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Journal ArticleDOI

Product design and business model strategies for a circular economy

TL;DR: In this article, a framework of strategies to guide designers and business strategists in the move from a linear to a circular economy is developed, where the terminology of slowing, closing, and narrowing resource loops is introduced.
Abstract: The transition within business from a linear to a circular economy brings with it a range of practical challenges for companies. The following question is addressed: What are the product design and business model strategies for companies that want to move to a circular economy model? This paper develops a framework of strategies to guide designers and business strategists in the move from a linear to a circular economy. Building on Stahel, the terminology of slowing, closing, and narrowing resource loops is introduced. A list of product design strategies, business model strategies, and examples for key decision-makers in businesses is introduced, to facilitate the move to a circular economy. This framework also opens up a future research agenda for the circular economy.

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Citations
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Book ChapterDOI
30 May 2018
TL;DR: Tata Africa Services (Nigeria) Limited as mentioned in this paper is a nodal point for Tata businesses in West Africa and operates as the hub of TATA operations in Nigeria and the rest of West Africa.
Abstract: Established in 2006, TATA Africa Services (Nigeria) Limited operates as the nodal point for Tata businesses in West Africa. TATA Africa Services (Nigeria) Limited has a strong presence in Nigeria with investments exceeding USD 10 million. The company was established in Lagos, Nigeria as a subsidiary of TATA Africa Holdings (SA) (Pty) Limited, South Africa and serves as the hub of Tata’s operations in Nigeria and the rest of West Africa.

3,658 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article conducted an extensive literature review, employing bibliometric analysis and snowballing techniques to investigate the state of the art in the field and synthesise the similarities, differences and relationships between both terms.

3,508 citations


Cites background from "Product design and business model s..."

  • ...Our research shows that most authors (e.g. Bakker et al., 2014; Bocken et al., 2016; EMF, 2013b; Rashid et al., 2014) focus on the environmental performance improvements of the Circular Economy rather than taking a holistic view on all three dimensions of sustainability, although this is also true…...

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  • ...…the actual impacts of Circular Economy initiatives need to be analysed – how do these perform against the triple bottom line (Elkington, 1997) and contribute to ‘strong sustainability’ and slower forms of consumption, i.e., closing as well as slowing resource loops (Bocken et al., 2016)?...

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  • ...Specific areas of attention are closed loop value and supply chains (Guide and Van Wassenhove, 2009; Wells and Seitz, 2005; Govindan et al., 2015; Stindt and Sahamie, 2014), circular business models (Bocken et al., 2016) and circular product design (Bakker et al., 2014)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present the first large-N-study on circular economy barriers in the EU (208 survey respondents, 47 expert interviews) and find that cultural barriers, particularly a lack of consumer interest and awareness as well as a hesitant company culture, are considered the main barriers by businesses and policy-makers.

774 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors use Hirsch and Levin's notion of "umbrella concepts" as an analytical lens, in order to articulate the valuable catalytic function the circular economy concept could perform in the waste and resource management debate.
Abstract: In this article we use Hirsch and Levin’s (1999) notion of ‘umbrella concepts’ as an analytical lens, in order to articulate the valuable catalytic function the circular economy concept could perform in the waste and resource management debate. We realize this goal by anchoring the circular economy concept in this broader debate through a narrative approach. This leads to the insight that while the various resource strategies grouped under circular economy’s banner are not new individually, the concept offers a new framing of these strategies by drawing attention to their capacity of prolonging resource use as well as to the relationship between these strategies. As such, circular economy offers a new perspective on waste and resource management and provides a new cognitive unit and discursive space for debate. We conclude by discussing research opportunities for the IE community relating to the concept’s theoretical development and its implementation. Specifically, we pose that reinvigorating and growing the social science aspects of IE is required for both. After all, it is the wide adoption and collective implementation of an idea that shapes our material future.

707 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A systematic literature review exploring the state-of-the-art of academic research on circular economy (CE) is presented in this paper, where the authors examine the CE body of literature with a systematic approach, to provide an exhaustive analysis of the phenomenon with rigorous and reproducible research criteria.

698 citations

References
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Book Chapter
01 Jan 2012
TL;DR: The Global Energy Assessment (GEA) as mentioned in this paper identifies strategies that could help resolve the multiple challenges simultaneously and bring multiple benefits, including sustainable economic and social development, poverty eradication, adequate food production and food security, health for all, climate protection, conservation of ecosystems, and security.
Abstract: Energy is essential for human development and energy systems are a crucial entry point for addressing the most pressing global challenges of the 21st century, including sustainable economic and social development, poverty eradication, adequate food production and food security, health for all, climate protection, conservation of ecosystems, peace and security. Yet, more than a decade into the 21st century, current energy systems do not meet these challenges. A major transformation is therefore required to address these challenges and to avoid potentially catastrophic future consequences for human and planetary systems. The Global Energy Assessment (GEA) demonstrates that energy system change is the key for addressing and resolving these challenges. The GEA identifies strategies that could help resolve the multiple challenges simultaneously and bring multiple benefits. Their successful implementation requires determined, sustained and immediate action.

13,413 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore the significance of business models and explore their connections with business strategy, innovation management, and economic theory, and understand how the enterprise can organize to best meet customers' needs, get paid for doing so, and make a profit.

6,242 citations


"Product design and business model s..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Business model choices define the architecture of the business and expansion paths, but once established, companies often encounter great difficulty in changing business models [52]....

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  • ...Hence, according to Teece [52] every new product development effort should be coupled with the development of the business model, which defines its “go to market” and “capturing value” strategies, because technology or products by themselves do not guarantee business success....

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Book ChapterDOI
30 May 2018
TL;DR: Tata Africa Services (Nigeria) Limited as mentioned in this paper is a nodal point for Tata businesses in West Africa and operates as the hub of TATA operations in Nigeria and the rest of West Africa.
Abstract: Established in 2006, TATA Africa Services (Nigeria) Limited operates as the nodal point for Tata businesses in West Africa. TATA Africa Services (Nigeria) Limited has a strong presence in Nigeria with investments exceeding USD 10 million. The company was established in Lagos, Nigeria as a subsidiary of TATA Africa Holdings (SA) (Pty) Limited, South Africa and serves as the hub of Tata’s operations in Nigeria and the rest of West Africa.

3,658 citations

Book
01 Jan 2002
TL;DR: McDonough and Braungart as discussed by the authors argue that the one-way, 'cradle to grave' manufacturing model, dating to the Industrial Revolution, creates such fantastic amounts of waste and pollution in the first place.
Abstract: 'Reduce, reuse, and recycle' urge environmentalists; in other words, do more with less in order to minimize damage. But as architect William McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart point out in this provocative, visionary book, this approach only perpetuates the one-way, 'cradle to grave' manufacturing model, dating to the Industrial Revolution, that creates such fantastic amounts of waste and pollution in the first place. Why not challenge the belief that human industry must damage the natural world? In fact, why not take nature itself as our model for making things? A tree produces thousands of blossoms in order to create another tree, yet we consider its abundance not wasteful but safe, beautiful and highly effective.Waste equals food. Guided by this principle, McDonough and Braungart explain how products can be designed from the outset so that, after their useful lives, they will provide nourishment for something new - continually circulating as pure and viable materials within a 'cradle to cradle' model. Drawing on their experience in redesigning everything from carpeting to corporate campuses, McDonough and Braungart make an exciting and viable case for putting eco-effectiveness into practice, and show how anyone involved in making anything can begin to do so as well.

3,315 citations


"Product design and business model s..." refers background or methods or result in this paper

  • ...The taxonomy of slowing, closing, and narrowing resource loops was introduced building on Stahel [49,50] and McDonough and Braungart [38] and Braungart et al....

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  • ...Similar to the work of Ayres [2], McDonough and Braungart [38] developed two distinct strategies for product design: dissipative losses are to be made compatible with biological systems, fit for the “biological cycle”; whereas other materials are to be completely recycled, fitting a “technological cycle....

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  • ...Later work by McDonough and Braungart [38] recognized the importance of closing “technical” and “biological” loops in a “cradle-to-cradle” or circular (rather than cradle-to-grave or linear) economy....

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  • ...Also, McDonough and Braungart stress that material quality is to be maintained, and distinguish between “upcycling” and “downcycling” to demonstrate that downcycling does not enable a cyclical flow of resources, but only delays the linear flow of resources from production to waste [38]....

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  • ...The Cradle to Cradle design philosophy, propagated by McDonough and Braungart [38] has inspired many companies and designers to apply an ambitious circular approach to product design [5,19]....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore the barriers to business model innovation, which previous academic research has identified as including conflicts with existing assets and business models, as well as cognition in understanding these barriers.

3,147 citations


"Product design and business model s..." refers background in this paper

  • ...The same technology or product innovation pursued through different business models will yield different economic outcomes [15]....

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  • ...As Chesbrough [15] observes: companies commercialize product and technology innovations through their business models and while they may allocate extensive investments to this, they often have limited capability to innovate the business models through which these innovations will pass....

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  • ...Following “dominant business model logic” can lead firms to miss valuable uses of an innovation [15,44]....

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