Tools for managing barriers to circular business models for international markets

Important results from the project

The aim of the project was to increase knowledge of circular business models for international markets by developing a tool / framework that enables the identification and analysis of barriers at company, ecosystem and policy level. Such a tool has been developed and implemented in participating companies. A simplified version is publicly available in the form of an article that identifies barriers to circular business models at different levels and relates these to the different components of a circular business model.

Expected long term effects

The result is improved circular business models in participating companies - BillerudKorsnäs and Sandvik Coromant - by allowing different types of barriers to be better understood and managed. In addition, the project has worked with a larger reference group of participating companies in the development and validation of tools / frameworks, and with external dissemination of knowledge, to disseminate widely the results in Swedish industry.

Approach and implementation

The project has been carried out in close cooperation between participating researchers and participating companies. The methodology has consisted of literature studies, interviews with participating companies and their ecosystem actors, workshops & seminars, and joint development work. The researchers have been primarily responsible for background analysis and the development of model / framework, while participating companies have primarily worked with their own problem analysis, reception and implementation of project results.