IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/inecol/v25y2021i3p627-647.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Orchestrating cradle‐to‐cradle innovation across the value chain: Overcoming barriers through innovation communities, collaboration mechanisms, and intermediation

Author

Listed:
  • Erik G. Hansen
  • Julia C. Schmitt

Abstract

The circular economy (CE) aims at cycling products and materials in closed technical and biological loops. Cradle to cradle (C2C) operationalizes the CE with a product design concept rooted in the circulation of “healthy” materials because contamination of materials with substances of concern hampers cycling and may pose risks to people in contact with them. Extant research shows that barriers often hinder organizations from successfully pursuing cradle‐to‐cradle product innovation (CPI). Innovation community theory helps to explain how to overcome barriers and further the innovation process by taking a microlevel perspective on intra‐ and interorganizational collaboration of individual promotors (or champions). We elaborate innovation community theory with a longitudinal embedded case study of a C2C frontrunner company with the goal to get a precise understanding of how promotors collaborate in the CPI process. Our contribution is threefold: We identify eight collaboration mechanisms used between promotors to sequentially overcome a hub firm's individual, organizational, value chain, and institutional level barriers to circularity. Second, we differentiate these mechanisms according to their cooperative and coordinative facets and put emphasis on the coordinative functions of those mechanisms linked to the C2C standard. Third, we highlight the importance of promotors at the linking level who facilitate the CPI process as intermediaries.

Suggested Citation

  • Erik G. Hansen & Julia C. Schmitt, 2021. "Orchestrating cradle‐to‐cradle innovation across the value chain: Overcoming barriers through innovation communities, collaboration mechanisms, and intermediation," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(3), pages 627-647, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:inecol:v:25:y:2021:i:3:p:627-647
    DOI: 10.1111/jiec.13081
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.13081
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/jiec.13081?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Teppo Felin & Nicolai J. Foss & Koen H. Heimeriks & Tammy L. Madsen, 2012. "Microfoundations of Routines and Capabilities: Individuals, Processes, and Structure," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(8), pages 1351-1374, December.
    2. Howells, Jeremy, 2006. "Intermediation and the role of intermediaries in innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(5), pages 715-728, June.
    3. Mark Rossi & Scott Charon & Gabe Wing & James Ewell, 2006. "Design for the Next Generation: Incorporating Cradle‐to‐Cradle Design into Herman Miller Products," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 10(4), pages 193-210, October.
    4. Marine Agogué & Anna Yström & Pascal Le Masson, 2013. "Rethinking The Role Of Intermediaries As An Architect Of Collective Exploration And Creation Of Knowledge In Open Innovation," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 17(02), pages 1-24.
    5. Raymond L. Paquin & Jennifer Howard‐Grenville, 2012. "The Evolution of Facilitated Industrial Symbiosis," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 16(1), pages 83-93, February.
    6. Anne-Ryslène Zaoual & Xavier Lecocq, 2018. "Orchestrating Circularity within Industrial Ecosystems: Lessons from Iconic Cases in Three Different Countries," Post-Print hal-01745371, HAL.
    7. Frank Boons & Marian Chertow & Jooyoung Park & Wouter Spekkink & Han Shi, 2017. "Industrial Symbiosis Dynamics and the Problem of Equivalence: Proposal for a Comparative Framework," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(4), pages 938-952, August.
    8. Paul R. Carlile, 2002. "A Pragmatic View of Knowledge and Boundaries: Boundary Objects in New Product Development," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 13(4), pages 442-455, August.
    9. Nancy M. P. Bocken & Elsa A. Olivetti & Jonathan M. Cullen & José Potting & Reid Lifset, 2017. "Taking the Circularity to the Next Level: A Special Issue on the Circular Economy," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(3), pages 476-482, June.
    10. Erik G. Hansen & Ferdinand Revellio, 2020. "Circular value creation architectures: Make, ally, buy, or laissez‐faire," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 24(6), pages 1250-1273, December.
    11. 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.
    12. Erik G. Hansen & Friedrich Grosse-Dunker & Ralf Reichwald, 2009. "Sustainability Innovation Cube — A Framework To Evaluate Sustainability-Oriented Innovations," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 13(04), pages 683-713.
    13. Kirchherr, Julian & Piscicelli, Laura & Bour, Ruben & Kostense-Smit, Erica & Muller, Jennifer & Huibrechtse-Truijens, Anne & Hekkert, Marko, 2018. "Barriers to the Circular Economy: Evidence From the European Union (EU)," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 264-272.
    14. Marine Agogué & Anna Yström & Pascal Le Masson, 2013. "Rethinking the role of intermediaries as an architect of collective exploration and creation of knowledge in open innovation," Post-Print hal-00707376, HAL.
    15. Anne P.M. Velenturf & Paul D. Jensen, 2016. "Promoting Industrial Symbiosis: Using the Concept of Proximity to Explore Social Network Development," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 20(4), pages 700-709, August.
    16. Terri Goldberg, 2017. "What about the Circularity of Hazardous Materials?," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(3), pages 491-493, June.
    17. Piero Morseletto, 2020. "Restorative and regenerative: Exploring the concepts in the circular economy," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 24(4), pages 763-773, August.
    18. Liudmila Kokoulina & Liubov Ermolaeva & Samuli Patala & Paavo Ritala, 2019. "Championing processes and the emergence of industrial symbiosis," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(4), pages 528-539, April.
    19. Dorli Harms & Erik G. Hansen & Stefan Schaltegger, 2013. "Strategies in Sustainable Supply Chain Management: An Empirical Investigation of Large German Companies," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 20(4), pages 205-218, July.
    20. Sarah Clarke & Nigel Roome, 1999. "Sustainable business: learning – action networks as organizational assets," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 8(5), pages 296-310, September.
    21. Michael Gibbert & Winfried Ruigrok & Barbara Wicki, 2008. "What passes as a rigorous case study?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(13), pages 1465-1474, December.
    22. Weston Baxter & Marco Aurisicchio & Peter Childs, 2017. "Contaminated Interaction: Another Barrier to Circular Material Flows," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(3), pages 507-516, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Liane Pinho Santos & João F. Proença, 2022. "Developing Return Supply Chain: A Research on the Automotive Supply Chain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-24, May.
    2. Valeria Superti & Tim V. Forman & Cynthia Houmani, 2021. "Recycling Thermal Insulation Materials: A Case Study on More Circular Management of Expanded Polystyrene and Stonewool in Switzerland and Research Agenda," Resources, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-25, October.
    3. Christof Falkenberg & Carina Schneeberger & Siegfried Pöchtrager, 2023. "Is Sustainability Reporting Promoting a Circular Economy? Analysis of Companies’ Sustainability Reports in the Agri-Food Sector in the Scope of Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and EU Taxo," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-21, May.
    4. Stuart Danvers & Jonathan Robertson & Ambika Zutshi, 2023. "Conceptualizing How Collaboration Advances Circularity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-23, March.
    5. Jun Wen & Lingxiao Li & Xinxin Zhao & Chenyang Jiao & Wenjie Li, 2022. "How Government Size Expansion Can Affect Green Innovation—An Empirical Analysis of Data on Cross-Country Green Patent Filings," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-22, June.
    6. Luca Fraccascia & Ilaria Giannoccaro & Abhishek Agarwal & Erik G. Hansen, 2021. "Business models for the circular economy: Empirical advances and future directions," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(6), pages 2741-2744, September.
    7. Xiaochen Zhang & Xinyu Liu & Yang Zhang & Xing Xu & Jiaxin Xiao & Ding-Bang Luh, 2023. "Assessing the Feasibility of Practical Cradle to Cradle in Sustainable Conceptual Product Design," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-32, April.

    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. Wisdom Kanda & Martin Geissdoerfer & Olof Hjelm, 2021. "From circular business models to circular business ecosystems," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(6), pages 2814-2829, September.
    2. Kerr, Clive & Phaal, Robert, 2018. "Directing the technology intelligence activity: An ‘information needs’ template for initiating the search," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 265-276.
    3. Hervé Corvellec & Alison F. Stowell & Nils Johansson, 2022. "Critiques of the circular economy," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(2), pages 421-432, April.
    4. Erik G. Hansen & Ferdinand Revellio, 2020. "Circular value creation architectures: Make, ally, buy, or laissez‐faire," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 24(6), pages 1250-1273, December.
    5. Lauri Alkki & Jarmo Uusikartano & Eeva L. Pohls & Sami Rusthollkarhu & Leena Aarikka‐Stenroos, 2024. "Unfolding the human–material interaction of material flows in societies: DNA as a conceptual metaphor," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 28(2), pages 339-354, April.
    6. German Arana‐Landin & Waleska Sigüenza & Beñat Landeta‐Manzano & Iker Laskurain‐Iturbe, 2024. "Circular economy: On the road to ISO 59000 family of standards," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(3), pages 1977-2009, May.
    7. Chamaret, Cécile & Steyer, Véronique & Mayer, Julie C., 2020. "“Hands off my meter!” when municipalities resist smart meters: Linking arguments and degrees of resistance," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    8. Jeff Mangers & Meysam Minoufekr & Peter Plapper & Sri Kolla, 2021. "An Innovative Strategy Allowing a Holistic System Change towards Circular Economy within Supply-Chains," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-17, July.
    9. Kreiling, Laura & Serval, Sarah & Peres, Raphaële & Bounfour, Ahmed, 2020. "University technology transfer organizations: Roles adopted in response to their regional innovation system stakeholders," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 218-229.
    10. 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.
    11. Damien Dietsch & Rim Khemiri, 2018. "Impact Of The Use Of Knowledge Obtained Through Informal Exchanges On The Performance Of Innovation Projects: For The Enrichment Of Inbound Open Innovation Practices," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 22(06), pages 1-35, August.
    12. Signe Pedersen & Christian Clausen & Michael Søgaard Jørgensen, 2023. "Navigating value networks to co‐create sustainable business models: An actionable staging approach," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 240-258, January.
    13. Kathleen Diener & Dirk Luettgens & Frank Thomas Piller, 2019. "Intermediation For Open Innovation: Comparing Direct Versus Delegated Search Strategies Of Innovation Intermediaries," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 24(04), pages 1-20, June.
    14. Jennifer Goodman & Angelina Korsunova & Minna Halme, 2017. "Our Collaborative Future: Activities and Roles of Stakeholders in Sustainability‐Oriented Innovation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(6), pages 731-753, September.
    15. Anna Yström & Hedvig Aspenberg, 2017. "Open For Innovation? Practices Supporting Collaboration In Swedish Regional Clusters," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 21(05), pages 1-28, June.
    16. E. Sardianou & V. Nikou & K. Evangelinos & I. Nikolaou, 2024. "What are the key dimensions that CE emphasizes on? A systematic analysis of circular economy definitions," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 547-562, September.
    17. Ileana Palaco & Suk Kyoung Kim & Min Jae Park & Jae Jeung Rho, 2022. "Exploring capabilities of international technology transfer intermediaries between emerging and developed countries," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(1), pages 307-352, February.
    18. Emilia Faria & Armando Caldeira-Pires & Cristiane Barreto, 2021. "Social, Economic, and Institutional Configurations of the Industrial Symbiosis Process: A Comparative Analysis of the Literature and a Proposed Theoretical and Analytical Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-25, June.
    19. Monique Combes-Joret & Sophie Bollinger, 2023. "Le rôle majeur des Établissements et Services d’Aide par le Travail (ESAT) dans les écosystèmes d’innovation sociale pour l’inclusion des personnes en situation de handicap. Le cas de l’ESAT l’ENVOL," Post-Print hal-04142261, HAL.
    20. Antonella Zucchella & Pietro Previtali, 2019. "Circular business models for sustainable development: A “waste is food” restorative ecosystem," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(2), pages 274-285, February.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:bla:inecol:v:25:y:2021:i:3:p:627-647. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=1088-1980 .

    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.