Creating value in the circular economy: A structured multiple-case analysis of business models

2018 ◽  
Vol 201 ◽  
pp. 988-1000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valtteri Ranta ◽  
Leena Aarikka-Stenroos ◽  
Saku J. Mäkinen
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Case Analysis ◽  
Multiple Case

scholarly journals What Is the Customer Value of the Circular Economy? Cross-Industry Exploration of Diverse Values Perceived by Consumers and Business Customers

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (24) ◽  
pp. 13764
Author(s):  
Leena Aarikka-Stenroos ◽  
Martina Don Welathanthri ◽  
Valtteri Ranta
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Customer Value ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Case Investigation ◽  
Functional Value ◽  
Conceptual Maps ◽  
Customer Perspective ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Business Customers

A growing number of companies provide CE products, technologies, services, and solutions, and similarly, an increasing number of researchers have analyzed sustainable and CE business models providing knowledge about CE technology businesses. However, this research has focused almost solely on the providers’ perspective on CE business and offerings, remaining silent on the customer perspective. Therefore, this study contributes by focusing on the customer value of CE innovations and solutions, conducting an explorative qualitative multiple-case investigation among customers of diverse CE businesses, and mapping diverse customer value dimensions, including economic, functional, emotional, and symbolic, and comparing them as perceived by consumer and business customers. The findings show that the functional value of CE offerings dominates. We develop conceptual maps for CE customer value for a theoretical understanding of the CE from the customer perspective and provide insights for managers to assert the value of their CE solutions.

Circular Business Model Transformation: A Roadmap for Incumbent Firms

2018 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 5-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Frishammar ◽  
Vinit Parida
Keyword(s):  
Business Model ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Model Transformation ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Multiple Case Study ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Social Benefits ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Multiple Case

To achieve positive economic, environmental, and social benefits, many incumbent manufacturing firms attempt to apply circular economy principles to their business practices. However, these firms often struggle to change their existing linear business models to circular models because the steps required for successful transformation are still poorly understood. Based on a multiple case study of eight business model transformation journeys, this article proposes a roadmap for circular business model transformation. It provides a step-by-step process to enable circular transition, allowing companies to meet environmental, social, and financial objectives and proactively address sustainability.

Creating Value From Garbage

2020 ◽  
pp. 114-136
Author(s):  
Cristina Calvo-Porral
Keyword(s):  
Global Economy ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Sustainable Consumption ◽  
Case Analysis ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Environmental Issue ◽  
Marketing Strategies ◽  
Consumption Patterns ◽  
Scarce Resources ◽  
Multiple Case

We live on a finite planet with scarce resources, which entails major challenges such as the depletion of natural resources, the ecological footprint, and climate change. However, in the continued growth of global economy, the majority of companies' strategies and business models move away from sustainability while facing a big paradox: on one side, companies focus on economic development encouraging consumption, but on the other side, companies could play a key role in environmental issues, enhancing more sustainable consumption patterns. In this context, some companies have adopted marketing strategies that focus on turning garbage into value, as a way to tackle one of the major environmental issues. In this chapter, some of these companies and their marketing strategies are examined through a multiple case analysis. The main purpose of this chapter is to show that some companies are addressing one major environmental issue by turning garbage into value.

scholarly journals Learning from Failure and Success: The Challenges for Circular Economy Implementation in SMEs in an Emerging Economy

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1529
Author(s):  
Andrea Cantú ◽  
Eduardo Aguiñaga ◽  
Carlos Scheel
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Economies ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Business Strategy ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Emerging Economy ◽  
Implementation Barriers ◽  
Developed Economies ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Medium Enterprises

While there is ample research on the barriers and enablers for implementing circular economy (CE) in large companies and developed economies, scant research exists concerning the factors impacting CE implementation in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in emerging economies. To address this gap, our research seeks to determine the internal and external barriers SMEs face when implementing CE initiatives in emerging economies and identify how they can leverage CE implementation through bottom-up approaches. We present a multiple-case study of five SMEs in Mexico. Our findings suggest that the lack of regional enabling conditions and unsuitability between the CE business strategy and the context can further exacerbate implementation barriers. In this sense, we found that in our study’s unsuccessful case, the company failed to align its business to the particularities of the markets where it operated. Contrary, successful initiatives adopted strategies that incorporated contextual attributes in their business models, such as available infrastructure, current regulations, or consumer characteristics. Our results provide lessons from both failing and successful CE initiatives implemented by SMEs in an emerging economy. This work intends to help practitioners, policymakers, and researchers to create the required enabling conditions to accelerate the transition toward a CE in these regions.

scholarly journals Sustainability and Quality Management in the Italian Luxury Furniture Sector: A Circular Economy Perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 3089 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marica Barbaritano ◽  
Laura Bravi ◽  
Elisabetta Savelli
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Furniture Industry ◽  
Sustainable Practices ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
New Business ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Product And Process

The growing attention paid to global environmental risks has gradually raised interest, both on the agendas of firms and governments towards the development of new business models such as Circular Economy. This study is focused on the luxury furniture industry and it is aimed at investigating how much furniture companies know about Circular Economy practices, what they specifically do for implementing them and what factors motivate, support or hinder their adoption. The role of product and process certifications in developing such sustainable practices is also analyzed, given their importance for implementing environmentally sustainable practices. The research method is based on a qualitative multiple case study carried out on four Italian companies operating in the luxury furniture industry. A worthy degree of awareness and knowledge of Circular Economy principles emerged from the analysis. Nevertheless, furniture companies analyzed are still little involved in Circular Economy practices, especially concerning reuse and recycle actions, which are particularly important within this perspective. Similarly, very little use of process and product certifications emerged from the study. Therefore, a potential gap seems to arise between the positive attitude towards Circular Economy practices and their actual implementation, which suggests useful implications for both institutions and managers involved in sustainable development processes.

Emerging Industrial Revolution: Symbiosis of Industry 4.0 and Circular Economy: The Role of Universities

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 505-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seeram Ramakrishna ◽  
Alfred Ngowi ◽  
Henk De Jager ◽  
Bankole O. Awuzie
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Industry 4.0 ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Fourth Industrial Revolution ◽  
New Jobs

Growing consumerism and population worldwide raises concerns about society’s sustainability aspirations. This has led to calls for concerted efforts to shift from the linear economy to a circular economy (CE), which are gaining momentum globally. CE approaches lead to a zero-waste scenario of economic growth and sustainable development. These approaches are based on semi-scientific and empirical concepts with technologies enabling 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) and 6Rs (reuse, recycle, redesign, remanufacture, reduce, recover). Studies estimate that the transition to a CE would save the world in excess of a trillion dollars annually while creating new jobs, business opportunities and economic growth. The emerging industrial revolution will enhance the symbiotic pursuit of new technologies and CE to transform extant production systems and business models for sustainability. This article examines the trends, availability and readiness of fourth industrial revolution (4IR or industry 4.0) technologies (for example, Internet of Things [IoT], artificial intelligence [AI] and nanotechnology) to support and promote CE transitions within the higher education institutional context. Furthermore, it elucidates the role of universities as living laboratories for experimenting the utility of industry 4.0 technologies in driving the shift towards CE futures. The article concludes that universities should play a pivotal role in engendering CE transitions.

scholarly journals Circular Bioeconomy Business Models to Overcome the Valley of Death. A Systematic Statistical Analysis of Studies and Projects in Emerging Bio-Based Technologies and Trends Linked to the SME Instrument Support

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1899
Author(s):  
Fabiana Gatto ◽  
Ilaria Re
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Future Perspective ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Strategic Orientations ◽  
Start Ups ◽  
Valley Of Death

Reducing the environmental pressure along the products life cycle, increasing efficiency in the consumption of resources and use of renewable raw materials, and shifting the economic system toward a circular and a climate-neutral model represent the heart of the current macro-trends of the European Union (EU) policy agendas. The circular economy and bioeconomy concepts introduced in the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan and the Bioeconomy Strategy support innovation in rethinking economic systems focusing on market uptaking of greener solutions based on less-intensive resource consumption. In recent decades, industrial research has devoted enormous investments to demonstrate sustainable circular bio-based business models capable of overcoming the “Valley of Death” through alternative strategic orientations of “technological-push” and “market-pull”. The study highlights industrial research’s evolution on bio-based circular business model validation, trends, and topics with particular attention to the empowering capacity of start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to close the loops in renewable biological use and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The research methodology involves a bibliographic search based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach and the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator Data Hub investigation to understand SMEs’ key success factors and start-ups of the circular bioeconomy sector. Eco and bio-based materials, nutraceuticals, and microalgae represent the most sustainable industry applications, leading to circular bioeconomy business models’ future perspective.

scholarly journals From Barriers to Enablers: The Role of Organizational Learning in Transitioning SMEs into the Circular Economy

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1021
Author(s):  
Sara Scipioni ◽  
Meir Russ ◽  
Federico Niccolini
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Learning ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Contextual Elements ◽  
Transfer And Retention ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Medium Enterprises

To contribute to small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) sustainable transition into the circular economy, the study proposes the activation of organizational learning (OL) processes—denoted here as multi-level knowledge creation, transfer, and retention processes—as a key phase in introducing circular business models (CBMs) at SME and supply chain (SC) level. The research employs a mixed-method approach, using the focus group methodology to identify contextual elements impacting on CBM-related OL processes, and a survey-based evaluation to single out the most frequently used OL processes inside Italian construction SMEs. As a main result, a CBM-oriented OL multi-level model offers a fine-grained understanding of contextual elements acting mutually as barriers and drivers for OL processes, as possible OL dynamics among them. The multi-level culture construct—composed of external stakeholders’, SC stakeholders’, and organizational culture—identify the key element to activate CBM-oriented OL processes. Main implications are related to the identification of cultural, structural, regulatory, and process contextual elements across the external, SC, and organizational levels, and their interrelation with applicable intraorganizational and interorganizational learning processes. The proposed model would contribute to an improved implementation of transitioning into the circular economy utilizing sustainable business models in the construction SMEs.

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