The role of digital technologies in supporting the implementation of circular economy practices by industrial small and medium enterprises

Neri, Alessandra and Negri, Marta and Cagno, Enrico and Fanzo, Simone and Kumar, Vikas and Lampertico, Tommaso and Bassani, Carlo Andrea (2023) The role of digital technologies in supporting the implementation of circular economy practices by industrial small and medium enterprises. Business Strategy and the Environment. ISSN 1099-0836

Preview

Text Neri et al. 2023 BSE - Accepted Version_PreProof.pdf - Accepted Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (947kB)

Abstract

The adoption of Industry 4.0’s digital technologies can enable the implementation of circular economy practices. Nonetheless, current indications for industrial practitioners on how to exploit the broad set of technologies for circular transition appear unclear. This issue is even more challenging for small and medium enterprises, which are typically endowed with more limited resources than larger firms and are characterised by both a digital and circular divide. This study contributes to the academic debate by offering an exploratory empirical analysis - based on semi-structured interviews - that involved ten Italian industrial small and medium enterprises to deepen the knowledge of the supporting role played by digital technologies in implementing circular economy practices by small and medium enterprises, also considering the potential synergies among such technologies. Results are of interest also to industrial decision-makers, allowing them to exploit their firms’ resources towards the adoption of those digital technologies that could be more effective to foster the circular transition.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number:	10.1002/bse.3388
Dates:	Date Event 7 February 2023 Accepted 26 February 2023 Published Online
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Circular Economy, Dynamic Capabilities, Digital Technologies, SMEs, Industrial
Subjects:	CAH17 - business and management > CAH17-01 - business and management > CAH17-01-04 - management studies
Divisions:	Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences > College of Accountancy, Finance and Economics Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences > College of Business, Digital Transformation & Entrepreneurship
Depositing User:	Vikas Kumar
Date Deposited:	22 Feb 2023 17:22
Last Modified:	20 Jun 2024 12:05
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/14200

Actions (login required)

View Item