Yes / In order to grow the food the world needs, there is a pressing need to gain a more detailed understanding of how innovative solutions can be incorporated into the agricultural supply chains, particularly within production, for environmentally, economically, ethically and socially viable food production. Despite a number of innovative solutions available, many challenges in agricultural supply are still prevalent, with researchers to date largely focusing on these challenges in isolation, as opposed to exploring the relationships held between these challenges. Thus, supported by Circular Economy, Agriculture, Industry 4.0 literature and expert opinions, agricultural supply chain challenges are modelled and analysed using ISM methodology to help uncover 12 agricultural challenges which ultimately impede goods moving within the supply chain. Findings discovered that the Unproductive Workers and Pesticide Hazards are the key drivers of agricultural challenges. The ISM Hierarchical model elucidates research propositions and a parsimonious model for future research.

Yes / The circular economy is gaining momentum in corporate circles and European economic policies. However, its relevance and applicability to service dominated industries, such as tourism and hospitality, is poorly researched. This study investigates Scandinavian hotel operators’ understanding of the circular economy, its drivers, enablers, barriers, and value creation potential. This exploratory study gathers feedback from ten Scandinavian hotel chains managers and proposes a circular economy applicability framework to test the concept’s relevance to hotel operators. The research findings highlight respondents’ interest and expose introductory to intermediate level of understanding of the circular economy. Conditional to specific enabling levers, the research confirms the applicability and value creation potential of the circular economy to hotel operators. The research provides hotel operators with recommendations on circular economy value creation opportunities, deployment pathways and suggests future research directions.

Yes / The purpose of this paper is to offer a consolidative approach in exploring the potential contribution of digital technologies in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) for the sustainable performance of food supply chain business, through the circular economy concepts. As a single case study, this qualitative, interpretivist research was based on one of the largest food producers in the United Kingdom. The research utilises semi-structured interviews and applies thematic analysis to offer rich insights into SSCM challenges and their relationship with the business performance, through ten in-depth interviews. Findings derived from thematic analysis of the interview transcripts suggest four main critical success factors underpinning SSCM practices and businesses performance – i.e. business continuity, waste reduction, performance measurement approach, and organisational learning, which could use the help of digital technologies to improve. This led to seven propositions to be addressed in the future research. This research offers real, practical insights into SSCM challenges, within the context of food supply chain and explores the potential of digital technologies in overcoming them. Accordingly, the primary contribution of this work is grounded in the identification of critical success factors in SSCM for Food Supply Chains (FSC). Hence, this work contributes further to the literature on SSCM, as well as circular economy, by providing a study of a business in the context of the highly pertinent and valuable food industry.

Yes / We examine corporate inertia towards circularity transition using organisational case studies, observations, and qualitative interviews with business executives. The study explores how the values and beliefs of business leaders and managers promote or inhibit internal and external stakeholder engagement to enable transition to circular business models. We focus on four large UK food companies, conducting interviews with 11 senior managers. Rather than a lack of awareness of the circular economy (CE), the results demonstrate that business leaders are not persuaded by the short-to medium-term business case for a CE. There is misalignment between values and beliefs of business executives and the circularity values and goals of their organisations. The misaligned values and beliefs inhibit relevant stakeholder engagement for transitions to a CE with responsibility shifted to civil society and public institutions. Management commitment to circularity transitions are at best a sophisticated form of circularity greenwashing. The study further suggests a general lack of collective disposition to foster collaborations with sectoral and supply chain partners to engender circularity transitions due to the absence of any standard systems for CE performance indicators. Circularity education and training play a positive mediatory role in changing negative assumptions, including the promotion of managers' engagement with other relevant stakeholders to build synergies and strategies for CE systems. The findings contribute to understanding the dynamics of corporate inertia regarding transitions to CE and highlight the relevance of aligning the personal values and beliefs of top management with organisational, sectoral, and supply chain partners’ values and goals.

Yes / Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the use, applicability and relevance of strategic planning as a process and tool when applied to exploring food security challenges, in the context of existing research on food security and food waste in the food supply chain. The issues associated with robust and resilient food supply chains within a circular economy are increasingly being seen as supportive of creating enhanced levels of food security but the authors argue that this is only sustainable when strategically planned as part of a cross-enterprise, information-rich and complex supply chain. The relevance of the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental (PESTLE) strategic planning tool is explored to establish whether it can play a role tacking the complexity of food insecurity (i.e. a lack of food security). Design/methodology/approach – This is a viewpoint piece therefore as a result, thought, normative literature and supposition are used as a means to ground and orientate the views of the authors. Findings – The authors identify and conclude that strategic planning tools like PESTLE across enterprises may not be relevant in supporting the reduction of food insecurity. This conclusion is predicated on the heightened level of complexity surrounding the pursuit of food security and the simplistic categorisation of PESTLE factors in a linear fashion that underpin this tool. Rather, the authors’ call for the use of strategic planning tools that are able to capture a large number of inter-related factors holistically. Practical implications – This insight to the inter-related factors that contribute to food insecurity will allow policy developers, decision makers and others to develop their understanding of how strategic planning can support increased levels of food security within a circular economy and across cross-enterprises. Originality/value – The authors contribute to the literature through a new insight of how normative strategic planning tools need to evolve in a complex, inter-connected world of international business and geo-politics. In doing so, it is expected that this research will motivate others to develop their line of enquiry around uncovering and exploring those inter-relationships connecting PESTLE factors.

Yes / The linear economic business model was deemed unsustainable, necessitating the emergence of the circular economy (CE) business model. Due to resource scarcity, increasing population, and high food waste levels, the food sector has been facing significant sustainability challenges. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly those in the food sector, are making efforts to become more sustainable and to adopt new business models such as the CE, but adoption rates remain low. Industry 4.0 and its associated technological applications have the potential to enable CE implementation and boost business competitiveness. In the context of emerging economies facing significant resource scarcity constraints and limited technology availability, CE principles need to be adapted. CE could create a new job economy in emerging economies, bringing scale and a competitive advantage. This study explores the enablers of and barriers to Industry 4.0 adoption for CE implementation in fruit and vegetable SMEs in India from a resource-based perspective. The purpose is to develop an evidence-based framework to help inform theory and practice about CE implementation by SMEs in emerging economies. Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with experts in food SMEs. The interview transcripts were first subjected to thematic analysis. The analysis was then complemented with sentiment and emotion analyses. Subsequently, hierarchical cluster analysis, k-means analysis, and linear projection analysis were performed. Among others, the findings suggest that Industry 4.0 plays a key role in implementing CE in SMEs in emerging economies such as India. However, there are specific enablers and barriers that need to be considered by SMEs to develop the resources and capabilities needed for CE competitive advantage.

Background: In recent years during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, consumers' purchasing behavior has changed and e-commerce has taken an increasingly large part of total consumption in Sweden, as well as in the whole world. The significant increase of online purchases has resulted in a large number of returns, and it has become a challenge for companies to manage them.  Purpose: The purpose of our study is to identify which strategies and digital solutions home furnishing e-retailers can implement to streamline return logistics and manage its challenges.  Method: In order to fulfill the purpose and answer the research question, our study is based on a qualitative method and an abductive approach. We have done a literature review and conducted a case study and semi-structured interviews.  Conclusion: Our conclusion is that several factors are critical when considering strategies in reverse logistics. The company must understand its customers and the problems they experience during the return process. Which strategies a company should implement also depends on how far in the development of return logistics they have come and whether they have previously focused on it. After that, they can apply other strategies depending on the need at the time.

This thesis explores the challenges and opportunities of reusing construction and demolition waste within Sweden's construction sector, employing a PEST-SWOT analytical framework. The focus is on three primary materials prevalent in residential single-family houses: brick, concrete, and timber. The study identifies key political, economic, social, and technological factors that influence material reuse practices. The analysis highlights substantial barriers including regulatory complexities, lack of incentives, and the tendency to often prioritize new over reused materials due to perceived risks and higher costs associated with reuse. Despite these challenges, the research identifies significant opportunities for advancing material reuse. These include the potential for implementation of technological advancements in material processing, and growing public and governmental support for sustainable construction practices. The thesis goes forward by proposing strategic recommendations aimed at enhancing the adoption of reuse practices, thereby contributing to a more sustainable and resource-efficient construction sector in Sweden. / Demand trust for circular building materials

The research explores how Swedish apparel companies are integrating Circular Economy (CE) principles into the product design phase and identifies Critical Success Factors (CSFs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for circular and profitable apparel products. It uses a multiple case study approach, interviewing employees from five companies involved in the Vinnova project. Key findings include the importance of design for durability, balancing recycled content with quality, and the need for measurable CE principles. The study highlights the need for KPIs to track circular design performance and suggests managers prepare for upcoming EU ESPR legislation. Limitations include its focus on Swedish companies and the short research timeframe. Future research should further explore the impact of ESPR and develop more KPIs for CE in the apparel industry.

This case study investigates the potential graphite circular economy within the lithium-ion battery industry, intending to create sustainable management of graphite waste streams. The improper handling of graphite as waste amplifies the carbon footprint and incurs additional costs for battery recyclers. Unlike cathode materials in batteries, graphite regeneration into battery-grade material has not beenindustrialized. Therefore, the study investigates recycling and other alternative approaches to obtain the circularity of graphite. The research explores downcycling, recycling, and upcycling business modelsfor graphite from lithium batteries. With the aim to maximize value and minimize efforts and associated costs. As per methods, an exploratory qualitative method was employed with the data mainly collected through interviews with actors in the graphite sector and recycling technologies. The findings showeconomic viability, feasibility, market dynamic, and regulatory aspects as crucial considerations for the decision-making of battery recyclers. Given the novelty of the material, evaluating technical feasibility through research and development requires coordination with potential partners. Several potential customer options, including graphene applications, steel and refineries, and refractory products, are proposed, each involving a respective business model. Furthermore, the study suggests diversifying partners and establishing partnerships with material receivers as a short-term strategy while awaiting advancements in recycling and upcycling technologies.