A linear economy traditionally follows the “take-make-dispose” step-by-step plan. This means that raw materials are collected, and then transformed into products that are used until they are finally discarded as waste. Value is created in this economic system by producing and selling as many products as possible.
Published in Chapter:
Operationalization of Circular Economy: A Conceptual Model
Teresa Dieguez (Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave, Portugal & Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Portugal)
Copyright: © 2020
|Pages: 23
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-5116-5.ch003
Abstract
The arguments for growth, inequality and persistent poverty, climate change, and finite resources call for stronger sustainable development policies, from both developed and developing countries. Situations of more or less (un)sustainability that encourage the idea of finding reasonable ways out of humanity's desire for progress can be conceived. The economy is nowadays mainly based on the called linear economy, which demands a paradigm shift within public administration, companies, and citizens must be committed. The present study has the main goal to understand how entrepreneurship and business have shaped the sustainability and the circular economy model requirements. It also aims to review important concepts like circular economy, sustainable development, sustainable entrepreneurship, servitization, and product-service system. A hypothetical conceptual model for the operationalization of the circular economy model is proposed. Finally, some discussion is done, future research is suggested, and conclusions are presented.