Aug 2026· Circular Economy and Sustainability· Vol 6· 0 citations· 53 references
Abstract
In light of the socio-environmental challenges faced by cities and the climate threats intensified by the linear economic model, it has become increasingly urgent to understand how local governments can lead the transition to more sustainable urban models, such as the Circular Economy. This research analyzes the actions and policies adopted by local governments to promote this transition in major Brazilian cities. The municipalities of Salvador (BA) and São Paulo (SP) were investigated through a multiple-case study and cross-case synthesis. The results indicate that these governments may assume roles and mobilize mechanisms consistent with institutional entrepreneurship by performing five key roles: strategic direction, normative adaptation, capacity building and collaboration networks, support for innovation and circular businesses, and circular urban management. In this research, the findings reveal a predominance of coercive institutional pressures, with a lower presence of normative and mimetic mechanisms, which limits the broader institutional diffusion of circular practices. It is concluded that promoting the CE requires an integrated and multilevel approach that articulates planning, regulation, and stakeholder engagement, as well as the strengthening of institutional capacities and collaborative networks to expand urban transformation. The study contributes by showing that the role of local governments in circular transition depends not only on the existence of governmental initiatives, but on how strategic roles, governance arrangements, and institutional pressures are combined to induce change toward circularity.
This study contributes to the literature on the circular economy (CE) and small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) by advancing both theory and empirical evidence on the role of contextual factors. Theoretically, it refines institutional and cultural contingency perspectives by showing that national innovation systems and societal norms do not uniformly enhance the effectiveness of financial support for CE adoption. Instead, these contextual factors shape the impact of public and private financial resources in an asymmetric and selective manner. By jointly considering formal institutions, such as a country's innovation level, and informal institutions, such as social indulgence, the study offers a more nuanced framework to explain cross‐country variation in SMEs' engagement with CE practices. Empirically, the study analyses Flash Eurobarometer data from 26 European Union countries collected in 2015, 2017 and 2021. The results indicate that greater public and private financial support is associated with higher levels of CE engagement among SMEs. In addition, the findings reveal that national innovation levels positively moderate the relationship between public financial support and CE actions, whereas social indulgence negatively moderates the relationship between public support and CE development. Overall, the study provides comparative evidence highlighting the importance of tailoring financial support policies to national institutional and cultural contexts.
L. Fuentelsaz, Mercedes Gil‐Lamata, Ana Beatriz Lopes de Sousa Jabbour· European Management Review· 0 citations
The environmental degradation, the excessive use of natural resources, the climate crisis as well as the social and economic inequalities are among the major threats facing the planet and asking for immediate action. The prevailing linear production and consumption model seems unable to provide the required solutions to these problems and hence the use of an alternative model, that of circular economy, may offer a better way of addressing those issues. The present paper exposes the new trends in circular economy models, outlines their basic principles and highlights the potential benefits but also the possible pitfalls stemming from their application. On a second level, it focuses on the Greek island municipalities and presents the main findings of relevant research which has been carried out. The research collected an analyzed the views of elected officials and members of administrative staff from sixteen Greek island municipalities regarding their extent of familiarity with the concept of the circular economy, the current level of implementation of circular policies in their municipalities, the main barriers faced, the main strategies required to overcome them and further promote circular policies and finally, the perceived benefits arising from the adoption of circular practices.
This article interrogates the potential of the circular economy as a structuring paradigm for ecological transition and sustainable development in Tunisia, with particular emphasis on the management of construction and demolition waste (CDW). Situating the analysis within critiques of the dominant linear economic model, it elucidates how the circular reconfiguration of material flows may contribute to reducing environmental externalities, preserving natural capital, and stimulating territorially embedded forms of green employment. The study adopts a multidimensional and interdisciplinary methodological framework, combining a critical review of academic literature, the analysis of institutional and policy reports, qualitative interviews with key public and private stakeholders, and an in- depth case study of the RE-MED project, implemented notably in the Greater Tunis region. The study's results demonstrate the development of novel socio-technical configurations for reclaiming and recycling construction and demolition waste (CDW). Concurrently, they underscore how deeply entrenched institutional inertia, regulatory deficiencies, economic hurdles, and socio-cultural pushback continue to obstruct the widespread systemic adoption of circular economy models. The article concludes by advancing a set of policy-relevant recommendations aimed at reinforcing governancearchitectures, consolidating recycling value chains, and fostering the societal embedding of circular economy principles within the Tunisian context.
M. Ellouze· Advances in Social Sciences...· 0 citations
Long regarded as the primary driver of the destructive effects associated with globalized and neo-liberal capitalism, in recent decades firms have re-emerged in scholarly debates not only as a source of problems but also as an agent for promoting more inclusive and environmentally sustainable development models. The growing diffusion of new business models calls for explanations concerning their origins, motivations and intentions, as well as the role of the contexts, factors that ultimately shape their capacity to support concrete transition processes. This paper integrates categories drawn from the literature on sustainable entrepreneurship and from ecological distinction applied to pro-environmental attitudes into a unified analytical framework, with the aim of improving our understanding of emerging forms of entrepreneurship while accounting for territorial specificities. The empirical basis of the research was developed within the case study of Palermo, one of the largest urban areas in southern Italy, which is a peripheral region of Europe. The research employs a qualitative methodology through the use of discursive interviews conducted with 24 entrepreneurs in the service sector, mainly food, circular economy, and sustainable tourism. The paper proposes a typology of firms that makes it possible to highlight the features of a hybrid form of entrepreneurship, interpreted in light of its social foundation (the urban critical middle class) and the characteristics of the territory in the case study (a peripheral area).
Laura Azzolina, Sarah Mazzenzana· Frontiers in Sociology· 0 citations
In the context of institutional changes caused by the formation of a mobilization economy, issues of interaction between government and business come to the fore. The difficult economic situation places increased demands on the quality of public administration and its ability not only to deal with current shocks, but also to create long-term incentives for development. In this context, the dialogue between the State and the business community is no longer a formal procedure and is becoming a key mechanism for ensuring economic security and finding ways to achieve sustainable growth. The article offers the author's interpretation of the scientific concept of "institutional change". The key factors and sources determining the dynamics of institutional changes are highlighted. Various approaches to how entrepreneurs perceive and evaluate their relations with government authorities are considered. The article describes three main types of business reaction to government policy: reactive, interactive and proactive. To assess the effectiveness of business-government relations in the Russian Federation, the B2G Index was analyzed, which reflects the state of the segment of business interaction with government customers. Among the key features of the interaction between government and business during the period of institutional changes, the article highlights the transformation of the very nature of the dialogue between business and government, the growing importance of the institutional environment, the increasing complexity of the mechanisms of business influence on government, the increasing role of non-state actors, and the aggravation of institutional risks. It is concluded that trust will be crucial for building effective relations between business and government.
Irina V. Mostovaya· EKONOMIKA I UPRAVLENIE: PROB...· 0 citations
The purpose of this study is to analyze three Brazilian territories marked by tense relationships between companies and communities, seeking to understand how these ties are constructed over time.
This study adopts an exploratory qualitative approach (Eisenhardt, 1989). From an epistemological standpoint, the study is grounded in an interpretivist perspective (Cunliffe, 2011).
The findings indicate that multi-stakeholder governance is a dynamic process, in which organizational arrangements, power distribution and forms of social value creation are continuously reconfigured over time. The study demonstrates how governance models emerge, evolve and are contested throughout the relationship cycle, thereby influencing the generation of social value.
Although the study does not measure social impact through public policy indicators, its findings engage with key challenges of the 2030 Agenda, particularly sustainable development goals (SDG) 16 (governance, coordination and legitimacy in contexts of institutional fragility), SDG 10 (power asymmetries and the expansion of community participation) and SDG 11 (territorial dynamics and firm–community relationships). Thus, the article provides an analytical foundation for understanding how multi-stakeholder arrangements may enable or constrain more equitable and sustainable responses in Global South territories.
This study makes three contributions to the literature on multi-stakeholder governance (Bridoux & Stoelhorst, 2022) and social value creation (Lazzarini, 2020).
L. Angellotti, M. Gama· RAE: Revista de Administraçã...· 0 citations
