Background: For manufacturing suppliers, careful handling of business relationships with dealers is an essential function required for business success. End consumers rely on dealers for product information, advice and after sales support; all of which being factors capable of enhancing their perceived value of the product. The importance of the dealers for the end consumers implies that it is in the interest of suppliers to manage their relationship with the dealers in a satisfactory manner in order of gaining their support and commitment. In the case of suppliers in the Swedish market for outdoor power equipment, managing this relationship with servicing dealers is of great importance to their business success and viability. Successful management of such relationships requires coordination and cooperation. Thus, it is in the interest of suppliers to understand how long-term cooperation with dealers can be enhanced. Purpose: Our research focuses on identifying determinants that enhance sustainable cooperation between manufacturers and servicing dealers in the Swedish outdoor power equipment market. Method: A survey was conducted among servicing dealerships in Sweden testing eight hypotheses developed through an adaption of Morgan and Hunts’ (1994) Commitment-trust theory together with an extensive literature review. The results were ana-lysed and tested with correlation analysis. Conclusions: Trust and commitment were found to be determinants in fostering sustainable cooperation between dealers and manufacturers in the Swedish market for outdoor power equipment. Furthermore, four important antecedents for dealer commitment were identified; supplier commitment, support, termination costs and participation. Whereas, communication was found to be an important precursor for trust.

Enforcing EoL recovery strategies is critical to shifting the paradigm from a linear to a circular economy that enables future growth. This study identifies relevant evaluation indicators for End of-life recovery strategies in the Outdoor Power Equipment industry, as well as the drivers and barriers to implementation of End-of-life recovery strategies. Furthermore, it contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 8 and 12 and serves as a starting point for increasing product circularity in the Outdoor Power Equipment industry through End-of-life recovery strategies. For this purpose, a structured literature review and an exploratory case study was conducted in collaboration with the market leader, Husqvarna Group. The results showed the relevant evaluation indicators selected by the case company, addressing the three sustainability dimensions. From an organizational perspective, this study emphasizes the role of different factors acting as drivers and barriers to EoL recovery strategy implementation for industry to drive a successful implementation. / Att genomdriva cirkulära produktstrategier är avgörande för omställningen till cirkulär ekonomi, vilket möjliggör framtida ekonomisk tillväxt. Den här studien identifierar relevanta utvärderingsindikatorer för cirkulära produktstrategier inom tillverkningsindustrin, samt drivkrafter och barriärer för genomförande av dessa. Studien bidrar till Förenade Nationerna Globala Mål för Hållbar Utveckling 8 och 12 och fungerar som en utgångspunkt för att öka livslängden för produkter och komponenter inom industrin. För detta genomfördes en explorativ fallstudie genom en strukturerad litteraturgenomgång, workshops och intervjuer i samarbete med marknadsledaren Husqvarna Group. Resultaten visade att relevanta utvärderings indikatorer är klimatpåverkan, kundnöjdhet och intäktspotential, som tar upp de tre hållbarhetsdimensionerna. Från ett organisatoriskt perspektiv betonar denna studie barriärer mellan affärsutveckling och organisation, vilket hotar framgångsrik implementering. För att driva en framgångsrik implementering, är anpassat resultatmål, utbildning och ökad teknisk kapacitet sätt att övervinna den nuvarande verkligheten.