Mechanisms in action: How circular initiatives deepen, broaden, and spread
The shift from a linear economy to a circular bioeconomy comes with many challenges in culture, behavior, business, technology and institutions, requiring transformative change. Circular initiatives are considered starting points for such a transformation as they demonstrate tangible alternatives to...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-06-01
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| Series: | Cleaner Production Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666791624000010 |
| _version_ | 1797320895517163520 |
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| author | O.M. Schagen T.A.P. Metze E.M. de Olde C.J.A.M. Termeer |
| author_facet | O.M. Schagen T.A.P. Metze E.M. de Olde C.J.A.M. Termeer |
| author_sort | O.M. Schagen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The shift from a linear economy to a circular bioeconomy comes with many challenges in culture, behavior, business, technology and institutions, requiring transformative change. Circular initiatives are considered starting points for such a transformation as they demonstrate tangible alternatives to a linear, fossil-based economy. However, detailed insights into the progress of circular impact made by these initiatives have been lacking. Furthermore, conceptualizations of their development have primarily focused on upscaling, neglecting the diverse and dynamic development trajectories these initiatives might take in practice. The research aim of this paper was to better understand how circular initiatives contribute to transformative change. This study empirically explored three different development trajectories of circular initiatives; deepening (become more radical and circular), broadening (connecting with other domains and agendas) and spreading (becoming larger and more numerous). Based on interviews and desk research, 31 circular initiatives in the Netherlands were studied– in the domains of agriculture, biobased materials, marine research, and nature. The results revealed eight configurations, which are combinations of mechanisms that together guided initiatives’ development: deepening of initiatives was triggered by 1) focus and 2) reorganization: broadening was driven by 3) unusual collaboration, 4) aligning interests and 5) establishing a focus; and spreading occurred through 6) increasing capacity, 7) credibility and 8) offering perspective. These eight configurations provided in-depth insights into the diverse and dynamic development of circular initiatives. The configurations highlighted the significance of the interplay of mechanisms in studying the development of initiatives and in designing strategies to guide current and future circular initiatives. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T04:49:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-750dca1003b94eef949821a049c2eb02 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-7916 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T04:49:40Z |
| publishDate | 2024-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cleaner Production Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-750dca1003b94eef949821a049c2eb022024-02-08T05:18:19ZengElsevierCleaner Production Letters2666-79162024-06-016100055Mechanisms in action: How circular initiatives deepen, broaden, and spreadO.M. Schagen0T.A.P. Metze1E.M. de Olde2C.J.A.M. Termeer3Public Administration and Policy Group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 8130, 6700 EW, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Corresponding author.Public Administration and Policy Group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 8130, 6700 EW, Wageningen, the NetherlandsAnimal Production Systems Group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 388, 6700 AH, Wageningen, the NetherlandsPublic Administration and Policy Group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 8130, 6700 EW, Wageningen, the NetherlandsThe shift from a linear economy to a circular bioeconomy comes with many challenges in culture, behavior, business, technology and institutions, requiring transformative change. Circular initiatives are considered starting points for such a transformation as they demonstrate tangible alternatives to a linear, fossil-based economy. However, detailed insights into the progress of circular impact made by these initiatives have been lacking. Furthermore, conceptualizations of their development have primarily focused on upscaling, neglecting the diverse and dynamic development trajectories these initiatives might take in practice. The research aim of this paper was to better understand how circular initiatives contribute to transformative change. This study empirically explored three different development trajectories of circular initiatives; deepening (become more radical and circular), broadening (connecting with other domains and agendas) and spreading (becoming larger and more numerous). Based on interviews and desk research, 31 circular initiatives in the Netherlands were studied– in the domains of agriculture, biobased materials, marine research, and nature. The results revealed eight configurations, which are combinations of mechanisms that together guided initiatives’ development: deepening of initiatives was triggered by 1) focus and 2) reorganization: broadening was driven by 3) unusual collaboration, 4) aligning interests and 5) establishing a focus; and spreading occurred through 6) increasing capacity, 7) credibility and 8) offering perspective. These eight configurations provided in-depth insights into the diverse and dynamic development of circular initiatives. The configurations highlighted the significance of the interplay of mechanisms in studying the development of initiatives and in designing strategies to guide current and future circular initiatives.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666791624000010Circular bio-based economyTransformationTransformative changeTransitionMechanismsInitiatives |
| spellingShingle | O.M. Schagen T.A.P. Metze E.M. de Olde C.J.A.M. Termeer Mechanisms in action: How circular initiatives deepen, broaden, and spread Cleaner Production Letters Circular bio-based economy Transformation Transformative change Transition Mechanisms Initiatives |
| title | Mechanisms in action: How circular initiatives deepen, broaden, and spread |
| title_full | Mechanisms in action: How circular initiatives deepen, broaden, and spread |
| title_fullStr | Mechanisms in action: How circular initiatives deepen, broaden, and spread |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mechanisms in action: How circular initiatives deepen, broaden, and spread |
| title_short | Mechanisms in action: How circular initiatives deepen, broaden, and spread |
| title_sort | mechanisms in action how circular initiatives deepen broaden and spread |
| topic | Circular bio-based economy Transformation Transformative change Transition Mechanisms Initiatives |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666791624000010 |
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