Collaborate or Perish: Harnessing Strategic Drivers to Navigate the Circular Economy Transition

In an era marked by burgeoning environmental concerns and resource depletion, integrating economic growth with sustainable development has become imperative. In response, this research project dwells on circular economy as a strategic approach that promotes a shift from traditional production and consumption systems to restorative and renewable ones. Through four distinct studies, I investigated the practices driving circular principles’ adoption in businesses, winking at inter-organisational collaborative approaches. The dissertation includes a systematic literature review, two multiple case studies with differing philosophical positions, and deductive research based on structural equation modelling. As a result, it recognises and clarifies some critical drivers of circular economy adoption in businesses, which are enabled and empowered by a multistakeholder approach. Findings highlight the importance of strategic collaboration, open innovation, and digital technologies in encouraging circular products, processes, and practices development in collaborative business models. Each study made a specific contribution to the literature by wearing different theoretical lenses, including the resource-based view of the firm, stakeholder theory, and institutional theory. In terms of practical implications, this dissertation provides valuable insights into the strategic drivers and collaborative practices essential for achieving sustainable development and pursuing the circular economy transition.