Circular Business Models: Barriers, Enablers, and Decision-Support Frameworks

The depletion of natural resources, environmental degradation, and the rise in waste generation have highlighted the limitations of the traditional linear economic model, which adheres to a "take-make-dispose" philosophy. As global populations expand and consumption patterns intensify, businesses face increasing pressure from governments, consumers, and other stakeholders to adopt more sustainable practices. In response, the concept of the circular economy has emerged as a viable alternative that seeks to minimize waste, extend product lifecycles, and maximize resource efficiency through strategies such as reuse, remanufacturing, recycling, and product-service systems. Circular Business Models (CBMs) exemplify the practical implementation of circular economy principles within organizations. Unlike conventional business models that primarily focus on value creation through product sales, CBMs aim to create, deliver, and capture value while maintaining materials and products within closed loops. These models provide substantial environmental, economic, and social benefits, including reduced dependency on resources, lower operational costs, enhanced customer engagement, and improved sustainability performance. Consequently, industries across manufacturing, retail, electronics, automotive, and consumer goods are increasingly investigating circular business practices.Goal of the Research TopicThe primary goal of this Research Topic is to advance scholarly and practical understanding of Circular Business Models (CBMs) by examining the barriers that hinder their adoption, the enablers that facilitate their successful implementation, and the decision-support frameworks that guide organizations in their transition toward circular economy practices.This Research Topic seeks to provide a multidisciplinary platform for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to explore innovative approaches, empirical evidence, and theoretical developments related to circular business transformation. It aims to identify critical organizational, technological, economic, social, and regulatory factors influencing the design and scaling of CBMs across different industries and geographical contexts.Furthermore, the Research Topic intends to promote the development and application of robust decision-support tools, methodologies, and frameworks that can assist stakeholders in evaluating circular opportunities, managing transition challenges, measuring performance, and making informed strategic decisions. By integrating perspectives from sustainability, operations management, innovation, digital technologies, supply chain management, and public policy, the issue aims to generate actionable knowledge that supports the acceleration of circular economy implementation.Ultimately, the Research Topic aims to contribute to the creation of more sustainable, resilient, and resource-efficient business systems by fostering collaboration between academia and practice and by highlighting pathways for overcoming barriers and scaling circular business innovations worldwide.Specific Objectives:• To identify and analyze the key barriers affecting the adoption and scaling of Circular Business Models.• To investigate organizational, technological, policy, and market-based enablers that support circular transformation.• To examine emerging decision-support frameworks, tools, and methodologies for circular business decision-making.• To assess the role of digital technologies, data analytics, and artificial intelligence in facilitating circular business practices.• To provide evidence-based recommendations for businesses, policymakers, and other stakeholders seeking to implement circular economy strategies.• To encourage interdisciplinary research that bridges theory and practice in the field of circular business innovation.• To highlight successful case studies and best practices that demonstrate scalable and impactful circular business solutions.Scope and information for AuthorsDespite the rising interest in CBMs, their adoption presents significant challenges. Organizations often face multiple barriers, including high initial investment costs, technological limitations, a lack of consumer awareness, insufficient regulatory support, supply chain complexities, and organizational resistance to change. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) may encounter additional constraints concerning financial resources, expertise, and access to necessary circular infrastructure. These challenges can impede the successful transition from linear to circular operations. Conversely, several enablers exist that facilitate the implementation of Circular Business Models. Supportive government policies, technological innovations, digitalization, stakeholder collaboration, sustainable consumer behaviors, and organizational commitment to sustainability can significantly bolster the adoption and efficacy of CBMs. Gaining an understanding of the interplay between these barriers and enablers is essential for developing effective strategies that assist businesses in their transition towards circularity.Therefore, this Research Topic aims to examine the key barriers and enablers that influence the adoption of Circular Business Models while exploring the role of decision-support frameworks in facilitating successful implementation. The findings are anticipated to contribute to both academic knowledge and practical applications by providing insights that assist organizations in surmounting transition challenges and accelerating the shift toward a more sustainable and circular economy. Moreover, decision-makers frequently encounter difficulties in evaluating, selecting, and implementing suitable circular strategies due to the complexity of sustainability considerations and the diverse interests of multiple stakeholders. Consequently, there is an increasing necessity for comprehensive decision-support frameworks that can aid organizations in assessing opportunities, prioritizing actions, managing risks, and measuring circular performance. Such frameworks can furnish structured guidance for the integration of circular principles into business operations and strategic planning.Key Themes and TopicsThis Research Topic welcomes contributions on the following topics:• Circular business model design, innovation, and implementation• Barriers to circular economy adoption and scaling• Organizational, technological, and policy enablers of circular transformation• Decision-support frameworks and tools for circular business strategies• Artificial intelligence, IoT, blockchain, and digital technologies for circularity• Circular supply chains, reverse logistics, and resource recovery• Circular economy performance measurement and sustainability assessment• Governance, regulation, and policy frameworks supporting circular business models• Industry-specific applications and case studies• Emerging trends and future directions in circular economy researchThe Research Topic invites a variety of high-quality submissions, including:Original research articles (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods)Review papers (systematic or bibliometric analyses)Conceptual and theoretical frameworksCase studies and industry applicationsMethodological and modeling papers Topic editors: Sarbjit Singh Oberoi, Anurag Singh, Ujjwal Das Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80777/circular-business-models-barriers-enablers-and-decision-support-frameworks