Analysis of the Development of Industrial Symbiosis in Emerging and Frontier Market Countries: Barriers and Drivers

Abstract

Industrial symbiosis (IS) allows the use of the resources of a productive chain, based on collaboration between companies, finding ways to use the waste of one as inputs or raw materials for the other entity. IS seeks to generate environmental sustainability, maximize resources, and generate social, environmental, and economic benefits based on the physical exchanges of waste, residues, and materials, which generate various advantages for companies and environmental benefits for society. Over the years, research has been conducted worldwide on the implementation of IS in business settings and case studies related to IS in countries with strong economies; however, no papers mapping studies on IS that are focused on emerging and frontier market countries have been identified, and academic literature on research in these countries is also scarce. In this research, an in-depth review of the literature on IS cases in emerging and frontier market countries was conducted to provide future researchers with information on the similarities, weaknesses, strengths, and elements to consider in addressing the topic and closing research gaps in the area. In addition, a mapping was made of the evolution of studies on IS according to country, economic activity, distribution by journal, year of publication, methods used, barriers and drivers in the case studies, and the importance of this topic in the current academic context. In Asian and developing countries, the integration of companies and economic activities takes place in industrial parks, and they have legislation and government regulations that support IS. On the other hand, in the United States and Africa, integrating various sources such as energy, water, coal, and waste in industrial environments is at an early stage of development, and opportunities are being identified to promote IS between companies. This research interests a broad audience, including investors, regulators, policymakers, and researchers interested in fostering IS in emerging and frontier market countries as a mechanism for industrial and economic development.

Uncovering Barriers for Industrial Symbiosis: Assessing Prospects for Eco-Industrialization through Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Developing Regions

“…Consequently, it is curtailing emissions and yielding economic dividends for the industries. Therefore, the penchants for such initiatives are encouraging among the industrialized nations but far from satisfactory in developing countries [1,21]. Neves et al [61] observed that developing countries such as India, Bangladesh and Egypt are new entrants in the tradition of synergy practices.…”

“…However, at the same time, due to the involvement of informal sectors, grey markets and SMEs, most of the waste exchanges remain undocumented in the developing world. Such countries may need a bottom-up approach for industrial symbiosis, which can be facilitated through policies and regulations [19][20][21].…”

Industrial Symbiosis in the Balkan-Mediterranean Region: The Case of Solid Waste

“…Other papers examine specific barriers which may be found in the case of emerging and frontier markets and some of their findings may be applicable in our case. Those barriers include, among others, financial barriers to promoting, lack of awareness of industrial symbiosis projects, deficiency of regulatory frameworks and lack of infrastructure [27,28]. Hence, looking into the data already collected, through a PESTLE questionnaire in the margins of the SWAN project, in the light of the recent findings on generic and specific barriers to industrial symbiosis and the ways of removing them [25] seems a very interesting and promising research area.…”

“…Over the last few years, this development has slowed down in Europe due to several, mostly financial, barriers (e.g., new infrastructure and physical space required, economic crisis and strict financial budget implemented for the majority of companies) [25]. Recent research, however, has identified a number of other generic IS barriers (i.e., governmental, technological, organizational) [26] but also country-specific barriers (i.e., low awareness, lack of infrastructure, absence of regulatory framework) [27,28] which may be found mainly in emerging and frontier economies and can be applicable in the case of the Balkan countries. Thus, there is currently the need for national or regional policy frameworks that will facilitate the implementation of IS, resulting in economic benefits for all stakeholders involved and improvement in the environmental performance of the system.…”

Managing State Parks in Brazil: Strategies for Resolving Conflicts and Promoting Sustainable Conservation Practices

“…This involves providing training and resources for park staff and local communities, empowering local communities to engage more effectively in decision-making processes and increasing their understanding of conservation issues [5,9]. Addressing underlying social and economic factors that contribute to conflicts requires collaboration with other sectors such as agriculture, forestry, and urban planning [11,12]. The strategies proposed in this opinion manuscript have important implications for the management of State Parks in Brazil and can serve as a model for other protected areas facing similar challenges [13].…”