Synthesising and Conceptualising Circular Supply Chains: A State-of-the-Art Literature Review

Abstract

The advent of the circular economy principle has triggered supply chain transformation in recent years. This article aims to conduct a state-of-the-art review of circular supply chains. To this aim, 91 peer-reviewed published journal articles from academic databases were collected and evaluated using an inductive approach. The study findings are classified into multiple dimensions of circular supply chains. These include designing products for circular supply chains, supply chain integration, digital transformation for circular supply chains, end-of-life management and circular supply chain capabilities. The study’s contribution is to analyse multiple issues and develop unique propositions of the circular supply chain. In the future, this study may be extended to specific dimensions such as digital transformation, supply chain collaboration and critical success factors of the circular supply chain.

Relations between supply chain performance and circular economy implementation: A fuzzy cognitive map‐based analysis for sustainable development

“…Furthermore, value optimization involves redefining the concept of value within the circular economy paradigm (Kirchherr et al, 2017). Shifting towards resource efficiency, durability, and recyclability enhances product performance, increases customer satisfaction, and captures new market opportunities while minimizing environmental impact (Sinha, 2022;Das, 2024).…”

“…This, coupled with other factors delineated in Section 2, could clarify why "systems thinking" stands out as a principle exerting considerable influence on performance when considered on its own. Both these principles necessitate extensive efforts and supply chain adjustments for their comprehensive implementation due to their systemic nature (Das, 2024). This consequently elucidates their pronounced impact on the performance of SCOR ® attributes.…”

“…The goal is to attain the envisioned circular supply chain (CSC) paradigm, accentuating the elongation of product life cycles, waste management, and the formulation of sustainable strategies to steer customer preferences towards remanufactured products (Gomes & Lopes, 2024). A CSC refers to a system of resource management and product distribution designed to minimize waste and maximize sustainability by promoting the continuous reuse, recycling, and refurbishment of materials and products (Das, 2024;Farooque et al, 2019). In a CSC, resources are kept in use for as long as possible through strategies such as closed-loop recycling, remanufacturing, and product lifecycle extension, thereby reducing the reliance on finite resources and minimizing environmental impact (Bhattacharya et al, 2024;De Angelis et al, 2018).…”