Return to Reintegration? Towards a Circular-Economy-Inspired Management Paradigm

Abstract

Humanity has entered the Anthropocene, a new geological epoch marked by an unprecedented human impact upon planet Earth. In this context of “planetary emergency”, questioning the effectiveness of extant management research at guiding environmentally sustainable corporate outcomes has become more relevant than ever before. Responding to the calls for management scholars to reconceive the foundations of management research, this article draws on circular economy thinking to infuse the paradigmatic assumptions of the business and natural environment research field with the logic of ecological systems and bring them back to their early systemic orientation. It also discusses which barriers and limitations can prevent the circular economy from unleashing its transformational power.