Can supply chain integration mitigate the risks inherent in circular economy transition?

Roberta Pellegrino (), Antonio Piepoli, Luigi Jesus Basile () and Pierpaolo Pontrandolfo
Additional contact information
Roberta Pellegrino: Polytechnic University of Bari / Politecnico di Bari
Antonio Piepoli: Polytechnic University of Bari / Politecnico di Bari
Luigi Jesus Basile: LITEM - Laboratoire en Innovation, Technologies, Economie et Management (EA 7363) - UEVE - Université d'Évry-Val-d'Essonne - Université Paris-Saclay - IMT-BS - Institut Mines-Télécom Business School - IMT - Institut Mines-Télécom [Paris], IMT-BS - MMS - Département Management, Marketing et Stratégie - TEM - Télécom Ecole de Management - IMT - Institut Mines-Télécom [Paris] - IMT-BS - Institut Mines-Télécom Business School - IMT - Institut Mines-Télécom [Paris]
Pierpaolo Pontrandolfo: Polytechnic University of Bari / Politecnico di Bari

Post-Print from HAL

Abstract: The Italian furniture industry increasingly adopts circular economy (CE) practices to address sustainability challenges. However, CE implementation introduces specific risks related to supply chain fragmentation, traceability issues and consumer resistance to sustainable materials. In this context, supply chain integration (SCI) emerges as a critical capability for managing complexity and uncertainty, yet its role in CE-related risk mitigation remains underexplored. While prior studies have examined CE and supply chain risk management (SCRM) separately, few have investigated how integration across supply chain actors enables firms to manage the specific risks of circular transitions. This study employs a multiple case study approach to address this gap, analysing five Italian furniture firms with varying CE maturity levels. Findings show that CE practices, such as the reuse of materials, the refurbishment of end-of-life products and digitalisation, are widespread, yet uneven in their impact. Companies with more advanced SCI systems, including shared data platforms and co-sourcing agreements, are better positioned to mitigate operational and reputational risks. In contrast, firms with limited integration face obstacles in scaling CE due to inefficiencies and low coordination. The study highlights SCI not only as a strategic enabler for circular adoption under uncertainty, but also as relevant for mitigating the risks associated with CE implementation. The findings underscore the need for supportive policy frameworks that foster supply chain integration as a means to reduce risks related to circular transitions and promote their broader adoption.

Keywords: Circular economy; Furniture industry; Supply chain integration; Supply chain risk management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Published in Business Strategy and the Environment, inPress, ⟨10.1002/bse.70224⟩

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05271967

DOI: 10.1002/bse.70224

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Post-Print from HAL
Bibliographic data for series maintained by CCSD ().