Search Results (201)

The increasing pressure on natural resources and the environment has intensified the need for sustainable cascade utilization in closed-loop supply chains (CLSCs). This study develops a game-theoretic framework to examine cascade utilization under both constant and heterogeneous quality restoration costs across three collection structures: centralized, manufacturer-led, and third-party collection. The results show that the relative performance of different structures depends on key economic conditions, including material recycling revenue and the comparative advantage of remanufacturing. No single structure dominates across all dimensions: a manufacturer-led collection tends to promote new product sales, while a third-party collection enhances remanufacturing and recovery levels, particularly under cost heterogeneity. Environmental performance, evaluated through collection quantity, cascade utilization efficiency, and an environmental impact indicator, also varies across structures, with cost heterogeneity shifting advantages toward the third-party collection. Policy analysis further indicates that both collection and remanufacturing subsidies increase recovery volumes but operate through distinct mechanisms. The collection subsidy expands return flows but may reduce cascade utilization efficiency by directing more low-quality products to recycling, whereas remanufacturing subsidy promotes higher-value reuse pathways and improves environmental performance. These findings highlight the importance of aligning collection structures and policy instruments under different cost conditions to enhance resource efficiency and support the circular economy and sustainable consumption and production objectives. Full article

This study develops a Life-Cycle Sustainability Framework for circular business models in the context of post-war economic reconstruction and sustainable value chain transformation. Ukraine is used as the main case study due to its post-war reconstruction context and the need for resource-efficient economic recovery strategies. Under conditions of disrupted supply systems, resource constraints, and structural economic change, circular economy principles are conceptualized as strategic mechanisms for enhancing resilience, resource efficiency, and long-term competitiveness rather than solely as environmental policy instruments. Building on a structured hierarchy of circular business models aligned with product life-cycle stages, the framework emphasizes value retention through functional and usage extension beyond material recovery. The framework includes a hierarchical classification of 12 circular business models and a sustainability evaluation approach based on four criteria (K1–K4), which allow for the comparative assessment of circular business models and their combinations across life-cycle stages. Using secondary statistical data and policy review as analytical inputs, the study identifies sectors with high potential for circular transformation and sustainable investment, including agriculture, energy, industry, construction, and logistics. The results indicate that circular business models applied at early life-cycle stages, such as reuse, repair, and remanufacturing, provide the highest potential for reducing resource intensity and improving long-term economic sustainability, while recycling and energy recovery play a supporting role. These findings highlight how life-cycle-oriented circular strategies can support sustainable reconstruction pathways, strengthen international cooperation, and inform policy and managerial decision-making in transitional economic contexts. Full article

High-technology supply chains are increasingly concentrated in advanced economies, limiting the industrial upgrading potential of emerging regions. At the same time, growing sustainability pressures require the integration of circular economy principles into production systems. However, existing research rarely integrates supply chain localization, circular value creation, and regional capability within a unified framework. This study addresses the following research question: how can circular supply chain design be structurally integrated into high-technology localization strategies to support sustainable industrial development in emerging economies? To answer this question, the study develops an integrative conceptual framework through the synthesis of localization theory, circular supply chain design, and capability accumulation literature. The framework is structured around three interdependent structural dimensions (SDs): (1) core technological supply chain processes, (2) circular value creation mechanisms, and (3) regional capability accumulation pathways. The framework embeds circular mechanisms—such as modularity, repairability, remanufacturing, and lifecycle management—within the supply chain architecture, enabling the transition from linear acquisition models to lifecycle-oriented systems. It provides an analytical basis for understanding circular localization and offers practical insights for policymakers and firms seeking to develop sustainable high-technology supply chains in emerging economies. This contribution advances the integration of circular economy and localization strategies and supports sustainable industrial transformation. Full article

This systematic review examines how digital technologies enable circular economy (CE) transitions across sectors and value chains. Analysing 266 peer-reviewed publications (2016–2025), we develop a comprehensive taxonomy of digital enablers—including IoT, AI, blockchain, cloud computing, additive manufacturing, and digital platforms—and map their applications to circular strategies such as reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling. Our findings reveal that data-driven technologies dominate CE implementation, with 89% of studies involving data collection, storage, analysis, or sharing functions. IoT emerges as the foundational technology for real-time tracking and monitoring, while AI and big data analytics optimise circular processes and predict maintenance needs. Blockchain ensures traceability and trust in circular supply chains, and cloud computing provides scalable infrastructure for collaboration. Manufacturing (41%) and construction (15.5%) are the most studied sectors, with strong European research leadership reflecting policy drivers such as Digital Product Passports. We identify three impact types: enabling (process optimisation), disruptive (business model innovation), and facilitating (ecosystem collaboration). Key barriers include technical complexity, organisational resistance, high implementation costs, and regulatory gaps. The review concludes with recommendations for integrated, multi-stakeholder approaches to realise a digitally enabled circular economy. Full article

Within closed-loop supply chains (CLSCs), limited attention has been given to firms’ production and abatement decisions involving carbon permit transfer between an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and an independent remanufacturer (IR) under a cap-and-trade policy (CTP). Several questions remain unresolved: How does CTP reshape production and abatement decisions through carbon permit transfer under binding emission constraints? Can such regulation reallocate abatement responsibilities between firms and generate environmental and economic benefits? To address these questions, this paper develops a constrained Cournot game model capturing competitive interactions between an OEM and an IR under regulation. The results show that CTP reallocates abatement responsibilities toward the firm with a lower abatement difficulty, inducing full abatement as a corner solution. When remanufactured products exhibit a high low-carbon level, a moderate increase in cap stringency promotes remanufacturing output and market share. By contrast, once full abatement is reached, stricter regulation expands output. Moreover, when remanufacturing features substantial cost savings and a high low-carbon level, CTP consistently improves social welfare. This study provides insights into how cap-and-trade policies shape production and abatement decisions in CLSCs. Full article

The market for remanufactured products made from marine plastic waste is expanding rapidly, but the recycling rate of this waste remains strikingly low. This disconnect forces conventional plastic recycling firms to make a consequential strategic choice: enter the marine plastic recycling supply segment by expanding to build market power or enter by competing as a specialized supplier. To examine this trade-off, this paper develops a two-period game-theoretic model that contrasts entry strategies and performance under monopolistic and competitive market structures. We derive and compare equilibrium pricing, quantities, and profits for the relevant supply chain participants in both settings and then characterize the conditions under which one entry mode dominates the other. The results indicate that neither the preferred entry strategy nor the profitability that follows is driven by a single parameter. Instead, outcomes are shaped by the joint effects of consumer tastes, remanufacturing costs, and the scale of capacity investment cost required for entry. When consumers show a stronger preference for conventional remanufactured products, a supplier pursuing monopolistic expansion can earn higher profits by offering a more flexible product portfolio. By contrast, when the cost of remanufacturing marine plastics and the associated capacity investment cost are relatively low, the environment favors a specialized, competitively oriented entry strategy. Profit allocation within the supply chain is also closely tied to remanufacturer costs: as these costs fall, suppliers are able to appropriate a larger share of total profits. Overall, the analysis provides a theoretical basis for entry decisions in the emerging marine plastic recycling industry and offers actionable guidance for firms facing different demand and cost conditions across market structures. Full article

Product innovation for remanufacturing, beginning at the development stage, has become an important strategic decision in third-party remanufacturing. This study investigates decision-making on product innovation for remanufacturing under two third-party remanufacturing modes and examines how original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and remanufacturers respond. Results show that outsourcing remanufacturing consistently offers a wider profitability range for the OEM and increases the likelihood of the remanufacturer adopting a full remanufacturing strategy. Furthermore, a higher innovation level enhances OEM profits, particularly when the remanufacturing industry is mature or when the innovation investment efficiency is high. Otherwise, incremental innovation is more beneficial. Innovation also lowers entry barriers for remanufacturers. Finally, the authorization remanufacturing is initially more environmentally friendly, whereas the outsourcing mode becomes superior as the innovation level increases. Full article

In today’s increasingly serious environmental problems, a growing number of enterprises are upgrading remanufacturing as an important corporate strategy. This paper compares two third-party remanufacturing models: the entrusting and Authorizing Models, and introduces two different levels of consumer low-carbon preferences: medium and high. By establishing game equations, we find the equilibrium solution of each model. The results reveal that in the basic model, OEM tends to choose the Authorizing Model when consumers have a pronounced quality bias against remanufactured products. Contrary to intuition, TRM always prefers the Entrusting Model. In scenarios where consumers possess medium low-carbon preferences, OEM tends to choose the Authorizing Model when consumers have a high bias against the quality of the remanufactured products or a low bias against the carbon emissions of the new products. Conversely, OEM tends to choose the entrusting remanufacturing model under the opposite conditions. In scenarios where consumers express high low-carbon preferences, the situation becomes the complete opposite. When consumers exhibit a low bias against remanufactured products’ quality or a high bias against carbon emissions from new products, OEM tends to choose the Authorizing Model. Conversely, OEM prefers the Entrusting Model when consumers’ biases differ. In addition, the consumer surplus and social welfare of the Entrusting Model are higher than those of the Authorizing Model, regardless of the research scenario. Full article

The retrieval of end-of-life products is a critical component of closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) remanufacturing, yet achieving efficient recycling remains challenging due to coordination barriers between supply chain members. To address this issue, this study investigates the collaboration problem in end-of-life product collection within a CLSC consisting of a manufacturer and a retailer. The retailer is responsible for collecting end-of-life products, while the manufacturer may provide support through two alternative cooperation modes: fund cooperative and labor cooperative. Using the differential game approach, we develop equilibrium strategies under three scenarios—non-cooperation, fund-assistance cooperation, and labor-assistance cooperation. The analytical results show that cooperative collection strategies not only increase the recycling rate but also yield Pareto improvements, benefiting both the manufacturer and the retailer. Among the two cooperation modes, the labor cooperative achieves higher collection rates and greater joint profits than the fund cooperative. When considering heterogeneous collection costs between the manufacturer and retailer, the fund-assistance mode becomes more favorable for the manufacturer only when its collection cost substantially exceeds that of the retailer. Furthermore, we explore the combined implementation of fund and labor cooperative programs, revealing their potential to further enhance collection efficiency and overall profitability. This study contributes to the CLSC literature by introducing a dynamic differential game framework to model cooperative collection behaviors and provides actionable managerial implications for promoting manufacturer participation in used-product retrieval and fostering coordinated development across CLSC enterprises. Full article

In the context of the global transition toward carbon neutrality and the circular economy, remanufacturing has emerged as a vital strategy for enhancing resource efficiency and reducing environmental impact. However, the remanufacturing sector faces significant uncertainties—including fluctuations in market demand, variability in the quality of returned products, and dynamic policy changes. These factors collectively challenge production decision-making and system sustainability. Following the preferred peporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, this study conducted a systematic review and bibliometric analysis of 98 core articles published between 2015 and 2024, with a focused examination of three interdisciplinary themes: (1) decision-making and optimization under uncertainty, (2) supply chain coordination and policy mechanisms, and (3) digital transformation and the application of emerging technologies. A novel micro–meso–macro analytical framework is proposed to integrate fragmented findings. The results highlight a paradigm shift from static models to dynamic, real-time decision-making systems, facilitated by digital twins (DTs), blockchain, and intelligent algorithms. Furthermore, the study identifies the synergistic effects of carbon-financial instruments and policy incentives in aligning economic and environmental objectives. This research develops a systematic framework to understand and address uncertainties in remanufacturing, offering policymakers and industry practitioners actionable insights to enhance the resilience, sustainability, and global applicability of remanufacturing systems. Full article

The recovery, rework, or remanufacturing of returned products has received significant attention, leading to considerable advancements in green supply chain management. However, the impact of recovery mechanisms under demand sensitivity remains understudied. This study develops a sustainability model that incorporates limited recovery rates and demand sensitivity to price, carbon emissions, and stock conditions. The analysis investigates the difference in profit when considering recovery and proposes a procedure for deriving optimal solutions using two key decision variables: unit sales price and cycle time, within a nonlinear profit model. The findings show that (i) the increase in total profit is significant and (ii) both sellers and consumers benefit from this mechanism. In addition, total profit is 15% higher, while the total cost is 22% lower than in the case without recovery. Consumers can purchase products at lower prices (−12%), and sellers can sell more products (+4%), thereby earning higher profit (+15%). Such a win–win policy aligns with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) regulations and supports a healthy, long-term supply chain relationship. Numerical examples and sensitivity analysis illustrate the characteristics of the proposed model. The results also provide managerial insights into enterprises’ limited recovery capacity. Full article

To analyze the effects of remanufacturing subsidies and emission reduction investments on pricing and quality decisions under cap-and-trade regulation, four profit-maximization Stackelberg game models for a remanufacturing supply chain (RSC), i.e., without remanufacturing subsidies and emission reduction investments, with remanufacturing subsidies only, with emission reduction investments only, and with both remanufacturing subsidies and emission reduction investments, are constructed, derived, compared, and analyzed. Results show that government subsidies and emission reduction investments can improve profits for the RSC members, while possibly leading to more total carbon emissions. Furthermore, it is worth noting that profit growth and emission reduction can be achieved even though reducing remanufacturing subsidies in some scenarios. Moreover, increasing emission reduction targets will reduce profits of the RSC members but does not necessarily contribute to emission reduction. Therefore, to help the RSC improve profits and reduce emission, the policymaker should formulate differentiated policies based on the types of manufacturers. For the non-abating manufacturer, the government should set higher emission reduction targets and cut down subsidies; for the low-efficiency abating manufacturer, higher emission reduction targets and subsidies are more suitable. However, for the high-efficiency abating manufacturer, lower emission reduction targets and subsidies are more effective. Full article

The dramatic increase in global construction and demolition waste (CDW) is a considerable environmental challenge, but recycled building materials face serious marketing bottlenecks. Although existing studies have focused on the technological path and policy regulation of CDW management, they have not yet considered the impact of sales effort level under the dual-channel sales model. Considering the coexistence of price competition and bidirectional free-riding behavior, this paper constructs a Stackelberg game model, which includes a construction waste remanufacturer with both online and offline sales channels and a building materials retailer, to reveal the pricing decision-making mechanism under bidirectional free-riding behavior. The results of the study show that (1) in the decentralized decision-making model, offline free-riding has a negative effect on the online channel, and when the effort cost coefficient is high, it increases the retail price of recycled building materials in the offline channel; at the same time, under high cross-price sensitivity, both the manufacturer and the retailer are negatively affected by online free-riding behaviors; (2) in contrast to decentralized decision-making, centralized decision-making motivates the supply chain as a whole to significantly increase sales effort investment and develop a better pricing strategy under the condition of satisfying the threshold cross-price sensitivity, which ultimately improves the overall efficiency of the supply chain. The findings provide an important theoretical basis and management insights for the coordination of dual-channel supply chains, the governance of free-riding behavior, and the promotion of recycled building materials in the recycling economy. Full article

Remanufacturing in reverse logistics can not only support sustainable development but also provide a tractable way to achieve carbon neutrality. This study evaluates whether an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) should remanufacture outsource or authorize this reverse channel activity in the presence of government subsidies. Additionally, the model considers the equilibrium acquisition quantities, collection rates, prices, and effects of government subsidy under three reverse channel options: centralizing remanufacturing, outsourcing remanufacturing, and authorization remanufacturing. The analysis indicates that (i) a centralized approach with manufacturing and remanufacturing operations under a fixed government subsidy is always in the interest of the supply chain; (ii) that for the profit-maximizing third-party remanufacturer (3PR), the differentials in variable collection costs drive the strategy choice, and that a higher fixed scaling parameter of the collection cost favors outsourcing; and (iii) when the government aspires to reduce environmental effects and subsidy payments, the OEM and government have different reverse channel choice preferences. Surprisingly, profitability and environmental goals align under a high consumer acceptance of the remanufactured product. This paper extends the understanding of the remanufacturing strategy of an OEM and provides new insights on which reverse channel is optimal. Full article