Circular Economy: Strategies, Business Models and Sustainability Implications (ERASMUS)

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The circular economy (CE) paradigm has become a popular concept that challenges a predominantly linear economic development model by designing out waste in the face of resource scarcity. The growing body of literature portrays CE activities as interrelated social, technical, environmental and geographical phenomena that have long-lasting sustainability implications.

This course introduces the student to the CE concept and provides an opportunity for hands-on learning on the topic. Drawing upon real-life examples and case studies, it uncovers socio-spatial networks and mechanisms shaping mainstream and alternative CE practices, explores key value chains (e.g., plastics, textiles, food, electronics) and interrogates scalability of social-circular business innovations to mitigate waste whilst maximizing the delivery of social benefits.

The circular economy (CE) paradigm has become a popular concept that emerged to challenge a predominantly linear economic development model by extracting and retaining the highest possible value from existing resources through their recirculation through practices such as re-use, recovery, repair, recycling, design for the environment amongst others. The growing body of literature portrays those activities as interrelated social, technical, environmental and geographical phenomena that have long-lasting sustainability implications.

This course introduces the student to the multi-dimensional circular economy concept and provides an opportunity for hands-on learning on associated topics. Drawing upon real-life examples and case studies, it uncovers socio-spatial networks and mechanisms shaping mainstream and alternative circular economy spaces of production, exchange and consumption. Doing so, it explores systemic evolution of key value chains (e.g., plastics, textiles, food, electronics), interrogates CE business models and explores various scaling pathways social-circular business innovations to mitigate waste whilst maximizing the delivery of social and economic value outcomes and impacts, yet in the light of potential costs/risks.

In exploring how the ecological, extraeconomic and economic premises of CE thinking can be harnessed through public, private and social sector organizations, it discusses circular economy development trajectories in the local, regional and national development contexts. Finally, it examines economic and institutional structures, governance policies, frameworks, as well as available tools and techniques designed to (1) evaluate circularity and (2) enable transition to the CE in urban areas and organizations. Students will have an opportunity to apply some of those tools and techniques such as design thinking and circular business model canvas in practice.

Compulsory readings:

• Anne Rainville (2021). Stimulating a more Circular Economy through Public Procurement: Roles and dynamics of intermediation. Research Policy, 50(4): 104193.

• Martin Geissdoerfer, Sandra Naomi Morioka, Marly Monteiro de Carvalho, Steve Evans (2022) Business models and supply chains for the circular economy. Journal of Cleaner Production, 190: 712-721.

• Maryam Hina, Chetna Chauhan, Puneet Kaur, Sascha Kraus, Amandeep Dhir (2022). Drivers and barriers of circular economy business models: Where we are now, and where we are heading. Journal of Cleaner Production, 333: 130049.

• Julian Kirchherr, Nan-Hua Nadja Yang, Frederik Schulze-Spüntrup, Maarten J. Heerink, Kris Hartley (2023). Conceptualizing the Circular Economy (Revisited): An Analysis of 221 Definitions, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 98: 107001.

• Stahel, W. R. (2019). The circular economy. A user’s guide. Routledge, New York.

• Weetman, C. (2020). Circular Economy Handbook: How to Build a More Resilient, Competitive and Sustainable Business. Kogan Page, New York/New Delhi.

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Supplementary readings:

• Calisto Friant, M., Vermeulen, W. J., & Salomone, R. (2020). A typology of circular economy discourses: Navigating the diverse visions of a contested paradigm. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 161, Article 104917. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.104917

• Campbell-Johnston, K., Calisto Friant, M., Thapa, K., Lakerveld, D., & Vermeulen, W. J. (2020). How circular is your tyre: Experiences with extended producer responsibility from a circular economy perspective. Journal of cleaner production, 270, Article 122042. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122042

• Delgadillo, E., Reyes, T., & Baumgartner, R. J. (2021). Towards territorial product-service systems: A framework linking resources, networks and value creation. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 28, 1297-1313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2021.08.003

• Droege, H., Raggi, A., & Ramos, T. B. (2021). Co‐development of a framework for circular economy assessment in organisations: Learnings from the public sector. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 28(6), 1715-1729. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.2140

• Fratini, C.F., Georg, S., Jørgensen, M.S. (2019) Exploring circular economy imaginaries in European cities: A research agenda for the governance of urban sustainability transitions. Journal of Cleaner Production, 288:974-989.

• Friant, M.C., Vermeulen, W.J.V., Salomone, R. (2021) Analysing European Union circular economy policies: words versus actions. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 27:337-353.

• Klein, N., Ramos, T. B., & Deutz, P. (2020). Circular economy practices and strategies in public sector organizations: An integrative review. Sustainability, 12(10), Article 4181. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12104181

• Korhonen, J., Nuur, C., Feldmann, A. & Birkie, S. E. (2018). Circular economy as an essentially contested concept. Journal of Cleaner Production, 175(February), 544–552.

• Lacy, P., Long, J. & Spindler, W. (2020). The Circular Economy Handbook. Realizing the Circular Advantage. Palgrave Macmillan, London.

• Lekan, M., Jonas, A.E.G. & Deutz, P. (2021). Circularity as Alterity? Untangling Circuits of Value in the Social Enterprise–Led Local Development of the Circular Economy. Economic Geography 97(30): 257-283. DOI 10.1080/00130095.2021.1931109

• Lekan, M. & Rogers, H. A. (2020). Digitally-enabled diverse economies: exploring socially inclusive access to the circular economy in the city. Urban Geography – Debates and Interventions 41(6): 898-901. DOI 10.1080/02723638.2020.1796097

• Newsholme, A., Deutz, P., Affolderbach, J., & Baumgartner, R. J. (2022). Negotiating Stakeholder Relationships in a Regional Circular Economy: Discourse Analysis of Multi-scalar Policies and Company Statements from the North of England. Circular Economy and Sustainability, 2(2), 783-809. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-021-00143-9

• Opferkuch, K., Caeiro, S., Salomone, R., & Ramos, T. B. (2021). Circular economy in corporate sustainability reporting: A review of organisational approaches. Business strategy and the environment : BSE, 30(8), 4015-4036. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2854

• Pusz, M., Jonas, A.E.G., Deutz, P. (2023). Knitting Circular Ties: Empowering Networks for the Social Enterprise-led Local Development of an Integrative Circular Economy. Circular Economy and Sustainability. DOI 10.1007/s43615-023-00271-4

• Roos Lindgreen, E., Opferkuch, K., Walker, A. M., Salomone, R., Reyes, T., Raggi, A., …Caeiro, S. (2022). Exploring assessment practices of companies actively engaged with circular economy. Business strategy and the environment: BSE, 31(4), 1414-1438. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2962

• Roos Lindgreen, E., Salomone, R., & Reyes, T. (2020). A Critical Review of Academic Approaches, Methods and Tools to Assess Circular Economy at the Micro Level. Sustainability, 12(12), Article 4973. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12124973

• Santa‐Maria, T., Vermeulen, W. J. V., & Baumgartner, R. J. (2022). The Circular Sprint: Circular business model innovation through design thinking: Journal of Cleaner Production 362:132323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.132323

• Santa‐Maria, T., Vermeulen, W. J. V., & Baumgartner, R. J. (2021). How do incumbent firms innovate their business models for the circular economy? Identifying micro‐foundations of dynamic capabilities. Business strategy and the environment: BSE, https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2956

• Thapa, K., Vermeulen, W. J. V., Deutz, P., & Olayide, O. (2022). Ultimate producer responsibility for e-waste management–A proposal for just transition in the circular economy based on the case of used European electronic equipment exported to Nigeria. Business Strategy and Development, https://doi.org/10.1002/bsd2.222

• Thapa, K., Vermeulen, W., Deutz, P., & Olayide, O. (2022). Transboundary movement of waste review: From binary towards a contextual framing. Waste management & research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy, https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X221105424

• Walker, A. M., Opferkuch, K., Roos Lindgreen, E., Simboli, A., Vermeulen, W. J., & Raggi, A. (2021). Assessing the social sustainability of circular economy practices: Industry perspectives from Italy and the Netherlands. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 27, 831-844. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2021.01.030

• Walker, A. M., Vermeulen, W. J., Simboli, A., & Raggi, A. (2021). Sustainability assessment in circular inter-firm networks: An integrated framework of industrial ecology and circular supply chain management approaches. Journal of cleaner production, 286, Article 125457. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125457

• Walker, A. M., Opferkuch, K., Roos Lindgreen, E., Raggi, A., Simboli, A., Vermeulen, W. J., …Salomone, R. (2021). What Is the Relation between Circular Economy and Sustainability? Answers from Frontrunner Companies Engaged with Circular Economy Practices. Circular Economy and Sustainability, https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-021-00064-7

• Watkins, E., Gionfra, S., Schweitzer, J-P., Panzer, M., Janssens, C., Brink, P. (2017) EPR in the EU Plastics Strategy and the Circular Economy:
A focus on plastic packaging. The Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP).

1. Ability to critically interrogate and assess the concept of the circular economy, associated rebound effects and theoretical models, socio-spatial circular economy networks and implications of circular economy practices for local, regional and national development strategies.

2. Ability to discuss opportunities and possible methods of implementation of the circular economy in urban areas, as well as in public, social and private sector organizations (including impact investments, relevant institutional and economic structures and governance policies).

3. Ability to assess benefits of circular economy business models and scalability of social-circular business innovations to mitigate waste whilst maximizing delivery social and economic value.

4. Ability to uncover and interrogate the relationship between circularity and sustainability across diverse value chains (e.g., plastics, textiles, food, wood).

5. Ability to apply the principles of the circular economy to real-life cases.

6. Development of skills such as creativity, systems thinking and teamwork.

50% - Team project

30% - Individual project

20% - Active participation in tutorials