Circular Economy and Sustainability

The Circular Economy and Sustainability research interest group is the first local management/business academic group focusing on circular economy and sustainability issues.

As such, it provides a platform for high-level discussions amongst members and with external stakeholders leading to meaningful personal development and project engagement opportunities.

We examine three key principles driving organisations towards the Circular Economy (CE). These are:

  1. Designing out waste and pollution;
  2. Keeping products and materials in use for as long as possible; and
  3. Regenerating natural systems.

Our members are inspired by a number of theories and frameworks on the circular economy, such as  ReSOLVE framework (EMF, 2015), Cradle-to-Cradle™ (Braungart & McDonough, 2002), Waste Hierarchy (EC, 2008), Ricoh Comet Circle™ (Ricoh, 2018), Seven Fronts of Mount Sustainability (Interface, 2018), 10Rs Framework (Reike et al.,2018) etc. We explore CE-related topics, including operations and supply chain management, sustainability, innovation and technology, optimisation, and food waste.

Whilst several industries and businesses have pursued the three key principles for over a decade, it is only recently that governments and non-commercial organisations have shown interest in adopting strategies and practices that capture the principles of CE. Current research on various aspects relating to organisations transitioning to CE is in its infancy. The opportunities and benefits are beginning to be recognised by major stakeholders.

Our members have expertise in both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Our initial emphasis will be on using qualitative approaches, enabling deeper and long-lasting relationships to be developed with key external stakeholders. We have worked with a number of leading organisations in Victoria, Australia, and internationally including Sustainability Victoria, South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance (SEMMA), South East Business Networks, Local Government Agencies/Councils, Local Businesses, International embassies and experts from Nyenrode Business University in The Netherlands. Further, we have received significant funding from key bodies such as Sustainability Victoria for a recently completed project entitled: Manufacturing Sector Circular Economy Capabilities: Identifying Enablers, Barriers, and Enhancements.

Our peer-reviewed research has been published and highly cited across our top discipline journals, including the European Journal of Operational Research, Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Journal of Cleaner Production, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, International Journal of Logistics Management.