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Sustainability
Volume 18
Issue 10
10.3390/su18105077
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Industrial Symbiosis Readiness of Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Cross-Country Comparative Analysis and a Digital Waste-to-Resource Network Model

by
Esra Atabay
1,*,
Hasan Volkan Oral
2,
Radu Godina
3,4,
Kader Öz
5,
Aleksandar Erceg
6,
Fahmi Abu Al-Rub
7 and
Sara Abu Al-Rub
8
1
Accounting and Finance, Department of Business, Biga Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, 17020 Canakkale, Türkiye
2
Department of Civil Engineering (In English), Faculty of Engineering, İstanbul Aydın University, 34295 Istanbul, Türkiye
3
UNIDEMI—Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology (FCT), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
4
Laboratório Associado de Sistemas Inteligentes (LASI), 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
5
Graduate Education Institute, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, 17100 Canakkale, Türkiye
6
Faculty of Economics and Business in Osijek, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
7
Department of Chemical Engineering, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan
8
Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2026, 18(10), 5077; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18105077 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 15 April 2026 / Revised: 11 May 2026 / Accepted: 14 May 2026 / Published: 18 May 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)
Versions Notes

Abstract

The transition toward a circular economy has made industrial symbiosis an important approach for improving resource efficiency and reducing environmental impact, especially for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, the extent to which SMEs can adopt these practices differs across countries. This study aims to explore the readiness of SMEs for industrial symbiosis in Türkiye, Jordan, Portugal, and Croatia, and to propose a digital model that can support this transition. The research is based on a qualitative, literature-driven comparative analysis examining institutional structures, technological capacity, sectoral characteristics, and collaboration networks in each country. The findings indicate that, despite contextual differences, all four countries face similar challenges, such as limited data sharing, insufficient digital infrastructure, and weak inter-firm cooperation. While EU member states demonstrate more developed policy frameworks, implementation gaps remain evident across cases. Building on these insights, the study introduces the Digital Recycling and Material Network (DREAM) model, a digital platform that connects waste-generating firms, recycling companies, and businesses that use secondary raw materials. The model enables real-time data sharing and supports sustainability-oriented matching mechanisms. Overall, the study suggests that digital platforms like DREAM can play a key role in strengthening industrial symbiosis practices and supporting SMEs in their transition toward circular production systems.
Keywords: industrial symbiosis; circular economy; SMEs; digital platform; sustainability industrial symbiosis; circular economy; SMEs; digital platform; sustainability

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MDPI and ACS Style

Atabay, E.; Oral, H.V.; Godina, R.; Öz, K.; Erceg, A.; Al-Rub, F.A.; Al-Rub, S.A. Industrial Symbiosis Readiness of Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Cross-Country Comparative Analysis and a Digital Waste-to-Resource Network Model. Sustainability 2026, 18, 5077. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18105077

AMA Style

Atabay E, Oral HV, Godina R, Öz K, Erceg A, Al-Rub FA, Al-Rub SA. Industrial Symbiosis Readiness of Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Cross-Country Comparative Analysis and a Digital Waste-to-Resource Network Model. Sustainability. 2026; 18(10):5077. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18105077

Chicago/Turabian Style

Atabay, Esra, Hasan Volkan Oral, Radu Godina, Kader Öz, Aleksandar Erceg, Fahmi Abu Al-Rub, and Sara Abu Al-Rub. 2026. "Industrial Symbiosis Readiness of Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Cross-Country Comparative Analysis and a Digital Waste-to-Resource Network Model" Sustainability 18, no. 10: 5077. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18105077

APA Style

Atabay, E., Oral, H. V., Godina, R., Öz, K., Erceg, A., Al-Rub, F. A., & Al-Rub, S. A. (2026). Industrial Symbiosis Readiness of Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Cross-Country Comparative Analysis and a Digital Waste-to-Resource Network Model. Sustainability, 18(10), 5077. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18105077

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