Revisiting the Circular Economy Paradox: A Triple Bottom Line Perspective

Marta Ferrer‐Serrano and Aitor Salesa

Sustainable Development, 2025, vol. 33, issue 5, 7526-7545

Abstract: The Circular Economy (CE) has emerged as a transformative organizational paradigm designed to address the environmental limitations of linear production and consumption systems. Despite its growing prominence, there is ongoing debate about the extent to which CE truly embodies sustainability, particularly whether it adequately addresses the economic, environmental, and social dimensions defined by the Triple Bottom Line (TBL). This study investigates how the TBL approach is addressed in organizational CE research by conducting a bibliometric analysis of 815 academic publications spanning the past two decades. The results reveal a consistent increase in scholarly engagement, marked by a shift from operational‐level concerns toward more systemic approaches focused on resource efficiency and innovative business models. However, the analysis also highlights a notable underrepresentation of the social dimension, raising concerns about the comprehensiveness of current sustainability assessments. Based on these findings, the study identifies key research gaps and proposes eight future research directions to advance a more balanced and integrated understanding of CE as a sustainable model.

Date: 2025
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https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.3539

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:33:y:2025:i:5:p:7526-7545

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