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Agency in Circular City Ecosystems—A Rationalities Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Antero Hirvensalo

    (Management and Organization, Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Turku School of Economics, Rehtorinpellonkatu 3, 20500 Turku, Finland)

  • Satu Teerikangas

    (Management and Organization, Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Turku School of Economics, Rehtorinpellonkatu 3, 20500 Turku, Finland
    The Bartlett School of Construction & Project Management, Faculty of the Built Environment, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 7HB, UK)

  • Noelia-Sarah Reynolds

    (Management and Marketing, Essex Business School, Colchester Campus, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK)

  • Helka Kalliomäki

    (School of Management/Regional Studies, University of Vaasa, PL 700, 65101 Vaasa, Finland)

  • Raine Mäntysalo

    (Department of Built Environment, Aalto University School of Engineering, P.O. Box 14100, 00076 Aalto, Finland)

  • Hanna Mattila

    (Department of Built Environment, Aalto University School of Engineering, P.O. Box 14100, 00076 Aalto, Finland)

  • Kaisa Granqvist

    (Department of Built Environment, Aalto University School of Engineering, P.O. Box 14100, 00076 Aalto, Finland)

Abstract

The concept of agency is increasingly used in the literature on sustainability transitions. In this paper, we add to that discussion by arguing that the concept of rationality opens new avenues to theorizing relational agency in transitions toward a circular economy. To this end, we compare rationality conceptions from management (e.g., collaboration and competition) with critical theory perspectives on rationality (e.g., instrumental and communicative rationality). This leads us to develop a typology matrix for describing plural rationalities underpinning relational agency. We illustrate this typology using excerpts from an in-depth case study of an ongoing city-coordinated ecosystem that develops a smart technology-enabled urban area based on the principles of circularity. The first contribution of this interdisciplinary paper is to offer a rational perspective on theorizing the antecedents of relational agency in circular economy transitions, where communicatively rational action enables agency and change. Secondly, our paper contributes to the literature on circular cities through conceptualizing circular transition as simultaneous collaboration and competition. Thirdly, our paper introduces a dyadic perspective on rationality to the literature on coopetition and provides an operating space from which professionals can navigate, depending on the type of coopetitive situation.

Suggested Citation

  • Antero Hirvensalo & Satu Teerikangas & Noelia-Sarah Reynolds & Helka Kalliomäki & Raine Mäntysalo & Hanna Mattila & Kaisa Granqvist, 2021. "Agency in Circular City Ecosystems—A Rationalities Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-15, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:5:p:2544-:d:506492
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Diego Hernando Florez Ayala & Anete Alberton & Aksel Ersoy, 2022. "Urban Living Labs: Pathways of Sustainability Transitions towards Innovative City Systems from a Circular Economy Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-29, August.
    2. Stuart Danvers & Jonathan Robertson & Ambika Zutshi, 2023. "Conceptualizing How Collaboration Advances Circularity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-23, March.
    3. Ari-Veikko Anttiroiko, 2023. "Smart Circular Cities: Governing the Relationality, Spatiality, and Digitality in the Promotion of Circular Economy in an Urban Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-41, August.

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