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Institutionalization of circular business models in the United States

Bocken, Nancy LU and Coffay, Matthew (2025) In Journal of Industrial Ecology 29(6). p.2353-2366
Abstract

The transition to a circular economy challenges existing regulatory frameworks, social norms, and belief systems: the dominant institutions. Moving from a linear to circular business model (CBM) is essential for sustainable business transformation. While CBMs have been widely studied in Europe, less is known about their emergence in the United States, where a national circular economy policy is still absent. This study explores how CBMs emerge in the United States, analyzing semi-structured interviews with companies and employing deductive thematic analysis alongside institutional work theory. First, we identify a variety of successful CBMs in the United States. Second, we present a framework of pathways for circular business... (More)

The transition to a circular economy challenges existing regulatory frameworks, social norms, and belief systems: the dominant institutions. Moving from a linear to circular business model (CBM) is essential for sustainable business transformation. While CBMs have been widely studied in Europe, less is known about their emergence in the United States, where a national circular economy policy is still absent. This study explores how CBMs emerge in the United States, analyzing semi-structured interviews with companies and employing deductive thematic analysis alongside institutional work theory. First, we identify a variety of successful CBMs in the United States. Second, we present a framework of pathways for circular business innovation. Third, we present a “Circular Business Institutionalization Framework,” which bridges theories on institutional work and ecologies of business models. The frameworks offer insights into institutional leverage points and strategic positioning, with implications for guiding future sustainability transitions.

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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
business models, circular economy, institutional theory, institutional work, North America, USA
in
Journal of Industrial Ecology
volume
29
issue
6
pages
14 pages
publisher
MIT Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:105021319253
ISSN
1088-1980
DOI
10.1111/jiec.70115
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of Industrial Ecology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Society for Industrial Ecology.
id
1d12ceff-a664-4e9e-a2d9-dfec429b173d
date added to LUP
2025-12-19 14:28:01
date last changed
2025-12-19 14:29:19
@article{1d12ceff-a664-4e9e-a2d9-dfec429b173d,
  abstract     = {{<p>The transition to a circular economy challenges existing regulatory frameworks, social norms, and belief systems: the dominant institutions. Moving from a linear to circular business model (CBM) is essential for sustainable business transformation. While CBMs have been widely studied in Europe, less is known about their emergence in the United States, where a national circular economy policy is still absent. This study explores how CBMs emerge in the United States, analyzing semi-structured interviews with companies and employing deductive thematic analysis alongside institutional work theory. First, we identify a variety of successful CBMs in the United States. Second, we present a framework of pathways for circular business innovation. Third, we present a “Circular Business Institutionalization Framework,” which bridges theories on institutional work and ecologies of business models. The frameworks offer insights into institutional leverage points and strategic positioning, with implications for guiding future sustainability transitions.</p>}},
  author       = {{Bocken, Nancy and Coffay, Matthew}},
  issn         = {{1088-1980}},
  keywords     = {{business models; circular economy; institutional theory; institutional work; North America; USA}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{2353--2366}},
  publisher    = {{MIT Press}},
  series       = {{Journal of Industrial Ecology}},
  title        = {{Institutionalization of circular business models in the United States}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jiec.70115}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/jiec.70115}},
  volume       = {{29}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}