Circular Economy Practices in SMEs Across All Sectors: A Measurement Proposal

Pratiques d’Economie Circulaire dans les PME de tous secteurs d’activité: proposition d’une échelle de mesure

Martin Ruvini (), Jean-Marie Courrent () and Géraldine Rivière-Giordano ()
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Martin Ruvini: MRM-EPME - Montpellier Research in Management - Entrepreneuriat et PME - MRM - Montpellier Research in Management - UPVD - Université de Perpignan Via Domitia - UM - Université de Montpellier, MRM-MPR - Management et Pratiques Responsables - MRM - Montpellier Research in Management - UPVD - Université de Perpignan Via Domitia - UM - Université de Montpellier
Jean-Marie Courrent: MRM-MPR - Management et Pratiques Responsables - MRM - Montpellier Research in Management - UPVD - Université de Perpignan Via Domitia - UM - Université de Montpellier, MRM-EPME - Montpellier Research in Management - Entrepreneuriat et PME - MRM - Montpellier Research in Management - UPVD - Université de Perpignan Via Domitia - UM - Université de Montpellier
Géraldine Rivière-Giordano: MRM-CS - Montpellier Research in Management - Comptabilités et Société - MRM - Montpellier Research in Management - UPVD - Université de Perpignan Via Domitia - UM - Université de Montpellier, MRM-MPR - Management et Pratiques Responsables - MRM - Montpellier Research in Management - UPVD - Université de Perpignan Via Domitia - UM - Université de Montpellier

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Abstract: This communication questions the dominant academic focus on circular economy (CE) within the manufacturing sector. Based on the observation that most studies concentrate on industrial firms—where material flows and transformations are central (Pearce & Turner, 1990)—this work aims to broaden the application of circular practices to all small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including those in the service sector, which constitutes the majority of the French economic fabric. The core research question addresses the feasibility of reliably measuring the extent of circular practices within SMEs, regardless of their industry, operational context, or explicit commitment to CE. To that end, this study proposes an adaptation of the well-established 10R framework (Kirchherr et al., 2017), drawing on the theoretical underpinnings of strong sustainability (Neumayer, 2003; Aggeri et al., 2023) and the systemic nature of CE. The research relies on a quantitative survey conducted among 1,040 SME managers across various sectors in France. Confirmatory factor and reliability analyses validate a revised Proposition Communication RIODD 2025 - Toulouse 4 7R scale—Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Refurbish, Recycle, Refuse, and Rethink—adapted to the specificities of SMEs. Findings reveal that circular practices are widely adopted, even by firms that do not explicitly identify with CE. The most common actions include reducing, repairing, and recycling, with 72.8% of respondents implementing one or more of these regularly. This study provides an innovative and generalizable measurement tool with both academic and practical value, supporting a more inclusive and systemic approach to the transition toward a strong circular economy.

Keywords: Circular Practices; Measurement Scale; Strong sustainability; Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs); Circular Economy (CE); Echelle de Mesure; Soutenabilité Forte; Pratiques Circulaire; Petites et Moyennes Entreprises (PME); Economie Circulaire (EC) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-10-08
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Published in Congrès du Réseau International de recherche sur les Organisations et le Développement Durable, RIODD, Oct 2025, Toulouse, France

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05399986

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