Digital supply network design: a Circular Economy 4.0 decision-making system for real-world challenges

Abstract

This research introduces the idea of 'Circular Economy 4.0' to reflect the emergence of 'digitalised' sustainable supply networks. While often characterised by enhanced productivity and resource/energy efficiency, current perspectives are largely descriptive with limited practical relevance. A hierarchical decision-making framework and a multi-level simulation modelling and optimisation technique are constructed to explore the interplay between Circular Supply Chains and Industry 4.0. The real-world case of blue-green algae as renewable feedstockto derive value-added omega-3 oils and biofertilisersis investigated to develop 'Circular Economy 4.0' perspectives. The emerging circular supply network utilises micro-factories (i.e., photobioreactors), continuous manufacturing technologies (i.e., piezoelectric transducers), and drone operations for feedstock availability monitoring. This study contributes to theory and practice by building on the limited empirical research exploring determinants of successful transitions in Circular Economy-Industry 4.0 network contexts. Four design principles are proposed that capture the interplay between digital technologies and network design configurations, e.g., centralisedsemi-centraliseddecentralised. Modelling is developed across macro-, meso-, and micro-levels of analysis. Results demonstrate significant gains in terms of resources utilisation and market dynamics, enabled by the adoption of digital operations in a circular economy context, with initial insights on the evolution of such networks.

The role and value of data in advancing environmental sustainability with empirical evidence from tissue and textile businesses

“…All these factors must be present if broad-based exploitation of data in pursuit of circular economy is to be possible. Also, the study attests that business supply chains and value networks require more collaboration in sharing, managing, and utilising circular-economy data; this finding too is in line with prior literature (Gebhardt et al, 2021;Kristoffersen et al, 2020;Tsolakis et al, 2021). Better transparency of products' life cycle and of business operations along the whole value chain is a necessity for environmental sustainability, the importance of which scholars recognise as fundamental for genuine transition toward circular economy (Agrawal and Pal, 2019;Luján-Ornelas et al, 2020).…”

“…The use of data could support, for example, enriching the customer experience via high-quality product and service design, extension of products' service life, and stronger user involvement (Ranta et al, 2021). Managing such data can also aid in optimising the environmental performance and resource utilisation of systems and value chains at a more technical and operations-oriented level (Masi et al, 2017;Tsolakis et al, 2021).…”

“…Specifically, they cite a need for product life-cycle data and for ability to manage and analyse heterogeneous life-cycle data efficiently (Ren et al, 2019). Also, data-sharing internal to value chains does not suffice to unlock data's value: each company's resources need to be connected with others', and data must be exchanged across vast networks for co-ordinated activities (Gebhardt et al, 2021;Tsolakis et al, 2021). Thirdly, the data must lead to better decision-making at strategic and operations level all the way along the value chain to, finally, customers and consumers (Gebhardt et al, 2021;Lopes de Sousa Jabbour et al, 2019).…”

Achieving sustainability in supply chain operations in the interplay between circular economy and Industry 4.0

“…The study suggests that lower waste disposal and pollution emission rate is positively related to the dynamic remanufacturing capability of the manufacturing enterprises. Tsolakis, Harrington, and Srai (2021) report an empirical study exploring determinants of successful transitions in a framework capturing the interplay between CE and Industry 4.0 towards sustainable supply chains. The study proposes an inclusive hierarchical decision-making framework and a multi-level simulation modelling and optimisation technique in exploring the interplay between digital-enabled circular supply chains and Industry 4.0.…”

Coverage Path Planning Optimization of Heterogeneous UAVs Group for Precision Agriculture

“…According to Eagle Brother, the agricultural UAV market is expected to grow to $5.19 billion by 2025 [10] primarily because UAVs have a number of advantages over satellites and manned aircraft [11]. The intensive use of UAVs is conditioned by such factors as relatively low cost [12], availability in the market [13], ease of use and control [14], use in operation in hard-to-reach places [15], and the possibility of changing the functionality depending on the task, which should be solved [16].…”