IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i13p7875-d850567.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Exploring the Dynamic of a Circular Ecosystem: A Case Study about Drivers and Barriers

Author

Listed:
  • Sophia Barquete

    (Department of Production Engineering, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador São Carlense, 400, São Carlos 13566-590, SP, Brazil)

  • Ana Hiromi Shimozono

    (Department of Production Engineering, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador São Carlense, 400, São Carlos 13566-590, SP, Brazil)

  • Adriana Hofmann Trevisan

    (Department of Production Engineering, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador São Carlense, 400, São Carlos 13566-590, SP, Brazil)

  • Camila Gonçalves Castro

    (Department of Production Engineering, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador São Carlense, 400, São Carlos 13566-590, SP, Brazil
    Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technology of Minas Gerais, Campus Congonhas, Av. Michael Pereira de Souza, 3007, Congonhas 36415-000, MG, Brazil)

  • Leonardo Augusto de Vasconcelos Gomes

    (Faculty of Economics, Administration, and Accounting, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508-010, SP, Brazil)

  • Janaina Mascarenhas

    (Department of Production Engineering, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador São Carlense, 400, São Carlos 13566-590, SP, Brazil)

Abstract

The circular economy (CE) aims to minimize the environmental impact caused throughout the entire production chain, which can be achieved by implementing circular strategies in collaboration with different actors within a business ecosystem. Although the close relationship between CE and business ecosystem concepts, which originated the term “circular ecosystem”, research about this subject is necessary, given the scarcity of empirical studies addressing the phenomenon. Therefore, this study aims to contribute by investigating a Brazilian circular ecosystem specialized in the manufacture of ecological tiles through recycled carton packages. The exploratory case study method was selected to characterize the ecosystem and identify 27 drivers and 17 barriers that enhance and hinder the ecosystem’s existence and functioning. Our findings, summarized by a framework, demonstrate the need for integration among the ecosystem’s actors so that its value proposition can be delivered. This issue is crucial for collecting post-consumer packaging for recycling and manufacturing ecological tiles. However, actors within the circular ecosystem face some obstacles to collecting the amount of packaging post-consumer material, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, this work generates discussions and future studies on circular ecosystems, especially in the Brazilian context, where there is little evidence in this research field.

Suggested Citation

  • Sophia Barquete & Ana Hiromi Shimozono & Adriana Hofmann Trevisan & Camila Gonçalves Castro & Leonardo Augusto de Vasconcelos Gomes & Janaina Mascarenhas, 2022. "Exploring the Dynamic of a Circular Ecosystem: A Case Study about Drivers and Barriers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-22, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:13:p:7875-:d:850567
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/13/7875/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/13/7875/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Vasileios Rizos & Arno Behrens & Wytze Van der Gaast & Erwin Hofman & Anastasia Ioannou & Terri Kafyeke & Alexandros Flamos & Roberto Rinaldi & Sotiris Papadelis & Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers & Corrado , 2016. "Implementation of Circular Economy Business Models by Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): Barriers and Enablers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-18, November.
    2. Hiroshi Ito & Nada AlElWeet & Rebecca Harrison & Alice Mitchell & Ellis Parker, 2015. "Should IKEA Expand into Brazil: A Study of Brazilian Consumer Behaviours," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 5(1), pages 69-74.
    3. Douglas P. Hannah & Kathleen M. Eisenhardt, 2019. "Bottlenecks, cooperation, and competition in nascent ecosystems," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(9), pages 1333-1335, September.
    4. Ron Adner & Rahul Kapoor, 2010. "Value creation in innovation ecosystems: how the structure of technological interdependence affects firm performance in new technology generations," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 306-333, March.
    5. Andrew M. King & Stuart C. Burgess & Winnie Ijomah & Chris A. McMahon, 2006. "Reducing waste: repair, recondition, remanufacture or recycle?," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 14(4), pages 257-267.
    6. Kirchherr, Julian & Reike, Denise & Hekkert, Marko, 2017. "Conceptualizing the circular economy: An analysis of 114 definitions," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 221-232.
    7. Rong, Ke & Hu, Guangyu & Lin, Yong & Shi, Yongjiang & Guo, Liang, 2015. "Understanding business ecosystem using a 6C framework in Internet-of-Things-based sectors," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 41-55.
    8. Fenna Blomsma & Geraldine Brennan, 2017. "The Emergence of Circular Economy: A New Framing Around Prolonging Resource Productivity," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(3), pages 603-614, June.
    9. Jose García‐Quevedo & Elisenda Jové‐Llopis & Ester Martínez‐Ros, 2020. "Barriers to the circular economy in European small and medium‐sized firms," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(6), pages 2450-2464, September.
    10. An Hai Ta & Leena Aarikka-Stenroos & Lauri Litovuo, 2022. "Customer Experience in Circular Economy: Experiential Dimensions among Consumers of Reused and Recycled Clothes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, January.
    11. Douglas P. Hannah & Kathleen M. Eisenhardt, 2018. "How firms navigate cooperation and competition in nascent ecosystems," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(12), pages 3163-3192, December.
    12. Masucci, Monica & Brusoni, Stefano & Cennamo, Carmelo, 2020. "Removing bottlenecks in business ecosystems: The strategic role of outbound open innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(1).
    13. Alan Murray & Keith Skene & Kathryn Haynes, 2017. "The Circular Economy: An Interdisciplinary Exploration of the Concept and Application in a Global Context," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 140(3), pages 369-380, February.
    14. Parida, Vinit & Burström, Thommie & Visnjic, Ivanka & Wincent, Joakim, 2019. "Orchestrating industrial ecosystem in circular economy: A two-stage transformation model for large manufacturing companies," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 715-725.
    15. Graziela Darla Araujo Galvão & Steve Evans & Paulo Sergio Scoleze Ferrer & Marly Monteiro de Carvalho, 2022. "Circular business model: Breaking down barriers towards sustainable development," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 1504-1524, May.
    16. Gomes, Leonardo Augusto de Vasconcelos & Facin, Ana Lucia Figueiredo & Salerno, Mario Sergio & Ikenami, Rodrigo Kazuo, 2018. "Unpacking the innovation ecosystem construct: Evolution, gaps and trends," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 30-48.
    17. Kannan Govindan & Arash Khalili Nasr & Farzane Karimi & Hassan Mina, 2022. "Circular economy adoption barriers: An extended fuzzy best–worst method using fuzzy DEMATEL and Supermatrix structure," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 1566-1586, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Gilbert Silvius & Aydan Ismayilova & Vicente Sales-Vivó & Micol Costi, 2021. "Exploring Barriers for Circularity in the EU Furniture Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-25, October.
    2. Gomes, Leonardo Augusto de Vasconcelos & Flechas, Ximena Alejandra & Facin, Ana Lucia Figueiredo & Borini, Felipe Mendes, 2021. "Ecosystem management: Past achievements and future promises," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    3. Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar & Shauhrat S. Chopra, 2022. "Leveraging Blockchain and Smart Contract Technologies to Overcome Circular Economy Implementation Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-18, August.
    4. Gabi Försterling & Ronald Orth & Benjamin Gellert, 2023. "Transition to a Circular Economy in Europe through New Business Models: Barriers, Drivers, and Policy Making," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-40, May.
    5. Yanzhang Gu & Longying Hu & Hongjin Zhang & Chenxuan Hou, 2021. "Innovation Ecosystem Research: Emerging Trends and Future Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-21, October.
    6. Shi, Xianwei & Liang, Xingkun & Luo, Yining, 2023. "Unpacking the intellectual structure of ecosystem research in innovation studies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(6).
    7. Soni, Vivek & Gnekpe, Christian & Roux, Mélanie & Anand, Rashmi & Vann Yaroson, Emilia & Kumar Banwet, Devinder, 2023. "Adaptive distributed leadership and circular economy adoption by emerging SMEs," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    8. Gomes, Leonardo Augusto de Vasconcelos & Castillo-Ospina, Danika A. & Facin, Ana Lucia Figueiredo & Ferreira, Camila dos Santos & Ometto, Aldo Roberto, 2023. "Circular ecosystem innovation portfolio management," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    9. Nudurupati, Sai Sudhakar & Budhwar, Pawan & Pappu, Raja Phani & Chowdhury, Soumyadeb & Kondala, Mukesh & Chakraborty, Ayon & Ghosh, Sadhan Kumar, 2022. "Transforming sustainability of Indian small and medium-sized enterprises through circular economy adoption," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 250-269.
    10. Miehé, Lucas & Palmié, Maximilian & Oghazi, Pejvak, 2023. "Connection successfully established: How complementors use connectivity technologies to join existing ecosystems – Four archetype strategies from the mobility sector," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    11. Mura, Rita & Vicentini, Francesca & Botti, Ludovico Maria & Chiriacò, Maria Vincenza, 2023. "Economic and environmental outcomes of a sustainable and circular approach: Case study of an Italian wine-producing firm," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    12. Maximilian Julius Krome & Ulrich Pidun, 2023. "Conceptualization of research themes and directions in business ecosystem strategies: a systematic literature review," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 73(2), pages 873-920, June.
    13. Moritz Böhmecke‐Schwafert & Marie Wehinger & Robin Teigland, 2022. "Blockchain for the circular economy: Theorizing blockchain's role in the transition to a circular economy through an empirical investigation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(8), pages 3786-3801, December.
    14. Pereira, Vijay & Nandakumar, M.K. & Sahasranamam, Sreevas & Bamel, Umesh & Malik, Ashish & Temouri, Yama, 2022. "An exploratory study into emerging market SMEs’ involvement in the circular Economy: Evidence from India’s indigenous Ayurveda industry," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 188-199.
    15. Gomes, Leonardo Augusto de Vasconcelos & Faria, Aline Mariane de & Braz, Antonio Carlos & Mello, Adriana Marotti de & Borini, Felipe Mendes & Ometto, Aldo Roberto, 2023. "Circular ecosystem management: Orchestrating ecosystem value proposition and configuration," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    16. Gomes, Leonardo Augusto de Vasconcelos & Facin, Ana Lucia Figueiredo & Salerno, Mario Sergio, 2021. "Managing uncertainty propagation in innovation ecosystems," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    17. Ahmad, Farhan & Bask, Anu & Laari, Sini & Robinson, Craig V., 2023. "Business management perspectives on the circular economy: Present state and future directions," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    18. Malte Jütting, 2020. "Exploring Mission-Oriented Innovation Ecosystems for Sustainability: Towards a Literature-Based Typology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-28, August.
    19. Marcos Ferasso & Tatiana Beliaeva & Sascha Kraus & Thomas Clauss & Domingo Ribeiro‐Soriano, 2020. "Circular economy business models: The state of research and avenues ahead," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(8), pages 3006-3024, December.
    20. Concepción Garcés-Ayerbe & Pilar Rivera-Torres & Inés Suárez-Perales & Dante I. Leyva-de la Hiz, 2019. "Is It Possible to Change from a Linear to a Circular Economy? An Overview of Opportunities and Barriers for European Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Companies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-15, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:13:p:7875-:d:850567. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.