TWIN TRANSFORMATION — THE CASE OF SMART CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES: INSIGHTS FROM AN UMBRELLA REVIEW

BÃœHLER Lydia, Tassilo Schuster and Alexander Pflaum
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BÃœHLER Lydia: Division Supply Chain Services, Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS), Erlangen, Germany2Department of Supply Chain Management, University of Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
Tassilo Schuster: Faculty of Business and Economics, Neu-Ulm-University of Applied Science, Neu Ulm, Germany4Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS), Erlangen, Germany
Alexander Pflaum: Department of Supply Chain Management, University of Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany4Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS), Erlangen, Germany

International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), 2025, vol. 29, issue 05n06, 1-45

Abstract: Digitalisation and sustainability are two pivotal industrial paradigms driving academia and industry. Manufacturing companies are increasingly pressured to balance profitability with environmental sustainability, highlighting the necessity of capitalising on the synergies between digitalisation and sustainability. This study examines the concept of “twin transformation†through the lens of a smart circular economy, emphasising the symbiotic relationship between digital and sustainability efforts. Through an umbrella review of 26 literature reviews on smart circular economy, this study offers insights into how digital technologies can advance circular economy principles in the manufacturing sector, and provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of research.To be more precise, this study identifies 14 digital technologies along the data value chain structured across the phases of data discovery, data integration, data analysis, and data application. These digital technologies exhibit significant potential to advance circular economy principles and foster sustainable manufacturing practices. Additionally, the study highlights 98 content-specific research gaps, organised into 30 clusters across four overarching themes, all rooted in the theoretical framework of the natural resource-based view. This serves as a comprehensive roadmap for scientific exploration, addressing critical questions in the context of twin transformation.

Keywords: Twin transformation; sustainability; circular economy; digital technologies; umbrella review (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1142/S1363919625400079

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