Circular Supply Chains

Abstract

Transition to Circular Manufacturing Systems (CMS) is crucial for sustainable growth,resource conservation, and mitigation of environmental impacts. This shift requiresa systemic approach that integrates value propositions, product design, and supplychains, supported by digital technologies. Circular supply chains (CSCs) emerge as acore pillar of CMS, demanding deliberate design to close the loop beyond simply addingend-of-life recovery to linear models. CSCs are inherently complex; however, currentresearch often fails to capture these aspects, overlooking the systemic approach to interdependenceamong the value proposition, product design, and supply chain. Furthermore,most studies are theoretical, lacking the necessary quantitative and empiricalanalysis to evaluate CSC’s performance. This research aims to conceptualize CSCswithin the CMS context, identifying their complexity aspects, and develop an analysistool to capture these complexities and evaluate CSCs’ technical, economic, and environmentalperformance to support informed decision-making. This thesis proposesan analysis framework with two modules. The first, Conceptualization, provides anoverview of CSCs implementation challenges, stakeholders’ roles and relationships,and how value proposition, product design, and transparency influence CSCs’ structure,uncertainties, and stakeholders’ footprints. Building on this, the second module,Analysis and Implementation, quantifies CSCs’ performance through a multimethodsimulation model, combining agent-based, discrete-event, and system-dynamics. Theframework’s applicability is illustrated through two distinct case studies.

Link to DiVA