This paper provides a first insight into the level of understanding and implementation of industrial symbiosis (IS) in Slovenia. It is based on an online survey of a small sample of organizations actively involved in waste management. The results show that while their motivation to engage in IS include various environmental and economic benefits, as well as social responsibility, the concept and practice of IS is not well understood even within this group of organizations. Organizations that engage in IS would benefit from online tools enabling them to optimize their search for potential IS stakeholders with relevant types of waste materials for exchange. While the small sample size does not allow for generalizations, it provides evidence that an online platform to support IS can substantially contribute to a shift towards a circular economy. The article concludes with the presentation of one such successful initiative-e-Simbioza-as well as some guidelines for its future development.

This article represents some principal dilemmas and challenges that need to be undertaken when conducting future research on Industrial Symbiotic Networks (ISN) using existing and efficient Computer Software Tools (CS tools). Multidimensional networks in industrial symbiosis have involved two or more stakeholders in sharing services, utility, or by‐products/waste (material, energy, and water) in order to increase value and reduce financial and environmental costs. Multidimensional networks operate as dynamic complex networks, crossing the boundaries and are formed by natural, technical, social, and computer systems. For a better understanding, there is an outline and review of the benefits of using CS tools within managing industrial symbiotic networks.

In this paper, the authors propose a multi-level model for the strategic competence of territorial units, which can help explain why some territorial units manage to respond appropriately to global challenges and thrive while others fail. Strategic competence is defined by two components: substantive knowledge and strategic connections. This is the foundation for the development of four ideal types of strategic competences at the level of territorial actors—Conductor, Broker, Lone Wolf, or Rent Seeker—and four at the level of territorial units—Pioneers, Absorbers, Drifters, or Laggers. This multi-level model forms the basis for future research to transform the concepts into a set of measurable indicators to determine the current strategic competence of regions and territories. Additionally, it will provide the basis for research-informed policymaking for the purpose of co-designing, co-developing, co-implementing and co-measuring policy initiatives and their results.

The article describes the role of legislative and legal framework which brought about a new approach to waste management through the concept of circular economy, and its drivers. We explicitly focus on the impact of ambitious EU environmental policy and its financial support from the European Commission (EC) which helped social actors recognize not only the ecological, but also the economic and social benefits of the circular economy. Over 50 actions under the “Circular Economy Action Plan” launched in 2015 have been delivered or are being implemented in this period in European Union (EU). Through overview of the EU’s ambitious policy, best practice of the circular economy in the world and status quo in circular economy at EU level we also show the circular economy is nowadays a crucial megatrend and there is still needed to increase up action at EU level, provide the competitive advantage it brings to EU economy and close the loop. Beside impact of ambitious EU environmental policy article focuses on the Cultural Political Economy (CPE) approach as a political economy approach with the purpose for explaining the role of legislative and legal framework as a mechanism for selection and retention of the paradigm of circular economy.