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Understanding vulnerabilities and resilience in circular business ecosystems
Camila Gonçalves Castro1, Adriana Hofmann Trevisan2, Aylin Ates3
1São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Department of Production Engineering, Av. Trabalhador São Carlense, 400, São Carlos, SP, 13566-590, Brazil; Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technology of Minas Gerais -Campus Congonhas, Av. Michael Pereira de Souza, 3007, Congonhas, MG, 36415-000, Brazil.
Journal of Environmental Management
|June 22, 2026
Summary
Circular Business Ecosystems (CBE) face vulnerabilities in material flows, actor relations, and governance. These issues reduce adaptive capacity, impacting the overall resilience and sustainability of circular economy initiatives.
Area of Science:
- Business Administration
- Environmental Science
- Sociology
Background:
- Circular Business Ecosystems (CBE) are collaborative networks essential for circular value propositions.
- These ecosystems face external perturbations that threaten their resilience and effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate vulnerabilities within Circular Business Ecosystems.
- To analyze the impact of these vulnerabilities on ecosystem resilience.
Main Methods:
- A four-year qualitative, multiple-case study involving 19 firms across two distinct CBEs.
- Utilized a vulnerability lens and socioecological/economic perspectives on resilience.
Main Results:
- Vulnerabilities in material flows, actor relationships, and governance structures were identified.
- Perturbations like material dependency, power imbalances, and fragmented governance reduce adaptive capacity.
- These vulnerabilities constrain flexibility, redundancy, and visibility, hindering ecosystem resilience.
Conclusions:
- Conceptualized vulnerabilities and their interaction with resilience in CBEs.
- Identified key factors undermining adaptive capacity and long-term sustainability.
- Provides insights for enhancing the resilience of circular ecosystems.
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