Harmonising Social Considerations in Firms Transitioning to a Circular Economy

This thesis investigates how organisations develop capabilities for integrating social considerations within circular economy business model transitions - a dimension systematically marginalised in circular economy scholarship despite determining transformation success through stakeholder acceptance, workforce engagement, and community support. Through qualitative investigation of three multinational enterprises at different circular economy maturity stages (nascent, emergent, mature) within UK automotive and related sectors, the research addresses three questions: how organisations incorporate social considerations into business model design, what drivers and barriers influence social value integration, and how organisations harmonise economic, environmental, and social dimensions. The research employs critical realist philosophy with abductive methodology, enabling theoretical development when empirical patterns exceeded explanation by existing frameworks. The Gioia methodology provided systematic analytical progression from participant accounts through conceptual themes to theoretical contributions, while cross-maturity comparison generated insights into capability development trajectories. Three interconnected theoretical contributions emerge. First, the extended dynamic capabilities framework proposes "reacting" as a fourth capability alongside Teece's sensing-seizing-reconfiguring triad, addressing how organisations respond to unexpected stakeholder pressures while generating learning that enhances systematic capability development. The reacting capability develops progressively over time while operationally enabling rapid response to unanticipated events - addressing temporal complexity that existing frameworks inadequately accommodate. Second, the multi-level social value integration framework demonstrates how organisations progressively embed social considerations through operational, strategic, and ecosystem levels, each requiring distinct capabilities while building upon previous foundations. Third, the nested stakeholder development framework reveals how stakeholder engagement capabilities develop cumulatively from inner through middle to outer circles, with outer circle effectiveness depending fundamentally on inner circle capability strength. The findings contribute to circular economy literature by addressing systematic marginalisation of social dimensions, to dynamic capabilities theory by extending theoretical frameworks for complex transformation contexts, and to sustainability science by bridging the persistent gap between transformation aspirations and organisational realities. Practical implications provide capability assessment frameworks and implementation guidance for organisations navigating circular economy transitions.<p></p>

Author dc:creator

• Vinayak Sharma (21043847)

• Circular Economy
• Business Model Innovation
• Social Value
• Multinational Enterprises
• Sustainability Transitions

Statement dc:rights

• All rights reserved
• Open Access after 2027-09-09

Identifier

10779/exe.31574926.v1

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:figshare.com:article/31574926