IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jscscx/v8y2019i8p241-d257663.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Identifying the Equilibrium Point between Sustainability Goals and Circular Economy Practices in an Industry 4.0 Manufacturing Context Using Eco-Design

Author

Listed:
  • Fernando E. Garcia-Muiña

    (Department of Business Administration (ADO), Applied Economics II and Fundaments of Economic Analysis, Rey-Juan-Carlos University, 28032 Madrid, Spain)

  • Rocío González-Sánchez

    (Department of Business Administration (ADO), Applied Economics II and Fundaments of Economic Analysis, Rey-Juan-Carlos University, 28032 Madrid, Spain)

  • Anna Maria Ferrari

    (Department of Sciences and Methods for Engineering, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 42122 Modena, Italy)

  • Lucrezia Volpi

    (Department of Sciences and Methods for Engineering, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 42122 Modena, Italy)

  • Martina Pini

    (Department of Sciences and Methods for Engineering, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 42122 Modena, Italy)

  • Cristina Siligardi

    (Department of Engineering “Enzo Ferrari”, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy)

  • Davide Settembre-Blundo

    (Department of Business Administration (ADO), Applied Economics II and Fundaments of Economic Analysis, Rey-Juan-Carlos University, 28032 Madrid, Spain
    Project Management Office, Gruppo Ceramiche Gresmalt, 41049 Sassuolo, Italy)

Abstract

For manufacturing companies, the transition to circular business models (CBMs) can be hampered both by the lack of relevant data and by operational tools. Eco-design, associated with Industry 4.0 IoT (Internet of Things) technologies, can be an effective methodological approach in developing products that are consistent with the principles of the circular economy. The reason is that, in the design phase, decisions are made that can significantly influence the degree of sustainability of products during their lifecycle. Therefore, in the manufacturing environment, eco-design represents an innovative approach to include sustainability among the traditional industrial variables such as functionality, aesthetics, quality, and profit. This study aimed to test eco-design as a tool to define the equilibrium point between sustainability and circular economy in the manufacturing environment of ceramic tile production, and to demonstrate how new business opportunities can be created through evolution from a linear to a circular business model, thanks to IoT and Industry 4.0 technologies used as enabling factors. The main result of this paper was the empirical validation in a manufacturing environment of sustainability paradigms through eco-design tools and digital technologies, proposing the circular business model as an operational tool to promote the competitiveness of enterprises.

Suggested Citation

  • Fernando E. Garcia-Muiña & Rocío González-Sánchez & Anna Maria Ferrari & Lucrezia Volpi & Martina Pini & Cristina Siligardi & Davide Settembre-Blundo, 2019. "Identifying the Equilibrium Point between Sustainability Goals and Circular Economy Practices in an Industry 4.0 Manufacturing Context Using Eco-Design," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(8), pages 1-22, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:8:y:2019:i:8:p:241-:d:257663
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/8/8/241/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/8/8/241/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fernando E. Garcia-Muiña & Rocío González-Sánchez & Anna Maria Ferrari & Davide Settembre-Blundo, 2018. "The Paradigms of Industry 4.0 and Circular Economy as Enabling Drivers for the Competitiveness of Businesses and Territories: The Case of an Italian Ceramic Tiles Manufacturing Company," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(12), pages 1-31, December.
    2. Cucchiella, Federica & D’Adamo, Idiano & Gastaldi, Massimo & Koh, SC Lenny & Rosa, Paolo, 2017. "A comparison of environmental and energetic performance of European countries: A sustainability index," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 401-413.
    3. Giulia Caruso & Stefano Antonio Gattone, 2019. "Waste Management Analysis in Developing Countries through Unsupervised Classification of Mixed Data," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-15, June.
    4. Mihaela Ghenta & Aniela Matei, 2018. "SMEs and the Circular Economy: From Policy to Difficulties Encountered During Implementation," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 20(48), pages 294-294.
    5. Awanis Romli & Paul Prickett & Rossitza Setchi & Shwe Soe, 2015. "Integrated eco-design decision-making for sustainable product development," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(2), pages 549-571, January.
    6. Nasir, Mohammed Haneef Abdul & Genovese, Andrea & Acquaye, Adolf A. & Koh, S.C.L. & Yamoah, Fred, 2017. "Comparing linear and circular supply chains: A case study from the construction industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 183(PB), pages 443-457.
    7. Anna, Petrenko, 2016. "Мaркування готової продукції як складова частина інформаційного забезпечення маркетингової діяльності підприємств овочепродуктового підкомплексу," Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, vol. 2(1), March.
    8. Korhonen, Jouni & Honkasalo, Antero & Seppälä, Jyri, 2018. "Circular Economy: The Concept and its Limitations," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 37-46.
    9. Ana Barbosa & Sara Vallecillo & Claudia Baranzelli & Chris Jacobs-Crisioni & Filipe Batista e Silva & Carolina Perpiña-Castillo & Carlo Lavalle & Joachim Maes, 2017. "Modelling built-up land take in Europe to 2020: an assessment of the Resource Efficiency Roadmap measure on land," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 60(8), pages 1439-1463, August.
    10. Okechukwu Okorie & Konstantinos Salonitis & Fiona Charnley & Mariale Moreno & Christopher Turner & Ashutosh Tiwari, 2018. "Digitisation and the Circular Economy: A Review of Current Research and Future Trends," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-31, November.
    11. Patrick Schroeder & Kartika Anggraeni & Uwe Weber, 2019. "The Relevance of Circular Economy Practices to the Sustainable Development Goals," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 23(1), pages 77-95, February.
    12. 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.
    13. Sugiawan, Yogi & Kurniawan, Robi & Managi, Shunsuke, 2019. "Are carbon dioxide emission reductions compatible with sustainable well-being?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C), pages 1-11.
    14. Mihail Busu, 2019. "Adopting Circular Economy at the European Union Level and Its Impact on Economic Growth," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-12, May.
    15. Pierre Desrochers & Joanna Szurmak, 2017. "Long Distance Trade, Locational Dynamics and By-Product Development: Insights from the History of the American Cottonseed Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-29, April.
    16. Matteo Lucchese & Leopoldo Nascia & Mario Pianta, 2016. "Industrial policy and technology in Italy," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 43(3), pages 233-260, September.
    17. repec:aud:audfin:v:20:y:2018:i:48:p:294 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Zhiquan Yeo & Donato Masi & Jonathan Sze Choong Low & Yen Ting Ng & Puay Siew Tan & Stuart Barnes, 2019. "Tools for promoting industrial symbiosis: A systematic review," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 23(5), pages 1087-1108, October.
    19. Domenech, Teresa & Bahn-Walkowiak, Bettina, 2019. "Transition Towards a Resource Efficient Circular Economy in Europe: Policy Lessons From the EU and the Member States," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 7-19.
    20. María Jesús Muñoz-Torres & María Ángeles Fernández-Izquierdo & Juana M. Rivera-Lirio & Idoya Ferrero-Ferrero & Elena Escrig-Olmedo & José Vicente Gisbert-Navarro & María Chiara Marullo, 2018. "An Assessment Tool to Integrate Sustainability Principles into the Global Supply Chain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-20, February.
    21. Andrea Urbinati & Davide Chiaroni & Giovanni Toletti, 2019. "Managing the Introduction of Circular Products: Evidence from the Beverage Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-12, July.
    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. Bruno Michel Roman Pais Seles & Janaina Mascarenhas & Ana Beatriz Lopes de Sousa Jabbour & Adriana Hoffman Trevisan, 2022. "Smoothing the circular economy transition: The role of resources and capabilities enablers," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 1814-1837, May.
    2. Qinglan Liu & Adriana Hofmann Trevisan & Miying Yang & Janaina Mascarenhas, 2022. "A framework of digital technologies for the circular economy: Digital functions and mechanisms," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 2171-2192, July.
    3. Doussoulin, Jean Pierre & Bittencourt, Mariana, 2022. "How effective is the construction sector in promoting the circular economy in Brazil and France? : A waste input-output analysis," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 47-58.
    4. Ewa Mazur-Wierzbicka, 2021. "Towards Circular Economy—A Comparative Analysis of the Countries of the European Union," Resources, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-25, May.
    5. Bhavesh Kumar & Love Kumar & Avinash Kumar & Ramna Kumari & Uroosa Tagar & Claudio Sassanelli, 2024. "Green finance in circular economy: a literature review," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(7), pages 16419-16459, July.
    6. Sina Leipold & Anna Petit‐Boix & Anran Luo & Hanna Helander & Machteld Simoens & Weslynne S. Ashton & Callie W. Babbitt & Alba Bala & Catharina R. Bening & Morten Birkved & Fenna Blomsma & Casper Boks, 2023. "Lessons, narratives, and research directions for a sustainable circular economy," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(1), pages 6-18, February.
    7. Dwivedi, Ashish & Moktadir, Md. Abdul & Chiappetta Jabbour, Charbel José & de Carvalho, Daniel Estima, 2022. "Integrating the circular economy and industry 4.0 for sustainable development: Implications for responsible footwear production in a big data-driven world," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    8. Sehrish Atif & Shehzad Ahmed & Muhammad Wasim & Bassam Zeb & Zeeshan Pervez & Lorraine Quinn, 2021. "Towards a Conceptual Development of Industry 4.0, Servitisation, and Circular Economy: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-27, June.
    9. 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).
    10. Laura Montag, 2023. "Circular Economy and Supply Chains: Definitions, Conceptualizations, and Research Agenda of the Circular Supply Chain Framework," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 35-75, March.
    11. Augusto Bianchini & Jessica Rossi & Marco Pellegrini, 2019. "Overcoming the Main Barriers of Circular Economy Implementation through a New Visualization Tool for Circular Business Models," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-33, November.
    12. Zvonimira Sverko Grdic & Marinela Krstinic Nizic & Elena Rudan, 2020. "Circular Economy Concept in the Context of Economic Development in EU Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-13, April.
    13. José Miguel Rodríguez-Antón & Luis Rubio-Andrada & María Soledad Celemín-Pedroche & Soraya María Ruíz-Peñalver, 2022. "From the circular economy to the sustainable development goals in the European Union: an empirical comparison," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 67-95, March.
    14. Pina Puntillo, 2023. "Circular economy business models: Towards achieving sustainable development goals in the waste management sector—Empirical evidence and theoretical implications," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(2), pages 941-954, March.
    15. 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.
    16. D. D’Amato, 2021. "Sustainability Narratives as Transformative Solution Pathways: Zooming in on the Circular Economy," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 231-242, June.
    17. Fabio A. Madau & Brunella Arru & Roberto Furesi & Pietro Pulina, 2020. "Insect Farming for Feed and Food Production from a Circular Business Model Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-15, July.
    18. J. Brusselaers & J. Gillabel, 2024. "How Circular Is the European Policy Landscape?," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 4(2), pages 1559-1585, June.
    19. Joanicjusz Nazarko & Ewa Chodakowska & Łukasz Nazarko, 2022. "Evaluating the Transition of the European Union Member States towards a Circular Economy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-24, May.
    20. Alejandro Aristi Capetillo & Fredric Bauer & Cristina Chaminade, 2023. "Emerging Technologies Supporting the Transition to a Circular Economy in the Plastic Materials Value Chain," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 3(2), pages 953-982, June.

    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:jscscx:v:8:y:2019:i:8:p:241-:d:257663. 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.