Exploration of Success Factors and Challenges in the Industry 5.0-Based Transition of Logistics Systems in SMEs with a Special Emphasis on Circular Economy Orientation

Nadine Olipp (), Manuel Woschank () and Lara Jöbstl ()
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Nadine Olipp: Montanuniversität Leoben, Chair of Industrial Logistics
Manuel Woschank: Montanuniversität Leoben, Chair of Industrial Logistics
Lara Jöbstl: Montanuniversität Leoben, Chair of Industrial Logistics

Chapter 10 in Industry 5.0 for SMEs, 2026, pp 285-314 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract The global climate crisis and the associated requirements to achieve the European climate targets increase the pressure to create sustainable measures for change in the economy and society. For manufacturing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular, the principles of Industry 5.0 and especially the principles of circular economy (CE) offer numerous opportunities for redesigning logistics systems, as the transition to circular systems requires significant interventions in material and information flows, which can only be realized through systematic approaches. This book chapter systematically analyses the internal success factors and challenges in transitioning to circular economy-oriented logistics systems in manufacturing SMEs as a central part of the Industry 5.0 approach. This chapter uses insights from expert interviews, which provide qualitative evidence of practical experiences based on the heterogeneous perspectives of experts. The interviews complement a systematic literature review (SLR) in Scopus and enable a qualitative content analysis of the empirical data. The results of the SLR and the empirical findings from the expert interviews form the basis for identifying the most critical success factors and challenges for SMEs in redesigning their logistics systems according to the principles of CE, focusing on the role of Industry 5.0. Through this synthesis, the work makes an essential contribution to supporting the transition to CE and securing the long-term competitiveness of European SMEs.

Keywords: Circular economy; Small- and medium-sized enterprises; Logistics; Systematic literature review; Smart logistics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-26279-0_10

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