Using Project-Based Collective Action Theory to Identify Key Success Factors and Key Difficulties for Circular Economy Projects: A Case Study of Pays de la Loire Region, France

This research uses a multi-dimensional analysis framework to analyze, characterize, and examine three French-based, circular economy projects from the perspective of management and collective action, namely: a return and deposit scheme for glass bottles, an extension of the life span of out-of-use recreational boats, and a bio-waste management and networking initiative. Our framework is the theory of project-based collective action. It is designed to provide insights on many aspects that have usually not been explicitly studied in organizational management. For example, the regulation process is understudied although it contributes to managing interaction situations which can help or threaten the sustainability of a project. Therefore, this framework is helpful in identifying how the different dimensions of a project become real and how they "happen". Unlike many research projects on the circular economy, which focus on technical and environmental dimensions, we intend to focus on management science and collective action. We aim to present three case studies to identify the key success factors and the key difficulties of circular economy projects.