Research on sustainability transitions has expanded rapidly in the last ten years, diversified in terms of topics and geographical applications, and deepened with respect to theories and methods. This article provides an extensive review and an updated research agenda for the field, classified into nine main themes: understanding transitions; power, agency and politics; governing transitions; civil society, culture and social movements; businesses and industries; transitions in practice and everyday life; geography of transitions; ethical aspects; and methodologies. The review shows that the scope of sustainability transitions research has broadened and connections to established disciplines have grown stronger. At the same time, we see that the grand challenges related to sustainability remain unsolved, calling for continued efforts and an acceleration of ongoing transitions. Transition studies can play a key role in this regard by creating new perspectives, approaches and understanding and helping to move society in the direction of sustainability.

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -To delineate typologies that capture the relationship between closed-loop supply chains and value-added business models, and thereby to suggest a research agenda for the transition to sustainable business. Design/methodology/approach -Develops four new theoretical categories or typologies of closed-loop systems and applies them to the context of the automotive industry. Conceptual, rather than empirical. Findings -That hybrid closed-loop systems can be combined with innovative non-linear value configurations to enable the transition to more sustainable production and consumption. Research limitations/implications -Identifies research agenda to explore how novel business models can integrate with various closed-loop systems. Theoretical, but grounded in research into the automotive industry. Practical implications -That closed-loop systems are best implemented outside traditional linear value added structures. Originality/value -Places closed-loop systems at the heart of the (redesigned) business model rather than as an accessory that must be adapted to the demands of existing approaches. Suggests scholars should be part of this innovative process, not merely observers.

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