Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify and systematize journal articles that relate to new product development (NPD) within a circular economy (CE) and to present an integrative framework. Design/methodology/approach It was conducted a qualitative research based on a systematic review of the literature. Findings As results, it is presented the identification of the main practices and actions of CE applied to NPD, as well as the drivers, barriers and the stakeholders involved in the integration between CE and NPD. Originality/value The main contributions of this research are: mapping the state-of-the-art on the topic and systematizing the existing knowledge; providing useful insights for product development professionals considering adopting CE practices and tools in their NPD processes; and presenting a unique, integrative framework to guide organizations’ actions.

While the circular economy (CE) attracts attention from scholars and practitioners, the concept has been challenged by claims that the CE may be seen as a vague concept, or a new label for old green management practices. We propose a new approach to study the effects of the CE on company performance: circular product design (CPD). Consequently, this work investigates how Industry 4.0 technologies and stakeholder pressure influence CPD and, in turn, impact on company performance. Data were obtained from firms which develop products in the electric-electronic and equipment (EEE) sectors in Brazil. Our research results indicate that (i) the application of Industry 4.0 technologies favors CPD, in particular artificial intelligence and big data analytics; (ii) pressure from stakeholders can encourage the adoption of circular strategies, specially from suppliers because they are responsible for developing and delivering smart components; and (iii) although the literature may be seen as controversial, there is a positive relationship with regard to the impacts of CE adoption on market performance. Among its main implications, the article also suggests a set of design strategies oriented towards the development of products for the CE.

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PurposeAlthough product design is a fundamental element in the transition towards the circular economy, the knowledge of practices, methods and tools oriented to circular product design has not been widely developed. This study aims to contribute to the circular economy research area by investigating and analyzing the main design approaches to circular products and their relationship to new product development.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a systematic review and qualitative analysis of 120 articles. In these studies, the authors analyzed aspects such as design strategies used, the barriers to the adoption of circular product design and the relationships between the phases of new product development processes with circular product design studies.FindingsThe findings revealed that the circular product design approach has added new design strategies to those already recommended by ecodesign, such as multiple use cycles, emotional durability and biomimicry. Furthermore, the results showed that most circular product design articles focus on the planning and concept development phases of the new product development process.Originality/valueIn this article, the authors systematized the findings of an emergent research area: the development of new products for the circular economy. Its main contributions lie in the identification of design strategies, the classification of Design for X approaches, analysis of such approaches during the new product development process and discussion of their main barriers. Finally, this study presents contributions for managers and designers who are starting the transition to a circular strategy.

Although many studies on product portfolio management (PPM) and ecodesign exist, there are few investigations that analyze these areas in an integrated way. They are normally conceptually separated, with very few theoretical and empirical interactions evident in the literature. This article proposes a theoretical framework that integrates ecodesign practices, methods, and tools with portfolio management during the product planning stage. For the development of this framework, a systematic analysis and literature review of both PPM and ecodesign were conducted. The framework subsequently developed was evaluated through a pilot test within two companies that develop products derived from Brazilian biodiversity. In terms of results, it presents a set of practices that are associated with the following dimensions: Guides, Methods, and Tools; Organization; and Strategy. After presenting the evaluation of the framework by the companies, practices are proposed which can be useful for the integration of ecodesign into PPM, such as adoption of the Project Management Office (PMO) and the use of social media.

The circular economy (CE) is an important approach and current trend in environmental sustainability. The implementation of the CE depends on the adoption of sustainable practices from the planning stages of new product development (NPD). Although the literature recognises the need to apply CE practices into NPD, few studies have tried to provide support for the issues based on real case studies. This article aims to identify and analyse practices, barriers and drivers to the development of circular products. To achieve this objective, a multiple case study was carried out in three medium and large Brazilian companies that have environmental concerns and, at the same time, are continuously involved in NPD activities. The results show that the companies’ circular product designs already foresee waste and recycled components as raw materials. In addition, it was found that infrastructural aspects and low awareness of customers regarding sustainability are challenges to overcome. Finally, for the adoption of CE practices, regulatory legislation stood out as a significant driver. This article contributes to theory and practice by providing empirical evidence of how companies have planned to build circular products by incorporating circular practices into the NPD process.

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