Scholars, politicians, and practitioners have recently advocated that eco-innovation (EI) is critical to achieve the circular economy (CE) vision. While much of the available body of knowledge on EI has predominantly focused on "eco-efficient" incremental technological innovation, a successful CE transition requires systemic "eco-effective" CE innovation. Yet, little is known about what barriers and drivers are stimulating systemic CE innovation in different sectors and regions. This research aims to deliver an identification of major CE barriers and drivers that impede or facilitate systemic "eco-effective" CE innovation in the European polyurethane plastics industry. A hybrid research approach is applied using an original combination of the inductive GABEK method ("GAnzheitliche BEwältigung von Komplexität"-holistic processing of complexity) with deductive consideration of existing theories. Novel findings indicate that barriers to CE innovation largely materialize on individual firm and intra-industrial levels, while drivers to CE innovation primarily manifest beyond immediate industrial boundaries (inter-/cross-industrial). The key contribution lies on revealing the necessity to reframe the focus from mere individual "optimization", which has been primarily discussed in the contemporary EI literature, to a collective (horizontal) "coordination" challenge across industries to enable a functional CE innovation. In addition, five strategic deliberations are proposed to facilitate and further advance the management of systemic CE innovation activities.
The transition to a fully-fledged circular economy (CE) has proven to be challenging for many industries. Despite possible competitive advantages of moving industries towards CE activities, their practical implementation is still limited. This communication article delivers ad interim an identification of technological challenges and opportunities for the European plastics industries to facilitate circularity ambitions. In applying the qualitative-empirical Gioia-method utilizing the GABEK-WinRelan tool, specific technological challenges and opportunities for plastics industries were identified. Major findings indicate that technological challenges for plastics are predominantly seen in (C1) secondary material contamination; (C2) recycling processing issues; (C3) production processing issues; (C4) production material quality issues; and (C5) end-product quality issues, while the opportunities lie in (O1) effective secondary material management; (O2) innovation for chemical recycling; (O3) innovation for production and processability; (O4) innovative materials; and (O5) innovative end-products. This article contributes to the contemporary debate of CE challenges and opportunities to plastics valorization by highlighting the promising role of chemical recycling on a monomer-level as a key facilitator to a circular plastics economy. Further, it was found that technological transitions must be coupled with compatible market incentive mechanisms guided by effective institutional structures.
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