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A Tool to Analyze, Ideate and Develop Circular Innovation Ecosystems

Author

Listed:
  • Jan Konietzko

    (Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 2628 CE Delft, The Netherlands)

  • Nancy Bocken

    (Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 2628 CE Delft, The Netherlands
    The International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics, Lund University, Tegnérplatsen 4, 22100 Lund, Sweden)

  • Erik Jan Hultink

    (Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 2628 CE Delft, The Netherlands)

Abstract

The circular economy may help firms to maximize the value of their material resources and minimize the overall resource use, waste, pollution and emissions of their business activities. Implementing a circular economy program requires radical changes in product, business model and ecosystem innovation. Most research on circular oriented innovation takes a product or business model perspective. Few publications have explored how to innovate in ecosystems: how a group of loosely coupled organizations can change how they interact with each other to achieve a collective outcome. This study proposes the Circularity Deck: a card deck-based tool that can help firms to analyze, ideate and develop the circularity potential of their innovation ecosystems. The tool is based on a literature review of circular oriented innovation principles, and of practical examples that show how these principles have been applied. The principles are organized according to the intended circular strategy outcome that they pursue (i.e., narrow, slow, close, regenerate and inform material and energy flows), and the extent of the innovation perspective that is needed to operationalize a principle (i.e., product, business model, or ecosystem innovation). This review and categorization process first produced a novel analysis of the circular economy innovation landscape, using an ecosystem perspective. Second, these results served to develop the Circularity Deck, which was further developed and tested for ease of use and perceived usefulness in 12 workshops with 136 participants from 62 different organizations. The Circularity Deck provides an approach for future research and practice to integrate new principles and examples that can help firms to analyze, ideate and develop circular innovation ecosystems.

Suggested Citation

  • Jan Konietzko & Nancy Bocken & Erik Jan Hultink, 2020. "A Tool to Analyze, Ideate and Develop Circular Innovation Ecosystems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-39, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:1:p:417-:d:305477
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Johan Brändström & Amer Jazairy & Erik Roos Lindgreen, 2024. "Barriers to adopting circular business models: A cross‐sectoral analysis," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5), pages 4331-4350, July.
    6. Marta Royo & Vicente Chulvi & Elena Mulet & Laura Ruiz‐Pastor, 2023. "Analysis of parameters about useful life extension in 70 tools and methods related to eco‐design and circular economy," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(2), pages 562-586, April.
    7. Raheel Yasin & Aydan Huseynova & Muhammad Atif, 2023. "Green human resource management, a gateway to employer branding: Mediating role of corporate environmental sustainability and corporate social sustainability," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(1), pages 369-383, January.
    8. Nan-Hua Nadja Yang & Ana Carolina Bertassini & Jéssica Alves Justo Mendes & Mateus Cecílio Gerolamo, 2021. "The ‘3CE2CE’ Framework—Change Management Towards a Circular Economy: Opportunities for Agribusiness," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 1(2), pages 697-718, September.
    9. 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.
    10. Ana de Jesus & Minna Lammi & Teresa Domenech & Fedra Vanhuyse & Sandro Mendonça, 2021. "Eco-Innovation Diversity in a Circular Economy: Towards Circular Innovation Studies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-22, October.
    11. M. G. E. Velter & V. Bitzer & N. M. P. Bocken, 2022. "A Boundary Tool for Multi-stakeholder Sustainable Business Model Innovation," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 2(2), pages 401-431, June.
    12. Zhejun Min & Sukanlaya Sawang & Robbert A. Kivits, 2021. "Proposing Circular Economy Ecosystem for Chinese SMEs: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-13, March.
    13. Gianmarco Bressanelli & Nicola Saccani & Marco Perona & Irene Baccanelli, 2020. "Towards Circular Economy in the Household Appliance Industry: An Overview of Cases," Resources, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-23, November.
    14. Simone Wurster, 2021. "Creating a Circular Economy in the Automotive Industry: The Contribution of Combining Crowdsourcing and Delphi Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-26, June.
    15. Julia Romano Sanches & Adriana Hofmann Trevisan & Bruno Michel Roman Pais Seles & Camila Gonçalves Castro & Roberta Souza Piao & Henrique Rozenfeld & Janaina Mascarenhas, 2022. "Sustainable Circular Economy Strategies: An Analysis of Brazilian Corporate Sustainability Reporting," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-26, May.
    16. Monika Stelmaszczyk & Agata Pierscieniak & Denisa Abrudan, 2023. "Managerial decisions and new product development in the circular economy model enterprise: absorptive capacity and a mediating role of strategic orientation," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 50(1), pages 35-49, March.
    17. Abderahman Rejeb & Karim Rejeb & Suhaiza Zailani & Yasanur Kayikci & John G. Keogh, 2023. "Examining Knowledge Diffusion in the Circular Economy Domain: a Main Path Analysis," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 125-166, March.
    18. Bocken, Nancy & Konietzko, Jan, 2022. "Circular business model innovation in consumer-facing corporations," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
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