Essays on the Circular Economy Transition of Organizations: Foundations, Capabilities, Tensions, and Digital Technologies
Year: 2026
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Humanity faces significant challenges, including resource scarcity, increasing greenhouse gas emissions, and rising geopolitical tensions. One way to address these issues is the transition from a linear to a circular economy. A circular economy seeks to maximize product utilization and extend the life cycle of resources, offering considerable potential to address global sustainability challenges. Organizations are under growing pressure from governments, financial markets, and stakeholders to adopt circular practices. Despite the growing number of circularity initiatives, research remains limited on the mechanisms that enable organizations to operationalize CE transitions. To address this limited research, this dissertation examines how organizational capabilities, tensions and trade-offs, and digital technologies enable organizations to plan, implement, and adapt CE transition initiatives. The cumulative dissertation is structured across five publications and divided into four interconnected research areas that collectively contribute to the overarching research objective: (1) Conceptual Foundations, (2) Planning & Strategizing, (3) Managing Tensions, and (4) Technical Enablers. A multi-method research design, combining a systematic literature review and an interview study, undertakes a comprehensive investigation of these areas. The empirical basis comprises the analysis of 278 circularity-related statements and 17 expert interviews with industry and academic representatives, totaling over 600 minutes of audio recordings, as well as the development of design artifacts in accordance with the principles of design science research. This methodological approach culminates in the dissertation’s central objective: developing a toolbox to support organizations in accelerating their transition to a circular economy. This dissertation makes contributions to both research and practice. From a theoretical perspective, it advances a holistic understanding of organizational CE transitions as socio-technical processes shaped by organizational capabilities, inherent tensions, and technical enablers. From a practical perspective, the dissertation provides structured guidance for a range of stakeholders, including managers, sustainability experts, IT professionals, and policymakers, helping them manage organizational CE transition processes. In doing so, this dissertation enriches the existing body of knowledge and delivers tangible artifacts, such as a capability map, that assist organizations in systematically advancing toward circularity.
Author: Hoppe-Ludwig, Christoph
Language: English
Subfield: Strategy and Management
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7203922307