Abstract
In light of the growing usage of scarce resources, heightened consumerism, and ballooning emissions, the spike in consumer demand for products precipitates an upswing in production. This, thus, encourages the deterioration of the ecosystem. The obligatory adoption of sustainable development becomes important for maintaining ecosystems and preserving natural resources. Attaining the goals of sustainable development compels firms to adopt a circular economy (CE) strategy, focusing emphasis on sustainable manufacturing processes. Nevertheless, the adoption and expansion of CE are impeded by several obstacles, including the considerable upfront expenses, the intricate nature of the supply chain, the lack of collaboration between businesses, insufficient information, shortages in skills, the need to compromise on quality, and the extended time required for disassembly. The study identifies 15 enablers of the adoption of circular economy (CE) in a develo** economy. The fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation (Fuzzy-DEMATEL) method was used to prioritize and categorize these enablers. The findings reveal that “Top Management Commitment” is the most significant enabler of circular economy (CE). Other CE enablers include an increase of profit, infrastructure and technology, environmental laws and regulations, economic benefits, strategic planning, training and education for employee and, reduction of cost. Understanding these enablers’ underlying causes is just as important as identifying them as it will inform the development of strategic imperatives that may help these enablers and promote the expansion of circular economy (CE).
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs41660-024-00438-y/MediaObjects/41660_2024_438_Fig1_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs41660-024-00438-y/MediaObjects/41660_2024_438_Fig2_HTML.png)
![](http://media.springernature.com/m312/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs41660-024-00438-y/MediaObjects/41660_2024_438_Fig3_HTML.png)
Similar content being viewed by others
Data Availability
The data that support the findings of this study are not openly available due to reasons of sensitivity and are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
References
Abdul Rashid SH, Evans S, Longhurst P (2008) A comparison of four sustainable manufacturing strategies. Int J Sustain Eng 1(3):214–229. https://doi.org/10.1080/19397030802513836
Acerbi F, Taisch M (2020) A literature review on circular economy adoption in the manufacturing sector. J Clean Prod 273:123086. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123086
Agyemang M, Kusi-Sarpong S, Khan SA, Mani V, Rehman ST, Kusi-Sarpong H (2019) Drivers and barriers to circular economy implementation: an explorative study in Pakistan’s automobile industry. Manag Decis 57(4):971–994. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-11-2018-1178
Alavi B, Tavana M, Mina H (2021) A dynamic decision support system for sustainable supplier selection in circular economy. Sustain Prod Consumpt 27:905–920. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2021.02.015
Aries Susanty BT, Sulistyani RE (2020) An investigation into circular economy practices in the traditional wooden furniture industry. Prod Plan Control 31(16):1336–1348. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2019.1707322
Armstrong, K., Avery, G., Bhatt, A., Burton, R., Carpenter, A., Cresko, J., Dollinger, C., Dong, W., Iloeje, C., Graziano, D., & others. (2023). Sustainable Manufacturing and the Circular Economy. National Renewable Energy Lab.(NREL), Golden, CO (United States).
Bag S, Pretorius JHC (2020) Relationships between industry 4.0, sustainable manufacturing and circular economy: proposal of a research framework. Int J Organizational Analysis 30(4):864–898. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOA-04-2020-2120
Bhandari D, Singh RK, Garg SK (2019) Prioritisation and evaluation of barriers intensity for implementation of cleaner technologies: framework for sustainable production. Resour Conserv Recycl 146:156–167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.02.038
Bhosale VA, Kant R (2016) An integrated ISM fuzzy MICMAC approach for modelling the supply chain knowledge flow enablers. Int J Prod Res 54(24):7374–7399. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2016.1189102
Bressanelli G, Perona M, Saccani N (2019) Challenges in supply chain redesign for the circular economy: a literature review and a multiple case study. Int J Prod Res 57(23):7395–7422. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2018.1542176
Brown P, Bocken N, & Balkenende R (2019). Why do companies pursue collaborative circular oriented innovation? Sustainability 11 (3). https://doi.org/10.3390/su11030635
Caldera HTS, Desha C, & Dawes L (2019). Transforming manufacturing to be ‘good for planet and people’, through enabling lean and green thinking in small and medium-sized enterprises. Sustainable Earth 2 1 https://doi.org/10.1186/s42055-019-0011-z
Ciccullo F, Cagliano R, Bartezzaghi G, Perego A (2021) Implementing the circular economy paradigm in the agri-food supply chain: the role of food waste prevention technologies. Resour Conserv Recycl 164:105114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105114
Clark N, Trimingham R, Storer I (2019) Understanding the views of the UK food packaging supply chain in order to support a move to circular economy systems. Packag Technol Sci 32(11):577–591. https://doi.org/10.1002/pts.2474
de Jesus A, Mendonça S (2018) Lost in transition? Drivers and barriers in the eco-innovation road to the circular economy. Ecol Econ 145:75–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.08.001
De Mattos CA, De Albuquerque TLM (2018) Enabling factors and strategies for the transition toward a circular economy (CE). Sustainability 10(12):12. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10124628
Despeisse M, Baumers M, Brown P, Charnley F, Ford SJ, Garmulewicz A, Knowles S, Minshall THW, Mortara L, Reed-Tsochas FP, Rowley J (2017) Unlocking value for a circular economy through 3D printing: a research agenda. Technol Forecast Soc Chang 115:75–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2016.09.021
Dossa AA, Gough A, Batista L, Mortimer K (2022) Diffusion of circular economy practices in the UK wheat food supply chain. Int J Log Res Appl 25(3):328–347. https://doi.org/10.1080/13675567.2020.1837759
Dragomir VD, Dumitru M (2022) Practical solutions for circular business models in the fashion industry. Cleaner Logistics and Supply Chain 4:100040. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clscn.2022.100040
Dubey R, Gunasekaran A, Childe SJ, Papadopoulos T, Helo P (2018) Supplier relationship management for circular economy: influence of external pressures and top management commitment. Manag Decis 57(4):767–790. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-04-2018-0396
Feng J, Gong Z (2020) Integrated linguistic entropy weight method and multi-objective programming model for supplier selection and order allocation in a circular economy: a case study. J Clean Prod 277:122597. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122597
Gbededo MA, Liyanage K, Garza-Reyes JA (2018) Towards a life cycle sustainability analysis: a systematic review of approaches to sustainable manufacturing. J Clean Prod 184:1002–1015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.02.310
Ghisellini P, Cialani C, Ulgiati S (2016) A review on circular economy: the expected transition to a balanced interplay of environmental and economic systems. J Clean Prod 114:11–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.09.007
Gong Y, Putnam E, You W, Zhao C (2020) Investigation into circular economy of plastics: the case of the UK fast moving consumer goods industry. J Clean Prod 244:118941. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118941
Gorane SJ, Kant R (2013) Modelling the SCM enablers: an integrated ISM-fuzzy MICMAC approach. Asia Pac J Mark Logist 25(2):263–286. https://doi.org/10.1108/13555851311314059
Govindan K, Hasanagic M (2018) A systematic review on drivers, barriers, and practices towards circular economy: a supply chain perspective. Int J Prod Res 56(1–2):278–311. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2017.1402141
Govindan K, Mina H, Esmaeili A, Gholami-Zanjani SM (2020) An integrated hybrid approach for circular supplier selection and closed loop supply chain network design under uncertainty. J Clean Prod 242:118317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118317
Gunarathne ADN, Lee K-H, Hitigala Kaluarachchilage PK (2021) Institutional pressures, environmental management strategy, and organizational performance: the role of environmental management accounting. Bus Strateg Environ 30(2):825–839. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2656
Gusmerotti NM, Testa F, Corsini F, Pretner G, Iraldo F (2019) Drivers and approaches to the circular economy in manufacturing firms. J Clean Prod 230:314–327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.05.044
Hart J, Adams K, Giesekam J, Tingley DD, Pomponi F (2019) Barriers and drivers in a circular economy: the case of the built environment. Procedia CIRP 80:619–624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2018.12.015
Heckmann I, Comes T, Nickel S (2015) A critical review on supply chain risk – definition, measure and modeling. Omega 52:119–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.omega.2014.10.004
Hopkinson P, De Angelis R, Zils M (2020) Systemic building blocks for creating and capturing value from circular economy. Resour Conserv Recycl 155:104672. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.104672
Huang A, Badurdeen F, Jawahir IS (2018) Towards develo** sustainable reconfigurable manufacturing systems. Procedia Manufacturing 17:1136–1143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2018.10.024
Jaeger B, Upadhyay A (2020) Understanding barriers to circular economy: cases from the manufacturing industry. J Enterp Inf Manag 33(4):729–745. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEIM-02-2019-0047
Jawahir I, Badurdeen F, & Rouch K (2013). Innovation in sustainable manufacturing education. Proceedings of the 11th Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing, 9–16.
Kirchherr J, Reike D, Hekkert M (2017) Conceptualizing the circular economy: an analysis of 114 definitions. Resour Conserv Recycl 127:221–232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.09.005
Kowalski Z, Kulczycka J, Banach M, Makara A (2023) A complex circular-economy quality indicator for assessing production systems at the micro level. Sustainability 15(18):18. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813495
Kumar V, Sezersan I, Garza-Reyes JA, Gonzalez ED, Shboul MD Circular economy in the manufacturing sector: benefits, opportunities and barriers. Management Decision, 57(4), 1067–1086
Larsson, M. (2018). The circular economy and business challenges. In M. Larsson (Ed.), Circular business models: develo** a sustainable future (pp. 27–39). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71791-3_4
Lewandowski M (2016) Designing the business models for circular economy—towards the conceptual framework. Sustainability 8(1):43. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8010043
Liang W, Zhao G, Hong C (2018) Performance assessment of circular economy for phosphorus chemical firms based on VIKOR-QUALIFLEX method. J Clean Prod 196:1365–1378. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.06.147
Lieder M, Rashid A (2016) Towards circular economy implementation: a comprehensive review in context of manufacturing industry. J Clean Prod 115:36–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.12.042
Liu S (2020) Interactions between industrial development and environmental protection dimensions of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): evidence from 40 countries with different income levels. Environ Socio-Econ Stud 8(3):60–67
Maldonado-Guzmán G, Garza-Reyes JA, Pinzón-Castro Y (2021) Eco-innovation and the circular economy in the automotive industry. Benchmarking Int J 28(2):621–635. https://doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-06-2020-0317
Malek J, Desai TN (2019) Prioritization of sustainable manufacturing barriers using Best Worst Method. J Clean Prod 226:589–600. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.04.056
Mangla SK, Luthra S, Mishra N, Singh A, Rana NP, Dora M, Dwivedi Y (2018) Barriers to effective circular supply chain management in a develo** country context. Prod Plan Control 29(6):551–569. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2018.1449265
Masi D, Kumar V, Garza-Reyes JA, Godsell J (2018) Towards a more circular economy: exploring the awareness, practices, and barriers from a focal firm perspective. Prod Plan Control 29(6):539–550. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2018.1449246
Mina H, Kannan D, Gholami-Zanjani SM, Biuki M (2020) Transition towards circular supplier selection in petrochemical industry: a hybrid approach to achieve sustainable development goals. J Clean Prod 286. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125273
Mishra JL, Chiwenga KD, Ali K (2019) Collaboration as an enabler for circular economy: a case study of a develo** country. Manag Decis 59(8):1784–1800. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-10-2018-1111
Moktadir MA, Ahmadi HB, Sultana R, Liou JJ, Rezaei J (2020) Circular economy practices in the leather industry: a practical step towards sustainable development. J Clean Prod 251:119737. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119737
Moktadir M, Bandrana A, Ali SM, Paul S, Sultana R (2020b) Critical success factors for a circular economy: implications for business strategy and the environment. Bus Strateg Environ 29:3611–3635. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2600
Nayal K, Kumar S, Raut R, Queiroz M, Priyadarshinee P, Narkhede B (2021) Supply chain firm performance in circular economy and digital era to achieve sustainable development goals. Bu Strat Environ 31. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2935
Okorie O, Charnley F, Russell J, Tiwari A, Moreno M (2021) Circular business models in high value manufacturing: five industry cases to bridge theory and practice. Bus Strateg Environ 30(4):1780–1802. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2715
Orji IJ (2019) Examining barriers to organizational change for sustainability and drivers of sustainable performance in the metal manufacturing industry. Resour Conserv Recycl 140:102–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2018.08.005
Orji IJ, CM, U-Dominic, UK, Okwara (2021) Exploring the determinants in circular supply chain implementation in the Nigerian manufacturing industry. Sustain Prod Consumpt 29:761. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2021.11.023
Papagiannaki E, Saha K, Dey P (2021) Implementing circular economy in the textile and clothing industry. Bus Strat Environ 30. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2670
Principato L, Ruini L, Guidi M, Secondi L (2019) Adopting the circular economy approach on food loss and waste: the case of Italian pasta production. Resour Conserv Recycl 144:82–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.01.025
Rajput S, Singh SP (2019) Connecting circular economy and industry 4.0. Int J Inf Manage 49:98–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.i**fomgt.2019.03.002
Ranjan, P., Agrawal, R., & Jain, J. (2021). Life cycle assessment in sustainable manufacturing: a review and further direction (pp. 191–203). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6017-0_12
Razminiene K (2019) Circular economy in clusters’ performance evaluation. Equilib Q J Econ Econ Polic 14(3):3. https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2019.026
Rizos V, Behrens A, Van der Gaast W, Hofman E, Ioannou A, Kafyeke T, Flamos A, Rinaldi R, Papadelis S, Hirschnitz-Garbers M, Topi C (2016) Implementation of circular economy business models by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): barriers and enablers. Sustainability 8(11):11. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8111212
Sehnem S, Vazquez-Brust D, Pereira SCF, Campos LMS (2019) Circular economy: benefits, impacts and overlap**. Supply Chain Manag Int J 24(6):784–804. https://doi.org/10.1108/SCM-06-2018-0213
Sharma M, Joshi S, Kumar A (2020) Assessing enablers of e-waste management in circular economy using DEMATEL method: an Indian perspective. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27(12):13325–13338. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-07765-w
Silva S, Nuzum A-K, Schaltegger S (2019) Stakeholder expectations on sustainability performance measurement and assessment. A systematic literature review. J Clean Prod 217:204–215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.01.203
Su B, Heshmati A, Geng Y, Yu X (2013) A review of the circular economy in China: moving from rhetoric to implementation. J Clean Prod 42:215–227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.11.020
Velenturf APM, Jopson JS (2019) Making the business case for resource recovery. Sci Total Environ 648:1031–1041. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.224
Veleva V, Bodkin G (2018) Corporate-entrepreneur collaborations to advance a circular economy. J Clean Prod 188:20–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.03.196
** a sustainable circular economy in agriculture in China using Grey-DEMATEL approach. Sustainability 12(16):16. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12166358
Yazdani M, Ebadi Torkayesh A, Chatterjee P (2020) An integrated decision-making model for supplier evaluation in public healthcare system: the case study of a Spanish hospital. J Enterp Inf Manag. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEIM-09-2019-0294
Zadeh LA (1965) Fuzzy sets. Inf Control 8(3):338–353. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0019-9958(65)90241-X
Zarte M, Pechmann A, Nunes IL (2019) Decision support systems for sustainable manufacturing surrounding the product and production life cycle–a literature review. J Clean Prod 219:336–349
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Mandal, M.C., Mondal, N. & Ray, A. Analyzing the Enablers of Circular Economy: A Sustainable Manufacturing Perspective. Process Integr Optim Sustain (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41660-024-00438-y
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41660-024-00438-y