The aim of this research is to explore the state of circular economy adoption and promotion in the Netherlands from the viewpoint of professionals in the field. This research is particularly relevant because the concept of a circular economy is booming all throughout the world, and the Netherlands represents one of the front runners in the application of related strategies. The research questions asked in this study were as follows: ● What circular economy strategies are primarily used in companies in the Netherlands?● To what extent do governments and companies in the Netherlands currently promote a circular economy?● What specific external factors influence the implementation of circular economy strategies in the Netherlands? Aspects of the circular economy were gathered using a literature review, and this information was used to create a tentative conceptual framework. Then, interviews with seven industry professionals in the Netherlands, who were purposively selected, were held, and the data coming therefrom were used to analyse the adoption and promotion of circular economy strategies in the Netherlands, as well as external factors influencing the implementation of said strategies. While the experiences and perspectives of interview participants often matched the literature, there were also some instances where differences were noted. The research showed that there are commonly accepted circular economy strategies in literature and that the actual frequency at which these strategies are employed does not match the expectations of the participants. However, the practical limitations to the adoption of circular economy strategies and which strategies are most common seem to be well understood by industry professionals.  Trends regarding circular economy strategies are not foreseeable according to the research participants, and consumer understanding and greenwashing can be cause for concern in the future. For the Dutch market, the impact of technological advancements, political positions, and the emerging of new global markets are especially relevant when it comes to external factors influencing circular economy adoption in the Netherlands. Several areas for future research have been identified, ranging from studying the impact of internal factors on CE implementation, to optimising policies and regulations, and from increasing stakeholder engagement, to designing measurement metrics and indicators.

This thesis investigates the challenges and opportunities for waste management and circular innovation in the context of sustainable development in Zanzibar, with a specific focus on the relevance of youth circular entrepreneurship. Addressing the low integration of stakeholders, inadequate technical support for young innovators, and challenges in leveraging funding, this study aims to provide insights and recommendations to enhance circularity and waste management systems on the islands. Through a comprehensive literature review, qualitative interviews, and analysis of relevant policies and initiatives, the research uncovers the complex dynamics within Zanzibar's waste management value chain. The findings underscore the urgent need for improved stakeholder collaboration, emphasizing the active participation of government agencies, businesses, communities, civil society organizations, and youth entrepreneurs to drive sustainable practices. The study highlights the crucial role of youth circular entrepreneurship in fostering innovation and driving the transition to a circular economy. It identifies the limited technical support, resources, and infrastructure available to young innovators as key barriers, underscoring the necessity of capacity-building programs, mentorship initiatives, and tailored support mechanisms to empower and enable youth entrepreneurs to contribute to waste management and circular innovation. Furthermore, the research reveals the challenges associated with funding and investment for circular initiatives. It emphasizes the significance of climate finance, public-private partnerships, and the mobilization of international funding sources to overcome financial constraints and create an enabling environment for youth circular entrepreneurship. Based on the analysis, this thesis proposes a range of strategies to enhance circularity in Zanzibar, with a particular emphasis on engaging and empowering youth. These strategies encompass stakeholder collaboration, policy development, education and awareness campaigns targeted at youth, technological advancements, and the establishment of financial mechanisms to support youth-led circular innovation. By addressing the identified challenges and capitalizing on the opportunities, Zanzibar can foster a circular economy that not only addresses environmental concerns but also unlocks economic opportunities, resource efficiency, and community well-being. This research contributes to the knowledge base on waste management and circular innovation in Zanzibar, providing a foundation for future research and action toward sustainable development, with a specific focus on youth circular entrepreneurship.

Looking at the transformation of Slakthusområdet in Stockholm, I aim to discuss and broaden the understanding of site. I aim to highlight the qualities of working with the already built environment when conducting new areas. How can new buildings be made in such a way that we feel like they belong to that specific site? Between notions of the living and the changing, as well as the protected and preserved, a tension arises that is worth investigating. With the aim of bringing life into older objects, constructions and places follows great challenges. How can both change and preservation be considered simultaneously?

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Repairing is one of the alternative business alternatives at the end-of-life phase of clothing, that is seen to be a potential solution for the biggest challenge that the fashion industry faces today - waste. The purpose of this research is to extend our collective understanding of consumers’ value in clothes that lead to their willingness to keep a garment in use for longer. It then identifies how brands could adapt their strategy based on this understanding to better involve consumers to promote the use of clothes repair. A quantitative research design was applied using a consumer survey. The survey questions were designed according to the subjects that emerged from the literature review to answer the presented research questions. The most significant cognitive factors affecting consumers’ repair attitude and behaviour arising from the findings are emotional attachment, product properties such as quality, fashion leadership, subjective norms and awareness of the environmental impact of repair. Demographic factors of age, gender and income group moderate the impact of these factors and are useful to narrow down the strategy for the brand’s target consumers. The communication, cost, service convenience and service quality are determined to be the dominant factors in the strategy for brands offering repair service.

Bygg- och fastighetssektorn står idag för en femtedel av Sveriges klimatutsläpp. Målet från branschen är att dessa utsläpp ska minska och att branschen ska nå ett nettonollutsläpp av växthusgaser till år 2045. För att uppfylla detta mål så ses en övergång till cirkulär ekonomi och återbruk som en viktig del. Syftet med denna rapport är att undersöka vilka möjligheter och utmaningar som finns för återbruk av byggmaterialmaterial vid ändring av en byggnad samt hur bygglovskraven påverkar detta. Syftet är även att studera om det finns något som skulle underlätta för återbruk vid ändring av byggnad. Metoden som använts för att undersöka detta syfte är en litteraturstudie samt kvalitativa intervjuer med olika aktörer inom bygg- och fastighetsbranschen. Studien visar att det både finns möjligheter och utmaningar med återbruk. Där de främsta möjligheterna är att byta användningsområde för materialet eller att överdimensionera. De främsta utmaningarna som studien visar är att det saknas praxis och riktlinjer för att verifiera kvaliteten på materialet, en ökad tidsåtgång vid arbete med återbruk och brist på företag som är specialiserade på återbruk av byggmaterial. Studien visar även att de tekniska egenskapskraven påverkar återbruk men att det är lättare med återbruk vid ändring i jämförelse med vid nyproduktion då det tas hänsyn till ändringens omfattning och byggnadens förutsättningar. För att underlätta återbruk så önskas produktdeklarationer där teknisk livslängd och vägledning för återbruk finns med samt praxis och vägledning i Boverkets Byggregler. För att dra slutsatsen av vilka praxis och regler som ska tillämpas i Boverkets Byggregler behövs dock fortsatta studier där det tas hänsyn till även andra faktorer än återbruk. / Building and real estate sector currently accounts for a fifth of Sweden’s emissions. The goal is to reduce these emissions and for the sector to achieve climate neutrality 2045. To meet this goal, a transition to circular economy and recycling is seen as an important part. The purpose of this report is to examine what opportunities and challenges that exist for the reuse of building materials when changing a building and how the building permit requirements affect this. The purpose is also to study whether there is anything that would facilitate reuse when changing a building. The method used to investigate this purpose is a literature study and qualitative interviews with various actors in the construction and real estate sector. The study shows that there are both opportunities and challenges with reuse of building materials. Where the main possibilities are to change the area of use of the material or to oversize. The main challenges that the study shows are the lack of practice and guidelines for verifying the quality of the material, an increased time spent working with re-use of building materials and a lack of companies that specialize in reuse of building materials. The study also shows that the technical property requirements affect re-use, but that re-use is easier in the event of a change compared with new production, as the extent of the change and the building's conditions are considered. To facilitate re-use, product declarations are required where technical service life and guidance for recycling are included, as well as practice and guidance in Boverkets Byggregler. To draw the conclusion of which practices and rules are to be applied in the Boverkets Byggrelger however, further studies are needed where factors other than recycling are also taken into consideration. / <p>2022-06-28</p>

The covalent attachment of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to a protein surface (known as PEGylation), has been demonstrated to increase the serum half-life of therapeutic proteins by reducing kidney clearance and immunogenicity and by protecting against proteolysis. Theses beneficial effects could be further enhanced if PEGylation consistently increased protein conformational stability (i.e. the difference in free energy between the folded and unfolded states). However, the effects of PEGylation on protein conformational stability are unpredictable; PEGylation has been reported to increase, decrease, or have no effect on the conformational stability of medicinal proteins.This thesis details the results of two studies aimed at discovering the structural determinants which influence the thermodynamic impact of PEGylation on the WW domain, a small model protein. Chapter 1 is a brief introduction to protein therapeutics and protein PEGylation. Chapter 2 describes a study which demonstrates that the thermodynamic impact of PEGylation is strongly dependent on the site to which PEG is conjugated. The studies described in Chapter 3 elaborate on this site dependence, and demonstrate that PEG stabilizes the WW domain through interactions with the surface of the folded peptide, and that two factors – the orientation of the PEG chain (relative to the protein surface) and the identity of nearby side chains – play a critical role in determining the thermodynamic impact of PEGylation.

Bakgrund: Övergången från en linjär till cirkulär ekonomi är något som har adresserats på en global nivå. SMF står för 56% av den svenska sysselsättningenoch är därmed en stor faktor i den svenska omställningen till en cirkulär ekonomi. För att kunna ställa om till en cirkulär ekonomi krävs det att de cirkuläraföretagen har tillgång till finansiering. Det finns en stor mängd forskning om olika typer av cirkulära affärsmodeller och hur de påverkar ett företags operativa verksamhet. Det finns även mycket forskning kring de finansiella förutsättningarna för SMF. Något som inte diskuteras lika mycket är hur de finansiella förutsättningarna ser ut för cirkulära affärsmodeller i SMF. Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats är att kartlägga hur de finansiella förutsättningarna för att implementera och driva cirkulära affärsmodeller ser ut i svenska SMF. Metod: Studien är en kvalitativ tvärsnittsstudie som är utförd med en abduktiv ansats och med realism som vetenskaplig utgångspunkt. Det empiriska materialet har samlats in via semistrukturerade intervjuer med nio respondenter från olika SMF med cirkulära affärsmodeller och en respondent från ett finansieringsinstitut. Ett målstyrt urval har använts som urvalsmetod för att identifiera företag och respondentpersoner i relevanta positioner som skulle kunna bidra till studiens syfte. Slutsats: Resultatet av studien visar att SMF med cirkulära affärsmodeller skiljer sig i vissa avseenden gentemot linjära SMF när det kommer till finansiella förutsättningar. Cirkulära SMF:s finansiella implikationer kan medföra särskilda utmaningar som begränsar deras tillgång till finansiering, men det finns även implikationer som agerar som möjliggörare. De finansiella förutsättningarna skiljer sig mellan olika typer av cirkulära affärsmodeller i vissa avseenden, men förutsättningarna kan även skilja sig beroende på andra faktorer såsom ålder och storlek. / Background: The transition from a linear to a circular economy is being addressed on a global level. SMEs account for 56% of Swedish employment and are thus a major factor in the Swedish transition to a circular economy. Transitioning from a linear economy to a circular economy requires that thecircular businesses have access to financing. There is a large body of research on different types of circular business models and howthey affect a company's operational activities. There is also plenty of research on the financial preconditions of SMEs. There is however a lack of research on the financial preconditions for circular business models in SMEs. Research aim: The aim of this paper is to identify the financial preconditions for implementing and operating circular business models in Swedish SMEs. Method: The study is a qualitative cross-sectional study conducted with an abductive approach and with realism as a research paradigm. The empirical material was collected via semi-structured interviews with nine respondents from different SMEs with circular business models and one respondent from a financial institution. Targeted sampling was used as a sampling method to identify companies and respondents in relevant positions that could contribute to the aim of the study. Findings: The results of the study show that SMEs with circular business models differ in some respects from linear SMEs in terms of financial preconditions. The financial implications of circular SMEs may pose specific challenges that limit their access to financing, however there are also implications that act as enablers. Financial preconditions differ between different types of circular business models in some respects, but preconditions may also differ depending on other factors such as age and size of the enterprise. / Mistra REES

Background: In recent years, the amount of textile waste increased rapidly due to the fast-fashion phenomena with an increasing clothing production and a declining customer usage. Not only that one truck of clothing getting landfilled or burned every second, but also the textile production impacts the environment due to the vast amount of water, material, chemical, and energy usage. This so-called linear “take-make-waste” approach contributes significantly to the current climate crisis. One possible solution represents the circular economy to encounter the linear approach by providing concepts for recovering materials. However, to our state of knowledge, the implementation of such Circular Economy (CE) approaches is far away from their urgent necessity. Literature papers from the last years conclude with a collaboration call between all industry actors for enhancing the waste recovery stream (WRS). Since digital platforms tackled the collaboration challenge of Circular Economy in other industries, we contemplated it as an adequate digital technology tool for overcoming Textile, Apparel and Clothing (TAC) industry collaboration challenge to further strengthening the WRS. Purpose: The study aims to investigate if and how digital platforms strengthen the TAC industry's WRS. For this purpose, we shed light on different challenges within the industry-wide network, analyzed current platform functionalities, and matched challenges and functionalities to answer the research question.  Method: The study adopts an inductive qualitative approach to explore the phenomenon of digital platforms and their potential as an enabler for the textile WRS. Thereby, we took a relativism view regarding our ontological position and followed a social constructionist's epistemology. For the data collection, we used semi-structured interviews and identified potential participants with criterion and snowball sampling. In total, we conducted 14-semistructured interviews with industry actors, platform providers, and experts. For our data analysis, we oriented ourselves on the Gioia Method, an articulated grounded theory approach. Conclusion: Resulting from our findings, we identified (1) four major challenge groups that go beyond the collaboration challenge and encompass the challenge of lack of knowledge, organization of WRS, and value chain structure. Further, we outlined (2) five platform functionalities, i.e., connecting, informing, visualizing, monitoring, and consulting. By matching challenges and functionalities, we analyzed (3) the extent to which DP can strengthen WR. We concluded that many industry challenges are tackled or partly tackled by the DP functionalities. However, within some of the sub-challenges as well as the overall challenge of the value chain structure, DPs reach their limitation in strengthening the WRS. In addition, we offer (4) an overall framework of DP for the WR stream, summarized how the DP tackles the industry-wide challenges by displaying the functionalities and associated value drivers. Lastly, we provide (5) the baseline for future platform functionalities by outlining actors’ expectations and platform providers’ planned functionalities arisen by our finding.

The world’s linear economic system, operating under the make-use-dispose philosophy, creates heavy environmental issues such as resource depletion and exuberant waste creation. One industry that is strongly affiliated with these issues is the construction industry. Responsible for around 25% of global waste creation, the industry is in need of changing and circular initiatives such as waste-to-resource ones offer pathways to such a change towards sustainability. For the materialization of these initiatives, inter-organizational collaboration is an effective tool that needs to be strengthened within the industry. It has shown its ability to create sustainable business models that are more aligned with the principles of the circular economy, yet, further research into collaborative value creation is needed.   Therefore, this thesis investigates the processes of value creation in inter-organizational collaboration as well as how the value created can help facilitate waste-to-resource initiatives within the construction industry. A theoretical framework based on the Stakeholder Value Creation model and Collaborative Value Creation framework is being used to analyze empirical material stemming from semi-structured expert interviews with representatives of the construction industry. Based on the findings, the framework is adjusted by including additional value creating collaborative processes and enabling forces for the creation of waste-to-resource initiatives. Ultimately, this thesis lays out the processes creating value in inter-organizational collaboration within the construction industry as well as the waste-to-resource initiative enablers stemming from the different types of collaborative value. This is contributing to the theoretical knowledge of collaboration and value creation as well as allowing for practical application.