To read this content please select one of the options below:

A systematic literature review on circular economy practices: challenges, opportunities and future trends

Syed Abdul Rehman Khan (School of Engineering and Management, Xuzhou University of Technology, Xuzhou, China)
Adeel Syed Ali Shah (Department of Supply Chain and Logistics Management, College of Business Management, Karachi, Pakistan)
Zhang Yu (School of Economics and Management, Chang'an University, China and Department of Business Administration, ILMA University, Karachi, Pakistan)
Muhammad Tanveer (Prince Sultan University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)

Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies

ISSN: 2053-4604

Article publication date: 18 January 2022

Issue publication date: 30 November 2022

2164

Abstract

Purpose

The circular economy (CE) is an evolving subject transitioning from conceptualization to empirical testing. Over the past decade, researchers have done an exhaustive study to understand the concept of CE and its realized values both financially and environmentally on organizations that have traditional business models based on linear consumption. For understanding the transitional phenomena completely, the paper aims to review the current and emerging research trends in CE to ascertain future direction.

Design/methodology/approach

The research was conducted on 91 articles published in the study area during the past decade (2016–2021) in renowned peer-reviewed journals. The criteria set to review literature are based on the following assortment: CE drivers, CE barriers, definitions by different authors, yearly distribution of the publication, research publisher and journals, google citation and methodology used in the selected research articles.

Findings

The study suggests that researchers from the selected years are keen to understand the transition and its critical factors by bringing forward frameworks and incorporating CE with digital technologies. The digital technology implied are Industrial Technology (IR) 4.0, Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and Data Analytics to increase organizational and environmental performance. CE researchers need to use empirical testing in different sectors to understand and bring forward more improvised business models and practices according to the dynamics of the industry.

Originality/value

The literature review suggests gaps exist to integrate the micro, meso and macro levels to get CE implementation's system-wide benefits. The study has also identified that many CE frameworks available in the literature for implementation must be empirically tested to yield performance results.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This research is supported by the Beijing Key Laboratory of Urban Spatial Information Engineering (No. 20210218) and Research Center of ILMA University.

Citation

Khan, S.A.R., Shah, A.S.A., Yu, Z. and Tanveer, M. (2022), "A systematic literature review on circular economy practices: challenges, opportunities and future trends", Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, Vol. 14 No. 5, pp. 754-795. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEEE-09-2021-0349

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited

Related articles