The main innovation proposed by the project will be the development of a holistic approach for evaluating and realising the transition towards the Circular Economy, involving knowledge and methodologies from multiple domains (including Supply Chain Management, Environmental Science, Environmental and Ecological Economics, Science and Technology Studies, Innovation Studies) and addressing economic, environmental and social issues.
The trans-national, multi-disciplinary, multi-sector, multi-stakeholder approach proposed in this project aims to bridge the main gap in research dealing with the CE paradigm, that, to date has been characterised by a “silo” approach that has undermined theoretical development and knowledge transfer to practitioners.
To this aim, the project will be articulated in the following research work packages (WP):
WP1 (led by UVIGO), will deal with theoretical and methodological work aimed at:
- developing a portfolio of techniques of horizon scanning techniques
- applying such portfolio of techniques for identifying plausible circular futures
WP2 (led by USFD) will be mainly concerned with:
- the identification of alternative production networks and supply chain configurations which could be compatible with CE futures identified in WP1
- the definition of approaches for measuring their performances according to environmental, social and economic perspectives
- required stakeholders’ capabilities for the implementation of circular supply chains, within the alternative CE futures identified in WP1
WP3 (led by USE) will be mainly concerned with the development of in-depth case studies from the non-academic partners, related to supply chain modelling.
This WP will operationalise the supply chain configurations identified in WP2, providing insights to partners and wider stakeholders’ groups about disruptive market changes that could be introduced by a transition towards a CE and ways to reorganise supply networks