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Closing Global Material Loops: Initial Insights into Firm‐Level Challenges
Author(s) -
Prosman Ernst J.,
Wæhrens Brian V.,
Liotta Giacomo
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of industrial ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.377
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1530-9290
pISSN - 1088-1980
DOI - 10.1111/jiec.12535
Subject(s) - closing (real estate) , industrial symbiosis , business , key (lock) , purchasing , industrial ecology , industrial organization , circular economy , process management , knowledge management , marketing , sustainability , computer science , engineering , ecology , computer security , finance , biology , waste management
Summary Sharing and exchanging waste materials between industrial actors, a practice known as industrial symbiosis (IS), has been identified as a key strategy for closing material loops. This article adopts a critical view on geographical proximity and external coordinators—two key enablers of IS. By “uncovering” a case where both enablers are absent, this study seeks to explore firm‐level challenges of IS. We adopt an exploratory case‐study approach at a cement manufacturer who engages in cross‐border IS without the support of external coordinators. Our research presents insights into two key areas of IS: (1) setting up the initial IS exchange and (2) improving the performance of existing IS exchanges. Moreover, our research provides initial insights into the underlying nature of the related firm‐level challenges and explores how internal coordination between manufacturing and purchasing may or may not act as a substitute for geographical proximity and external coordinators. In doing so, our insights into firm‐level challenges of long‐distance IS exchanges contribute to closing global material loops by increasing the number of potential circular pathways.