How to close the loop? Organizational learning processes and contextual factors for small and medium enterprises’ circular business models introduction
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7433/s116.2021.08Keywords:
organizational learning; sustainable management; circular economy; supply chain; small and medium enterprisesAbstract
Frame of the research: The paper is framed under the organizational learning (OL) theory, to investigate the circular economy (CE) transition of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Purpose of the paper: This paper focuses on the identification of enabling factors and processes able at influencing the introduction of circular business models (CBMs) in SMEs, with a specific attention toward OL processes.
Methodology: In the light of grounded theory, the study offers an interpretative analysis of focus group discussions among Italian construction SME managers.
Results: Four key OL contextual factors - external environment, supply chain context, organizational features, and culture - appear to favor the application of CBM-oriented intraorganizational and interorganizational learning processes among SMEs.
Research limitations: The paper's limitations are mainly linked to a single-context analysis and the qualitative approach to the investigation.
Practical implications: We identify OL processes to be encouraged among SMEs for CE application, the related dynamics, as well as the contextual factors to be managed in the CE transition.
Originality of the paper: The paper's originality resides in the disclosure of the Italian context as one of the most advanced EU countries in the CE, and in the analysis of its the related traditional construction sector evolution process.
References
ABRAHAMSON E., FOMBRUN C.J. (1994), “Macrocultures: Determinants and Consequences”, The Academy of Management Review, vol. 19, n. 4, pp. 728-755.
ANDERSON L., THORPE R., COLEMAN C. (2020), “Reviewing Management Learning: The field and the journal”, Management Learning, vol. 51, n. 1, pp. 17-34.
ARGOTE L. (2011), “Organizational learning research: Past, present and future”, Management Learning, vol. 42, n. 4, pp. 439- 446.
ARGOTE L., MIRON-SPEKTOR E. (2011), “Organizational Learning: From Experience to Knowledge”, Organization Science, vol. 22, pp. 1123-1137.
BARBA ARAGÓN M.I., JIMÉNEZ JIMÉNEZ D., SANZ VALLE R. (2014), “Training and performance: The mediating role of organizational learning”, BRQ Business Research Quarterly, vol. 17, n. 3, pp. 161-173.
BENACHIO G.L.F., FREITAS M. DO C.D., TAVARES S.F. (2020), “Circular economy in the construction industry: A systematic literature review”, Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 260, p. 121046.
BERENDS H., SMITS A., REYMEN I., PODOYNITSYNA K. (2016), “Learning while (re)configuring: Business model innovation processes in established firms”, Strategic Organization, vol. 14, n. 3, pp. 181-219.
BOSTRÖM M., JÖNSSON A.M., LOCKIE S., MOL A.P.J., OOSTERVEER P. (2015), “Sustainable and responsible supply chain governance: Challenges and opportunities”, Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 107, pp. 1-7.
BRUNEAU M., REINHORN A. (2006), “Overview of the Resilience Concept”, Proceedings of the 8th U.S. National Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Paper No. 2040, 9.
BSI. (2017), BS 8001:2017 Framework for implementing the principles of the circular economy in organizations, Guide, The British Standards Institution.
BULIGA O., SCHEINER C.W., VOIGT K.I. (2016), “Business model innovation and organizational resilience: Towards an integrated conceptual framework”, Journal of Business Economics, vol. 86, n. 6, pp. 647-670.
BULKELEY H. (2006), “Urban Sustainability: Learning from Best Practice?”, Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, vol. 38, n. 6, pp. 1029-1044.
CASACLIMA (2020), Certificazione edifici, https://www.agenziacasaclima.it/it/certificazione edifici-1405.html
CHATTERJEE A., PEREIRA A., BATES R. (2018), “Impact of individual perception of organizational culture on the learning transfer environment”, International Journal of Training and Development, vol. 22, n. 1, pp. 15-33.
CHEN L.H., HUNG P., MA H. (2020), “Integrating circular business models and development tools in the circular economy transition process: A firm-level framework”, Business Strategy and the Environment, vol. 29, n. 5, pp. 1887-1898.
CHIKWECHE T., BRESSAN A. (2018), “A systematic review of future research challenges and prospects of organizational learning research in small medium size enterprises”, Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, vol. 30, n. 2, pp. 175-191.
CHRISTOPHER M. (2011), Logistics & supply chain management (4th ed.), Financial Times Prentice Hall.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY NETWORK, & ENEA (2020), Rapporto sull’economia circolare in Italia, https://circulareconomynetwork.it/rapporto-economia-circolare-2020/
CLEGG S.R., KORNBERGER M., RHODES C. (2004), “Noise, Parasites and Translation: Theory and Practice in Management Consulting”, Management Learning, vol. 35, n. 1, pp. 31-44.
CONFINDUSTRIA (2020), Economia circolare-Case History, Economia Circolare, http://economiacircolare.confindustria.it/ch/
CROSSAN M.M., LANE H.W., WHITE R.E. (1999), “An Organizational Learning Framework: From Intuition to Institution”, The Academy of Management Review, vol. 24, n. 3, pp. 522-537.
DEY P.K., MALESIOS C., DE D., BUDHWAR P., CHOWDHURY S., CHEFFI W. (2020), “Circular economy to enhance sustainability of small and medium-sized enterprises”, Business Strategy and the Environment, vol. 29, n. 6, pp. 2145-2169.
DURST S., WILHELM S. (2012), “Knowledge management and succession planning in SMEs”, Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 16, n. 4, pp. 637-649.
DZHENGIZ T. (2020), “A Literature Review of Inter-Organizational Sustainability Learning”, Sustainability, vol. 12, n. 12, p. 4876.
EASTERBY-SMITH M. (1997), “Disciplines of Organizational Learning: Contributions and Critiques”, Human Relations, vol. 50, n. 9, pp. 1085-1113.
EDENIUS M., YAKHLEF A. (2007), “Space, Vision and Organizational Learning: The Interplay of Incorporating and Inscribing Practices”, Management Learning, vol. 38, n. 2, pp. 193-210.
ELLEN MACARTHUR FOUNDATION. (2015), Growing within: A circular economy vision for a competitive Europe, https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org
EREZ M., GAT E. (2004), “A dynamic, multi-level model of culture: From the micro level of the individual to the macro level of a global culture”, Applied psychology: an international review, vol. 53, n. 4, pp. 583 -598.
EUROPEAN COMMISSION (2016, July 5th), Green Action Plan for SMEs. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/smes/business-friendly-environment/green-action-plan_en
EUROPEAN COMMISSION (2019), Annual report on European SMEs 2018/2019, https://ec.europa.eu/growth/smes/business-friendly-environment/performance-review_en
EUROPEAN OBSERVATORY FOR CLUSTERS AND INDUSTRIAL CHANGE (2019), Priority Sector Report: Construction industry, https://www.clustercollaboration.eu/eu-initiatives/european-cluster-observatory
EUROSTAT (2020), Small and medium-sized enterprises: An overview, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/ddn-20200514-1
FELÍCIO J.A., CALDEIRINHA V., DUTRA A. (2019), “Ambidextrous capacity in small and medium-sized enterprises”, Journal of Business Research, vol. 101, n. 6, pp. 07-614.
FIOL M., LYLES M.A. (1985), “Organizational Learning”, Academy of Management Review, vol. 10, n. 4, pp. 803-813.
GEISSDOERFER M., PIERONI M.P.P., PIGOSSO D.C.A., SOUFANI K. (2020), “Circular business models: A review”, Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 277, p. 123741.
GHISELLINI P., CIALANI C., ULGIATI S. (2016), “A review on circular economy: The expected transition to a balanced interplay of environmental and economic systems”, Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 114, pp. 11-32.
GIOIA D.A., CORLEY K.G., HAMILTON A.L. (2013), “Seeking Qualitative Rigor in Inductive Research: Notes on the Gioia Methodology”, Organizational Research Methods, vol. 16, n. 1, pp. 15-31.
GULATI R., LAVIE D., SINGH H. (2009), “The Nature of Partnering Experience and the Gains from Alliances”, Strategic Management Journal, vol. 30, n. 11, pp. 1213-1233.
HARRINGTON S.J., GUIMARAES T. (2005), “Corporate culture, absorptive capacity and IT success”, Information and Organization, vol. 15, n. 1, pp. 39-63.
HOLMQVIST M. (2004), “Experiential Learning Processes of Exploitation and Exploration Within and Between Organizations: An Empirical Study of Product Development”, Organization Science, vol. 15, n. 1, pp. 70-81.
HOSSAIN MD.U., NG S.T., ANTWI-AFARI P., AMOR B. (2020), “Circular economy and the construction industry: Existing trends, challenges and prospective framework for sustainable construction”, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 130, p. 109948.
KAUPPILA O.P., RAJALA R., JYRÄMÄ A. (2011), “Knowledge sharing through virtual teams across borders and boundaries”, Management Learning, vol. 42, n. 4, pp. 395-418.
KLEIN M., SPYCHALSKA-WOJTKIEWICZ M. (2020), “Cross-Sector Partnerships for Innovation and Growth: Can Creative Industries Support Traditional Sector Innovations?”, Sustainability, vol. 12, n. 23, p. 10122.
LACY P.,RUTQVIST J. (2015), Waste to Wealth: The Circular Economy Advantage, Palgrave Macmillan.
LANGLEY A. (1999), “Strategies for Theorizing from Process Data”, Academy of Management Review, vol. 24, n. 4, pp. 691-710.
LIEDER M., RASHID A. (2016), “Towards circular economy implementation: A comprehensive review in context of manufacturing industry”, Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 115, pp. 36-51.
LINNENLUECKE M.K. (2017), “Resilience in business and management research: A review of influential publications and a research agenda”, International Journal of Management Reviews, vol. 19, n. 1, pp. 4-30.
LÓPEZ S.P., PEÓN J.M.M., ORDÁS C.J.V. (2006), “Human Resource Management as a Determining Factor in Organizational Learning”, Management Learning, vol. 37, n. 2, pp. 215-239.
MARCH J.G. (1991), “Exploration and Exploitation in Organizational Learning”, Organization Science, vol. 2, n. 1, pp. 71-87.
MAZUTIS D., SLAWINSKI N. (2008), “Leading Organizational Learning Through Authentic Dialogue”, Management Learning, vol. 39, n. 4, pp. 437-456.
MICHALSKI M.P. (2014), “Symbolic meanings and e-learning in the workplace: The case of an intranet-based training tool”, Management Learning, vol. 45, n. 2, pp. 145-166.
MORGAN D.L. (1997), The Focus Group Guidebook, SAGE Publications.
NONAKA I. (1994), “A Dynamic Theory of Organizational Knowledge Creation”, Organization Science, vol. 5, n. 1, pp. 14-37.
PIERONI M.P.P., MCALOONE T.C., PIGOSSO D.C.A. (2019), “Business model innovation for circular economy and sustainability: A review of approaches”, Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 215, pp. 198-216.
PRIETO‐SANDOVAL V., JACA C., SANTOS J., BAUMGARTNER R.J., ORMAZABAL M. (2019), “Key strategies, resources, and capabilities for implementing circular economy in industrial small and medium enterprises”, Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, vol. 26, n. 6, pp. 1473-1484.
RIZOS V., BEHRENS A., VAN DER GAAST W., HOFMAN E., IOANNOU A., KAFYEKE T., FLAMOS A., RINALDI R., PAPADELIS S., HIRSCHNITZ-GARBERS M., TOPI C. (2016), “Implementation of Circular Economy Business Models by Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): Barriers and Enablers”, Sustainability, vol. 8, n. 11, p. 1212.
SANZ‐VALLE R., NARANJO‐VALENCIA J.C., JIMÉNEZ‐JIMÉNEZ D., PEREZ‐ CABALLERO L. (2011), “Linking organizational learning with technical innovation and organizational culture”, Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 15, n. 6, pp. 997-1015.
SCHEIN E.H. (2004), “Organizational Culture and Leadership (3rd ed.), Jossey-Bass”, Strategic Management Journal, vol. 35, n. 7, pp. 974-994.
SCIPIONI S. (2021), “Circular corporate reputation nelle piccole e medie imprese: Il caso di una good practice italiana”, In Ferretti P., La corporate reputation: Alcuni drivers di sviluppo, Giappichelli, Torino.
STAN M., PURANAM P. (2017), “Organizational adaptation to interdependence shifts: The role of integrator structures”, Strategic Management Journal, vol. 38, n. 5, pp. 1041-1061.
SUDDABY R. (2006), “From the Editors: What Grounded Theory is Not”, Academy of Management Journal, vol. 49, n. 4, pp. 633-642.
TURA N. , HANSKI J., AHOLA T., STÅHLE M., PIIPARINEN S., VALKOKARI P. (2019), “Unlocking circular business: A framework of barriers and drivers”, Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 212, pp. 90-98.
ÜNAL E., URBINATI A., CHIARONI D. (2019), “Managerial practices for designing circular economy business models: The case of an Italian SME in the office supply industry”, Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, vol. 30, n. 3, pp. 561-589.
VAN BUEREN E.M., PRIEMUS H. (2002), “Institutional Barriers to Sustainable Construction”, Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design, vol. 29, n. 1, pp. 75-86.
VAN HOOF B. (2014), “Organizational learning in cleaner production among Mexican supply networks”, Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 64, pp. 115-124.
WENGER E. (1999), Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity, Cambridge University Press.
YIN R.K. (2017), Case Study Research and Applications: Design and Methods SAGE Publications.
