The successful implementation of the circular economy paradigm is of utmost importance to address climate change, environmental degradation, and resource depletion. However, achieving this goal is a complex task that demands a systemic approach to overcome localized and suboptimal practices. In this context, the involvement of different economic, social, and political stakeholders becomes essential to foster collaborative business models to implement circularity practices effectively.
Our research project aims to explore the strategies, business models, and policies that encourage the development of circular innovation ecosystems. With two distinct research lines, our project first focuses on identifying business models and analyzing the organizational and technological capabilities necessary to embrace circular economy principles within an organization. The second research line aims instead to evaluate the effectiveness of policies designed to support the circular economy, thus ensuring its practical impact.
By exploring these research lines, our project seeks to provide insights into how to foster circularity across various sectors best, enabling the transition towards a more resilient and environmentally conscious future.
Research Objectives
While extensive research has already focused on the role of business model innovation to embrace circularity and explored the characteristics of different circular business model archetypes and patterns, academic literature and business practice still lack knowledge on the role of individual and organizational capabilities in the implementation of circular business models, as well as the role played by government policies. To address these knowledge gaps, the project aims to:
Research Methodology
The project is structured on three different levels of analysis: