Eco-Innovation Diversity in a Circular Economy: Towards Circular Innovation Studies

Ana de Jesus, Minna Lammi, Teresa Domenech, Fedra Vanhuyse and Sandro Mendonça
Additional contact information
Ana de Jesus: Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, 2825-149 Caparica, Portugal
Minna Lammi: Lord Ashcroft International Business School, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK
Teresa Domenech: Institute for Sustainable Resources, University College London, Gower St, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 6BT, UK
Fedra Vanhuyse: Head of the Societal Transitions Unit and Senior Research Fellow, Stockholm Environment Institute, 115 23 Stockholm, Sweden
Sandro Mendonça: Business Research Unit (BRU-IUL), Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), 1649-026 Lisbon, Portugal

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 19, 1-22

Abstract: Transition to a Circular Economy (CE) is about structural change and is predicated on the introduction of transformative eco-innovation (EI). Research on the CE–EI nexus has recently attracted attention both from an analytical and regulatory perspective. However, in-depth research exploring EI dynamics within the CE is still marginal, especially concerning the trends and dynamics of the pro-CE innovation policy and strategy. This paper addresses this gap by taking advantage of the burgeoning research on CE of the last 20 years and offers a new working synthesis. By implementing a “(systematic) review of (systematic) reviews”, this paper provides a new comprehensive framework for understanding pro-circular innovation strategies and, as a complement, argues the need to advance “circular innovation studies” as an agenda in its own right. Innovations related to recycling and recovery CE strategies along with business-model innovations and systemic/transformative innovations are found to be a major current trend in the research, connecting supply and demand side innovations and also driving other forms of innovation linked to design, product manufacturing, logistics and reverse logistics and end-of-life management and recovery. Additionally, of note is that the conceptual understanding of EI dynamics within a CE is still mainly implicit (rather than explicitly discussed) limiting the possibilities to advance knowledge in the area of innovation for CE: this is why we propose a “circular innovation studies” agenda.

Keywords: circular economy; innovation; systematic review (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:19:p:10974-:d:649156

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