakeholder engagement, and evolving industry practices. The synthesis examines stakeholder roles throughout the design process, identifies construction systems, materials, and tools that facilitate DfD, and evaluates their potential to enable material and component reuse at scale. Findings reveal significant barriers to mainstreaming DfD, including the absence of standardized material specifications for reuse, inadequate infrastructure such as storage capacity and regrading systems, and misalignment between economic incentives and legislative frameworks. At the same time, emerging initiatives in policy development, material innovation, and collaborative procurement models demonstrate opportunities for scaling DfD practices. By consolidating knowledge from both industry and academic perspectives, this paper provides a structured overview of current capabilities and constraints, offering a foundation for advancing DfD as a core strategy in transitioning the U.S. construction industry toward a more circular and resource-efficient future.
Repair Over Replacement: Consumer Behaviours and Repair Practices for Electronics in the Global South
Comprehensive data on consumer behaviour regarding the use and repair of electronic products in the Global South remains limited. This study’s primary data collection method involves household surveys (n = 450), representing diverse socio-economic groups, to analyse 23 electronic products in Lahore (Pakistan). It examines: (i) key trends in product failures, repair costs, and spare part sourcing, (ii) householder attitudes towards repairs, and (iii) comparisons with repair practices in the Global North. Repair costs range from $5 – $100 for fridges, while air conditioners (ACs) require repairs most frequently. Major repairs occur within a year for ACs and seven years for flat display panel TVs, depending on usage, product quality and climate. Householders in the Global South prioritise repairs over replacements, primarily due to economic constraints and value recovery, contrasting with sustainability-driven repair advocacy in the Global North. The findings underscore how affordability, accessibility, and cultural attitudes shape repair behaviours.
Life Cycle Assessment and Circularity Assessment as Complementary Methods for the Circular and Sustainable Redesign of Multi-Material Products: A Case Study on Safety Industrial Footwear
The transition toward circular and sustainable products is critical for addressing environmental and resource concerns. Complex, multi-material products pose challenges due to their diverse material compositions, lifetimes, and end-of-life pathways. This study integrates Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the Material Circularity Indicator (MCI) to assess the sustainable and circular redesign of complex products using safety industrial footwear as a case of a multi-component product with strict safety standards. Results indicate that redesign improves both circularity and environmental performance. The circular model achieves a 51% reduction in environmental impact (normalized through environmental prices) versus the linear model, mainly through material substitution, design for recyclability, and reduced complexity. While circularity and sustainability align at the product level, they do not at the component level, making LCA and MCI complementary. Two decision-support tools were developed: (1) a product-level transition ladder and (2) a prioritization matrix for component-level redesign. This research contributes to the development of integrated assessments and informs policy discussions and design practice related to circular and sustainable products.
Circular Art Economies, Relational Aesthetics and Circular Relationalities: Wang Ruobing’s Plastic Art Practice in Singapore
This paper seeks to foreground the role that artists can play in Singapore’s transition towards a circular economy. Taking Bourriaud’s concept of relational aesthetics as a point of departure, it contends that art projects that recuperate waste can help to close circularity loops by fostering relationships across stakeholders. While an ever-expanding range of R-behaviours has come under the purview of scholars working on circular economies, they have often overlooked the most fundamental ‘R’ undergirding circular practices—that of relationalities. The paper attempts to address this gap by bringing the relational into a productive conversation with circularity. It does so by mobilising Wang Ruobing’s artworks and art practice as a case study to show how socially and environmentally engaged relational art can extend circular economic frameworks beyond its current mold, thereby gesturing towards a circular-relational ethics.
Food Waste Utilisation in Beer Production: Enablers and Barriers within the European Craft Beer Industry
Considering the anticipated global growth of the beer industry amid climate instability and resource depletion, this study explores the emerging “bio-circular” practice of utilising food waste in beer production. Although gaining traction in the craft beer sector, a notable gap exists in the literature regarding the broader business context in which it operates. To address this gap, the study identifies key enablers and barriers at a firm level across eight structural categories (internal and external), based on a sample of 7 craft practitioners from 4 European countries (the UK, Germany, Italy, and Belgium). The findings highlighted two main enablers: the external factor of cooperation and partnerships, and the internal factor of purpose-driven management. While a fast-paced, competitive market presented the most substantial barrier, it affected craft beer producers, rather than the practice itself. Overall, the research suggests that no significant barriers exist to implementing the practice among viable craft beer producers.
Copyright (c) 2025 Milica Končar (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Circular Economy Strategies in European Capitals
As major population hubs, cities contribute substantially to resource consumption and pollution, while also serving as key arenas for innovation and sustainable development. Meanwhile, the European Union has prioritised the circular economy as a strategic pathway for urban transformation, with capital cities intended to have a crucial role in this transition. Drawing on an integrated literature review, this study therefore focuses on the assessment of circular economy strategies in 10 European Union capital cities. It evaluates three core dimensions: methodological clarity, stakeholder engagement, and accountability. Based on these criteria, we propose a typology that classifies strategies into three categories: “Robust”, “Moderate”, and “Basic”. Our findings highlight that, despite growing political commitment to the circular economy at urban level, many strategies suffer from limited stakeholder inclusion, vague implementation plans, and scarce accountability mechanisms. These gaps raise concerns about the disconnect between circular economy visions and urban realities. Overall, this study offers a replicable evaluation tool, while also highlighting the need for integrated, transparent, and participatory planning in the design of effective urban circular economy strategies.
Copyright (c) 2026 Lourenço Gouveia Booth, Paula Antunes, Ana de Jesus (Author) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Designing for Circularity: User Study of CirQA, a Circularity Quick Assessment Tool for Early-Stage Building Design
The construction sector, which is responsible for nearly 40% of emissions and almost third of all waste generated, is under increasing pressure to integrate sustainability principles, particularly in the early design stage, where key decisions influencing a building’s lifecycle are made. This paper presents a user study on a Circularity Quick Assessment (CirQA) tool, aiming at accessibility to a broad range of users, including those with varying levels of expertise. CirQA employs parametric design methods and data repositories to generate digital building models in the early design stage with the corresponding environmental impact. A user study was conducted with 16 professionals from various backgrounds to assess the tool’s usability, design, relevance and decision-making impact. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected, with qualitative data analyzed through thematic coding and SWOT analysis. Results indicated that CirQA was generally perceived as user-friendly and effective for early-stage sustainability assessments. Also, areas for refinement were identified, including improving the clarity of data presentation, enhancing the interface, and providing more detailed guidance on circularity metrics. The SWOT analysis identified strengths in the tool’s ease of use and comprehensive functionality, weaknesses in its interface usability and data interpretation, opportunities for broader integration and customization, and threats related to increasing complexity. The study concludes that CirQA holds significant potential to advance circular and life cycle-oriented building design, with future efforts focused on optimizing user experience, expanding lifecycle metrics, and ensuring regulatory adaptability to enhance informed decision-making.
From Nature Conservation to Resource Conservation: How Recycling Developed into an Environmental Issue in the US During the 20th Century
This article examines how the idea that recycling conserves natural resources developed and stabilized into a matter of fact in modern U.S. history. Influential figures like Herbert Hoover reframed the focus of conservation from nature protection to production, efficiency and waste management. The conservation idea was used by the industry to emphasize its societal value, externalize waste management costs, divert attention away from resource extraction, and engage the public in sorting that would yield materials back to the industry. The 1970s energy crisis opened up possibilities to symmetrically compare different processes and materials by a unified metric: energy consumption. As a result, recycling came to conserve resources not only in the waste itself, but also in nature. The significant energy savings from recycling, compared to extraction, were emphasized and communicated, and the idea of displacement vanished in the underlying calculations and was thereby institutionalized into everyday language.
Biodiversity, Circularity and Business Education: Examining Organizational Ambidexterity within Ecopedagogy and Ecoliteracy
This article examines the growing need for explorative innovation in business education and organizational practices, particularly through positioning biodiversity at the core of business education. While current pedagogic approaches remain predominantly exploitative, there are notable efforts toward integrating more ecocentric and regenerative strategies. Using an Organizational Ambidexterity theoretical framework, we demonstrate how fostering critical thinking and action competencies in business curricula can lead to enhanced transformative educational practices (explorative innovation) that prioritize biodiversity. Through conceptual curriculum mapping and case study analysis, we explore how Organizational Ambidexterity serves as a framework for balancing and embracing the competing demands of traditional business models and sustainability imperatives. Our recommendations for business schools include embedding ambidextrous course structures that simultaneously integrate sustainability-focused innovation with conventional business education. We conclude by emphasizing the need for curriculum reform, policy advocacy, and institutional change to ensure that business education transcends exploitative paradigms and fosters explorative, nature-positive innovation.
Tensions in Management Controls: Enabling Radical Innovation for a Circular Economy
Meeting the demands of a circular economy entails substantial organizational change and innovation, particularly by industrial incumbent organizations. This paper aims to deepen understanding of how such organizations use management controls to strengthen circular principles and drive innovation, while also shedding light on tensions in the management control system that may occur following the contrasting logics of linearity and circularity. The study collects qualitatively rich empirical data from three large industrial organizations in Sweden, employing 38 semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis. The study suggests that the management control system serves as a valuable instrument for implementing circular principles through interventions, and conversely, as a system that can entrench a linear logic in organizations. Specifically, the analysis reveals that while circular principles are not fully integrated into all aspects of the management control systems, specific identified factors enable or impede innovation in the circular transformation. Imbalances and inconsistencies in the use of action-, result-, and cultural controls were also identified. The practical implications emphasize a risk of reducing circular initiatives to minor improvements without a comprehensive understanding of the needed radical changes and corresponding adjustments to the management control system. Overall, the research provides valuable and qualitatively rich insights connecting the adoption of the circular economy in incumbent organizations and further strengthens the bridge between literature on innovation management, circular economy, and management control systems, highlighting the importance of addressing tensions and imbalances for successful circular transformations.
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.
Market Dynamics in the Circular Economy: A Case Study of the Adjacent Biofertilizer and Biogas Markets
This study explores the interlinked development of Sweden’s biogas and biofertilizer markets as part of efforts to close resource loops in a circular economy. While biogas benefits from robust policy support and a clear energy narrative, biofertilizers face persistent challenges related to marketization, pricing, certification, and public perception. Applying a constructivist market studies approach together with a lens of concerned markets, the paper investigates how societal and sector-specific concerns interact with market-shaping processes. Findings show that market formation is shaped by evolving exchange practices and material reconfigurations, efforts to validate biofertilizers through experimentation and certification, and shifting narratives that reposition biofertilizers from waste by-products to valuable contributors to soil health and circularity. The paper calls for integrated policy frameworks that align energy and nutrient recovery to support more balanced and sustainable market infrastructures.
Towards a Reference Framework of Practices to Align Aviation with the Circular Economy ISO 59004:2024 Standard
Circular economy is considered essential towards sustainability in several sectors, including within the aviation sector. So far, the aviation sector focuses primarily on recycling, when discussing circular economy. This limits the effective application of circular strategies within the air transport system. A reference framework of practices, aligning circular economy with aviation, will contribute to implement circular strategies in the aviation sector. This work aims to provide the first foundational step towards a framework connecting circular economy strategies and aviation. Specifically, the present work builds on the newly released ISO standard 59004:2024 to link its resource management actions to the current understanding of circular economy and circularity in the aviation sector. To this end, the work proposes a definition of circular economy that suits the specific aviation context. Then, an interpretation of the circular economy strategies (known as resource management actions or R-approaches) is proposed for adapting them to aviation practices. The results of the present work will provide the foundation towards developing a practically applicable assessment methodology, suitable to measure the circularity performance of aviation.