Strategic Management and Governance for Circular Economy Transitions

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will examine how the circular economy is conceptualised, governed, and implemented through strategic management and organisational practice. The circular economy represents a systemic alternative to linear production and consumption models by emphasising resource efficiency, value retention, regeneration and long-term sustainability (Geissdoerfer et al., 2017; Kirchherr et al., 2018). Increasingly, organisations across a range of sectors are expected to move beyond symbolic commitments and embed circular principles into corporate strategy, business models, governance arrangements, and operational decision-making.

A growing body of research recognises the circular economy as not only an environmental agenda, but also a strategic and managerial challenge that affects competitive advantage, innovation, and organisational resilience (Bocken et al., 2016; Hart and Dowell, 2011). Strategic management plays a central role in shaping how organisations design circular business models, allocate resources, coordinate stakeholders, and manage organisational change. Empirical studies suggest that firms that integrate circular economy principles into strategy are better positioned to enhance long-term value creation while reducing environmental risk and dependency on finite resources (Porter and Kramer, 2011; Stahel, 2016).

In line with the aims of Administrative Sciences, this Special Issue invites contributions that address circular economy implementation as a matter of strategy, management, policy, and governance. Submissions may examine topics such as strategic alignment and leadership, circular business model innovation, organisational capabilities, governance structures, performance measurement, digitalisation, supply chain coordination, and inter organisational partnerships. We particularly welcome research that connects circular economy theory with management practice and demonstrates how organisations translate circular principles into strategic decisions, organisational routines, and governance mechanisms with demonstrable outcomes. This broad scope reflects the complex and cross-sectoral nature of circular economy transitions, which require coordinated solutions across industries, organisations, and institutional environments (Geissdoerfer et al., 2017; Kirchherr et al., 2018).

The purpose of this Special Issue is to advance the scholarly and practice-oriented understanding of the organisational and strategic role of management in enabling circular economy transitions. International policy frameworks increasingly highlight the importance of strategic coordination, innovation capability, and governance mechanisms for effective circular economy implementation (European Commission, 2022; United Nations, 2020). Empirical evidence indicates that organisations adopting circular strategies can improve resource productivity, innovation performance, and organisational resilience while contributing to wider sustainability objectives (Bocken et al., 2016; Lüdeke Freund et al., 2019).

This Special Issue has the following aims:

1. Present empirical evidence on effective circular economy strategies, management practices, and organisational designs that support implementation.
2. Advance understanding of how circular economy capabilities and competencies are developed and embedded within organisations.
3. Examine the governance structures, leadership practices, incentive systems, and partnership models that enable holistic integration of circular principles.
4. Explore the contribution of circular economy strategies to organisational performance and to wider sustainability agendas, including the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 12 regarding responsible consumption and production.
5. Generate actionable insights for managers, policy-makers, and other stakeholders engaged in circular economy transitions.

Our overarching objective is to position strategic management and organisational governance as both enablers and accelerators of circular economy transitions, supporting the development of regenerative, resilient, and competitive organisations through organisational change, policy innovation, and management practice.

Positioning Within the Literature

This Special Issue will build on a rapidly expanding literature that conceptualises the circular economy as a strategic and organisational phenomenon rather than solely a technical or environmental one. Foundational studies frame the circular economy as a new sustainability paradigm that requires fundamental shifts in strategy, governance, and value-creation logic (Geissdoerfer et al., 2017; Stahel, 2016). Existing research has examined circular business models (Bocken et al., 2016), supply chain integration, innovation processes, and organisational barriers and drivers (Kirchherr et al., 2018).

However, the literature also reveals important limitations. Much of the existing work remains conceptual, with relatively limited empirical analyses of how circular economy strategies are implemented across sectors, organisational types, and institutional contexts (Kirchherr et al., 2018). Comparative and longitudinal evidence is scarce, constraining our understanding of how circular strategies evolve over time and how strategic choices influence long-term organisational outcomes. Furthermore, while environmental impacts are well documented, organisational dimensions such as governance, leadership, organisational culture, and change management remain under explored (Lüdeke Freund et al., 2019; Farnell et al., 2020).

This Special Issue responds to these gaps by prioritising research with the following attributes:

1. Provides empirically grounded insights into circular economy implementation processes within organisations;
2. Examines how strategy, governance, leadership, and organisational structures shape the adoption and scaling of circular practices;
3. Explores the role of digitalisation, systems thinking, and innovation cultures in influencing circular economy decision-making and organisational behaviour;
4. Compares practices across sectors, regions, and organisational types, including public and private organisations;
5. Explicitly links circular economy strategies with organisational and societal outcomes, including contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals.

This Special Issue will complement and extend the existing scholarship and offer an integrated understanding of how strategic management, governance, and organisational practice can effectively drive circular economy transitions.

Submission procedure

Prospective authors are invited to submit a proposed title and an abstract of 300–500 words outlining their intended contribution prior to full manuscript submission. Abstracts should clearly indicate the research question, theoretical framing, methodological approach, and expected contribution to strategic management, organisational studies, or governance in the context of the circular economy.

Please send the proposed title and abstract to the guest editor, Associate Professor Vera Ndrecaj (vndrecaj@cardiffmet.ac), or to the Administrative Sciences editorial office (admsci@mdpi.com) before 28th February 2026. Abstracts will be reviewed by the guest editors to ensure alignment with the scope and aims of this Special Issue. Notification of abstract acceptance will be given by 30th June 2026. Full manuscripts will then proceed through the journal’s standard double-blind peer-review process.

References 

Bocken, N.M.P., Short, S.W., Rana, P. and Evans, S. (2016) ‘A literature and practice review to develop sustainable business model archetypes’, Journal of Cleaner Production, 65, pp. 42–56.

European Commission (2022) Circular Economy Action Plan: For a Cleaner and More Competitive Europe. Brussels: European Commission.

Farnell, T., Matijević, A.S. and Šćukanec Schmidt, N. (2020) The role of organisations and governance in circular economy transitions. Brussels: European Commission.

Geissdoerfer, M., Savaget, P., Bocken, N.M.P. and Hultink, E.J. (2017) ‘The circular economy: A new sustainability paradigm?’, Journal of Cleaner Production, 143, pp. 757–768.

Hart, S.L. and Dowell, G. (2011) ‘A natural resource based view of the firm’, Journal of Management, 37(5), pp. 1464–1479.

Kirchherr, J., Reike, D. and Hekkert, M. (2018) ‘Conceptualising the circular economy: An analysis of 114 definitions’, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 127, pp. 221–232.

Lüdeke Freund, F., Gold, S. and Bocken, N.M.P. (2019) ‘A review and typology of circular economy business model patterns’, Journal of Industrial Ecology, 23(1), pp. 36–61.

Porter, M.E. and Kramer, M.R. (2011) ‘Creating shared value’, Harvard Business Review, 89(1–2), pp. 62–77.

Stahel, W.R. (2016) ‘The circular economy’, Nature, 531(7595), pp. 435–438.

United Nations (2020) Accelerating the transition to a circular economy. New York: United Nations

Dr. Vera Ndrecaj
Dr. Alba Kruja
Dr. Eglantina Hysa
Dr. Valentina Ndou
Dr. Arjona Çela
Dr. Fatbardha Morina
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Administrative Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• circular economy strategic management
• organisational governance
• circular business models
• organisational practice
• innovation capability
• supply chain coordination
• digitalisation
• organisational performance
• sustainable development goals (SDGs)