Gaur-gaurkoak

Abstract: The Circular Economy can be described as an economic system based on business models that reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover materials in production, distribution, and consumption processes. Apart from its environmental impacts, circular economy strategies contribute to economic aspects of sustainability by mitigating risks stemming from value chain disruptions and increasing prices of energy and raw materials. Over the past 10 years, academic research on circular business model innovation surged, mainly focusing on conceptualizations and ways to measure circularity at the micro, meso, and macro-level. Interlinkages with (applied) economic theory, however, remain scarce. In this seminar, we identify and discuss salient economic aspects of circular business model innovation, including aspects of game theory, mechanism design, information economics, development economics, public economics, and behavioral economics. We address current research gaps, provide new insights from empirical work, and invite scholars in economics to contribute to this emerging field.

Descripción: Wim Van Opstal is a researcher at VITO, where he studies the development of circular business models and their supporting ecosystems. With an academic background in economics and commercial sciences, he has more than 15 years of experience in applied scientific research at the crossroads of entrepreneurship, policy analysis, and sustainable development. Examples of his current research projects include circular solar energy solutions, textiles, reversible bonding techniques, waste management policies, and work integration social enterprises. His research entails business case analysis, survey-research, mapping value chains, backcasting, and policy analysis to support circular business model innovation. Wim is also affiliated with the Maastricht Sustainability Institute (MSI) at Maastricht University and member of the editorial board of the Journal of Circular Economy.