Nano and micro level circular economy indicators: Assisting decision-makers in circularity assessments

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 455-468
Author(s):  
Carla Tognato de Oliveira ◽  
Thales Eduardo Tavares Dantas ◽  
Sebastião Roberto Soares
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Micro Level

scholarly journals Circular economy in companies: an analysis of selected indicators from a managerial perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 523-535
Author(s):  
Agnieszka Janik ◽  
Adam Ryszko
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Comprehensive Evaluation ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Practical Application ◽  
Circular Model ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
Operational Issues ◽  
Managerial Perspective

Abstract The circular economy (CE) concept is now gaining increasing attention and it is being widely explored as a promising path to sustainable development. CE implementation requires extensive activities needed for the transition from the linear to the circular model and suitable tools to support decision-makers in setting adequate goals and monitoring the effects of undertaken actions. Considering the need for research on effective CE performance evaluation, this article presents a comprehensive analysis and comparison of CE indicators available at the micro level. Based on a systematic literature review, 19 such CE indicators were identified. The indicators were assessed and compared using the Delphi methodology. The suitability of each metric for a comprehensive evaluation of CE performance was analyzed taking account of the criteria related to analytical opportunities and potential application of CE indicators, together with the criteria related to organizational and operational issues of practical application of CE indicators. The usefulness of CE indicators for practical implementation in companies was determined from a managerial perspective, with particular emphasis on supporting the decision-making process. The comparison of CE indicators presented in this article is intended to facilitate the choice of a specific metric depending on the company’s needs and on the possibilities of its application.

scholarly journals Regional Coordination and Security of Water–Energy–Food Symbiosis in Northeastern China

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1326
Author(s):  
Hongfang Li ◽  
Huixiao Wang ◽  
Yaxue Yang ◽  
Ruxin Zhao
Keyword(s):  
External Environment ◽  
Northeastern China ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Human Survival ◽  
A Value ◽  
Natural Factors ◽  
Regional Coordination ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Coordination Degree

The interactions of water, energy, and food, which are essential resources for human survival, livelihoods, production, and development, constitute a water–energy–food (WEF) nexus. Applying symbiosis theory, the economic, social, and natural factors were considered at the same time in the WEF system, and we conducted a micro-level investigation focusing on the stability, coordination, and sustainability of the symbiotic units (water, energy, and food), and external environment of the WEF system in 36 prefecture-level cities across three northeastern provinces of China. Finally, we analyzed the synergistic safety and coupling coordination degree of the WEF system by the combination of stability, coordination, and sustainability, attending to the coordination relationship and influences of the external environment. The results indicated that the synergistic safety of the WEF system in three northeastern provinces need to equally pay attention to the stability, coordination, and sustainability of the WEF system, since their weights were 0.32, 0.36 and 0.32, respectively. During 2010–2016, the synergistic safety indexes of the WEF system ranged between 0.40 and 0.60, which was a state of boundary safety. In the current study, the coupling coordination degree of the WEF system fluctuated around a value of 0.6, maintaining a primary coordination level; while in the future of 2021–2026, it will decline to 0.57–0.60, dropping to a weak coordinated level. The conclusion could provide effective information for decision-makers to take suitable measures for the security development of a WEF system.

scholarly journals PRODUCT CIRCULARITY INDICATORS: WHAT CONTRIBUTIONS IN DESIGNING FOR A CIRCULAR ECONOMY?

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 2129-2138
Author(s):  
M. Saidani ◽  
H. Kim ◽  
F. Cluzel ◽  
Y. Leroy ◽  
B. Yannou
Keyword(s):  
Product Design ◽  
Engineering Design ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Development Process ◽  
Industrial Product ◽  
Design Tools ◽  
Design And Development ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
Do So

AbstractThis paper investigates and questions the relevance of product-centric circularity indicators in a product design context. To do so, reviews of eco-design tools and critical analyses of circularity indicators at the micro level of circular economy implementation are combined with a new workshop experimenting four of these indicators with the aim to improve the circularity performance of an industrial product. On this basis, the four tool-based circularity indicators tested are mapped on the engineering design and development process, and are positioned among the pool of main eco-design tools.

scholarly journals Towards a Circular Economy: Using Stakeholder Subjectivity to Identify Priorities, Consensus, and Conflict in the Irish EPS/XPS Market

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (23) ◽  
pp. 6834
Author(s):  
Jeffrey E Black ◽  
Kathrin Kopke ◽  
Cathal O’Mahony
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Q Methodology ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Expanded Polystyrene ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Marine Litter ◽  
Policy Interventions ◽  
Single Use ◽  
Industry Policy

In European Seas, plastic litter from fishing activities, river transport, and poor waste management is one of the fastest growing threats to the health of the marine environment. Extruded polystyrene (XPS) and expanded polystyrene (EPS), specifically, have become some of the most prominent types of marine litter found around Europe’s coastlines. To combat this problem, the European Commission has ratified a series of regulations and policies, including the Single-Use Plastics Directive and the EU Action Plan for the Circular Economy. However, in order to ensure that the benefits of such regulations and policies are realized at a scale that can adequately address the scope of the problem, decision-makers will need to integrate the opinions, values, and priorities of relevant stakeholders who operate across the EPS/XPS product lifecycle. In this study, we apply a 35-statement Q-methodology to identify the priorities of stakeholders as they relate to the Irish EPS/XPS market and the wider societal transition to a circular economy. Based on the responses of nineteen individuals representing industry, policy-makers, and community leaders, we identified three distinct perspectives: System Overhaul; Incremental Upgrade; and Market Innovation. The results demonstrate that the type and format of policy interventions linked to Ireland’s EPS/XPS circular economy are heavily contested, which presents significant challenges for driving the debate forward. These results provide valuable information on viewpoints that can be used by different stakeholders at national and EU levels to address areas of conflict, ultimately fostering the development of more effective, broadly supported co-developed policies.

scholarly journals Basic Criteria, Models, and Indicators of Intersectoral Collaboration in Health Promotion: A Scoping Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Reza Amir Esmaili ◽  
Behzad Damari ◽  
Ahmad Hajebi ◽  
Noora Rafiee ◽  
Reza Goudarzi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Social Network Analysis ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Macro Level ◽  
Intersectoral Collaboration ◽  
Micro Level

Background: In this study, the basic criteria, models, and indicators of intersectoral collaboration in health promotion were investigated to facilitate the implementation of collaboration. Methods: This scoping review was conducted using datasets of Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed, and search engines of Google, Google Scholar, and ProQuest. Results: 52 studies were included, and 32 codes in Micro, Meso, and Macro level, were obtained. Micro-level criteria had the highest frequency. Among the models used in the reviewed studies, social network analysis, Diagnosis of Sustainable Collaboration, Bergen, and logic models had the highest frequency. Among the indicators studied, the number of participants and the level of collaboration as well as its sustainability were the most frequent indicators. Conclusion: The findings identified the most important and widely used criteria, models, and indicators of intersectoral collaboration in health promotion which can be useful for decision-makers and planners in the domain of health promotion, in designing, implementing, and evaluating collaborative programs.

scholarly journals Dynamic capabilities and environmental accounting for the circular economy in businesses

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1129-1158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabina Scarpellini ◽  
Luz María Marín-Vinuesa ◽  
Alfonso Aranda-Usón ◽  
Pilar Portillo-Tarragona
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Theoretical Approach ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Environmental Accounting ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose This paper aims to define and measure the environmental capabilities that are applied when the circular economy (CE) is introduced in businesses. Founded on the dynamic capabilities theoretical approach, the study analyzes different environmental competences that firms apply during this process. Environmental management systems, corporate social responsibility, reporting and accountability and other environmental accounting practices are studied in the same analytical framework used to study the environmental capabilities that influence the circular scope (CS) of firms. This study contributes to bridging the gap between academic research focused on environmental accounting and that investigating the introduction of the CE in businesses. Design/methodology/approach The results were obtained by using partial least squares structural equation modeling to analyze the relationship between environmental capabilities for the CE and the CS achieved by a sample of Spanish firms with more than 50 employees that expressed interest in the CE, eco-design, eco-innovation and other environmental issues. Findings Based on an analysis using the dynamic capabilities theoretical approach, the results suggest a positive relationship between the CS of firms, their environmental accounting practices and their level of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and accountability. Stakeholders’ pressure – which has a mediating effect on the CS of firms – is also analyzed, adding new insights to recent studies of this topic at the micro-level. The authors also explore whether the CS of businesses, which is related to the degree of their development of capabilities, influences environmental and financial performance. Practical implications The new insights obtained in this study can help overcome the limitations of conventional accounting approaches and incorporates a much broader scale of environmental information that can be applied to CE practices. These results also offer insights to practitioners regarding the internal measurement processes related to the CE and regarding CSR in particular for small and medium enterprises, because these metrics can be partially applied depending on the practices introduced in each firm. For policymakers, a better understanding of the CE’s introduction into businesses will contribute to the design of policies that can enhance its deployment, for example, by providing tools that set up regional priorities depending on the CE-related practices adopted by the firms located in the territory. Social implications A CE involves the transformation of a linear economic model into a circular one to reduce dependence on raw materials and energy and to reduce the environmental impact of production and consumption. Understanding how to manage the specific competences that integrate capabilities applied to the CE will allow firms to improve their social and environmental reporting. In addition, other social implications of this study relate to improving relationships with consumers and stakeholders and to the practice of social corporate sustainability. Originality/value This study goes beyond previous research on the CE to extend the authors’ knowledge about its adoption at the micro-level by taking a transversal approach, as its subject spans the fields of environmental accounting and the CE while addressing both in a framework of analysis. The analysis of the accounting concerns of the CE in businesses and the study of concerns related to endogenous environmental competences are quite original under the theoretical framework of dynamic capabilities, and this study is a first step in an incipient line of inquiry.

A circular economy model for waste management in India

2021 ◽  
pp. 0734242X2110291
Author(s):  
Chandrakant B Kamble ◽  
Ramasamy Raju ◽  
Raman Vishnu ◽  
Raju Rajkanth ◽  
Agamuthu Pariatamby
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Ideal Solution ◽  
Economy Model ◽  
Critical Success ◽  
Order Preference ◽  
Closing The Loop ◽  
Structured Questionnaire

Management of waste is one of the major challenges faced by many developing countries. This study therefore attempts to develop a circular economy (CE) model to manage wastes and closing the loop and reducing the generation of residual wastes in Indian municipalities. Through extant literature review, the researchers found 30 success factors of CE implementation. Using the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) SIMOS approach, the rating and weight of decision makers (DMs) for each factor were collected. A structured questionnaire has been developed incorporating all these 30 factors, to extract the most important factors. The data was collected from top 10 officials (DMs) from the Chennai municipality, who handle three regions (metropolitan, suburbia and industrial). Based on the TOPSIS SIMOS analysis, nine CE implementing factors (critical success factors (CSFs)) among the 30 variables that were significant based on the cut-off value was identified. A CE model has been proposed based on these nine CSFs for waste management in India.

scholarly journals What Hinders the Development of Green Building? An Investigation of China

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (17) ◽  
pp. 3140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wu ◽  
Jiang ◽  
Cai ◽  
Wang ◽  
Li
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Potential Barriers ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
The Status

With the rapid development of the economy, people are paying more and more attention to the environmental problems. In this circumstance, the concept of a circular economy is proposed for making efficient use of resources and minimizing the production of waste and other emissions. Each year, the construction sector consumes a vast volume of resources and makes impacts on the environment. To align with the development of the circular economy, the concept of green building is proposed. In China, though the concept of green building has been promoted for decades, the development status is far from optimistic. Thus, this paper aims to investigate the barriers that hinder green building development (GBD) in China. Through a systematic review and semi-structured interviews with experienced industrial practitioners, 24 potential barriers of GBD in China were identified. A questionnaire survey was then conducted for data collection. After descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, a partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) was established to investigate the impacts of different barriers on GBD. Results showed that the lack of policy and industry guidance, the immature market environment, and the lack of environmental awareness are the most important GBD barriers in China. This research can assist stakeholders in better understanding the status of GBD in China and enable decision-makers to formulate appropriate strategies to promote green building.

scholarly journals PERĖJIMAS PRIE ŽIEDINĖS EKONOMIKOS: STABDANČIŲ IR SKATINANČIŲ VEIKSNIŲ SĄVEIKA MIKRO-, MEZO- IR MAKROLYGMENIMIS / TRANSITION TO CIRCULAR ECONOMY: BARRIERS AND DRIVERS INTERACTION AT MICRO, MESO AND MACRO LEVELS

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (0) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Tomaš Jusel ◽  
Aurelija Burinskienė
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Macro Level ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Economy Model ◽  
Meso Level ◽  
Economic Barriers ◽  
Micro Level

Threats caused by linear economy pushes humanity for transition to circular economy model. At macro level benefits of circular economy are seen very clearly, due to that, governments set priorities to reduce the environmental impact of economic growth and encourage businesses and consumers to implement circular economy principles. However, implementation of circular economy at micro level, by businesses and consumers, still appears to be in early stages. The purpose of this article is to create holistic view of barriers and drivers of circular economy, which would help to understand ways for encouraging business and consumer to use circular economy principles. For this purpose, 28 circular economy barriers and 22 circular economy drivers described in scientific literature was analysed. The result of the analysis - created system of circular economic barriers and drivers, which shows: directions for required macro level support to promote the transition of micro and meso level to circular economy model; way for benefits generated by micro and meso level, to achieve a macro level environment. The results of the research are theoretical and refer to the direction of further research.

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