Dynamic capabilities for circular ecosystem creation: a framework with theoretical and empirical approach

• Ano de defesa: 2025
• Autor(a) principal: Ospina, Danika Andrea Castillo
• Tipo de documento: Tese
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: eng
• Instituição de defesa: Biblioteca Digitais de Teses e Dissertações da USP
• Palavras-chave em Português: capabilities; capacidades; circular economy; circular ecosystem; co-creation value; co-criação de valor; economia circular; ecossistema circular; practices; práticas; sustainability; sustentabilidade
• Link de acesso: https://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/18/18156/tde-20052025-085312/

The current economic systems linear production-consumption-disposal model poses significant threats to natural resource availability and ecological sustainability. Circular Economy (CE) has emerged as a transformative paradigm that maximizes resource efficiency and minimizes waste through innovative practices, collaborative alliances, and oriented strategies for achieving sustainability goals. In this sense, CE transition encompasses changes in socioeconomic structures at the inter-organizational and organizational levels, and the circular ecosystem (CEco) plays a key role at this organizational and inter-organizational level of circular transition. As an emerging empirical and strategic phenomenon among organizations, gaps remain in understanding the emergence of CEco with an in-depth view, the configuration of capabilities in this emergence, and their systemic interactions with external factors. This study addresses these gaps by developing a framework that contains specific capabilities in the CEco creation process and the systemic vision of interactions of CEco emergence with external factors. The research examines explicitly how focal firms develop CEco, adopting a set of dynamic capabilities (DCs) and influencing ecosystem participants. Employing a grounded theory and Design Research Model (DRM) methodologies, a multi-case study and complementary methods were conducted across seven firms recognized for leadership in circular ecosystem development. Empirical data were gathered through 24 semi-structured interviews and subjected to iterative analysis using triangulation, cross-case comparisons, and the structuration of a conceptual framework. The analysis revealed four primary categories of DCs: sensing circular opportunities, seizing circular solutions, reconfiguring internal practices, and integrating ecosystems. The results demonstrate that DCs in CEcos can be represented as an interconnected and complex system that directly influences environmental, social, and economic organizational performance in alignment with sustainability goals and circularity principles. Key findings highlight that transitioning to a CEco requires organizations to strategically realign their business models to prioritize resource reuse, lifecycle extension, and inter-organizational collaboration in all stages of circular innovation. Results from inferring the framework from multi-case studies demonstrate that organizations with well-defined circular strategies achieve greater resource efficiency and improved environmental performance. Furthermore, the framework enables the projection of future scenarios, facilitating a deeper understanding of monetary flows, environmental impacts, and long-term value generation in circular systems. Finally, this research underscores the importance of adopting a holistic approach for the strategy design phase from managers perspectives, focusing on the potential opportunities for value creation with different actors. Although qualitative data offer valuable perceptions, they are limited by their inherent subjectivity and the omission of perspectives from other ecosystem actors. Future research should explore diverse roles, sectors, and value-creation approaches, such as pay-per-use and dematerialization, and identify the DCs of CEco in the mature phase.