Organizational Sustainability through Circular Economy Principles: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Evolution and Intellectual Structure

Year 2026, Volume: 7 Issue: 1, 23 - 59, 28.01.2026

Turhan Karakaya , Yavuz Selim Balcıoğlu

https://doi.org/10.54733/smar.1684944

Abstract

This study conducts a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of research at the intersection of circular economy principles and organizational sustainability to map the intellectual structure and evolution of this interdisciplinary field. We employed a multi-method bibliometric approach analyzing 411 publications from the Scopus database. The methodology combined performance analysis (publication trends, influential authors, journals, and countries) with science mapping techniques to reveal the conceptual structure and development of the field. The analysis reveals exponential growth in publications since 2016, with European institutions dominating research contributions. Five major thematic areas emerge: (1) conceptual integration of circular economy and sustainability paradigms, (2) circular business models and value creation, (3) supply chain and operations management for circularity, (4) organizational transformation and change management, and (5) performance measurement and impact assessment. The field has evolved from conceptual foundations toward implementation-focused research, with increasing attention to digital technologies as enablers. Social dimensions remain relatively underdeveloped compared to economic and environmental aspects. Our findings highlight theoretical contributions to understanding how circular economy principles can advance organizational sustainability across the triple bottom line. We identify significant limitations in current research, including geographic imbalance, methodological constraints, limited longitudinal studies, and underdeveloped social dimensions. The study outlines eight promising directions for future research: expanding geographic diversity, advancing methodological approaches, strengthening social dimension research, exploring digital transformation, investigating organizational capabilities, examining resilience connections, developing integrated theoretical frameworks, and exploring policy-practice interactions.

Keywords

circular economy , organizational sustainability , bibliometric analysis , sustainable business models

Döngüsel Ekonomi İlkeleri Aracılığıyla Kurumsal Sürdürülebilirlik: Araştırma Evrimi ve Entelektüel Yapı Üzerine Bibliyometrik Bir Analiz

Abstract

Bu çalışma, bu disiplinler arası alanın entelektüel yapısını ve gelişimini haritalandırmak için döngüsel ekonomi ilkeleri ve kurumsal sürdürülebilirliğin kesişme noktasındaki araştırmaların kapsamlı bir bibliyometrik analizini yapmaktadır. Scopus veri tabanındaki 411 yayını analiz eden çok yöntemli bir bibliyometrik yaklaşım kullandık. Metodoloji, alanın kavramsal yapısını ve gelişimini ortaya çıkarmak için performans analizini (yayın eğilimleri, etkili yazarlar, dergiler ve ülkeler) bilim haritalama teknikleriyle (ortak atıf analizi, bibliyografik birleştirme, anahtar kelime eş-oluşumu) birleştirdi. Analiz, 2016'dan bu yana yayınlarda üstel bir büyüme olduğunu ve Avrupa kurumlarının araştırma katkılarına hakim olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Beş ana tematik alan ortaya çıkmaktadır: (1) döngüsel ekonomi ve sürdürülebilirlik paradigmalarının kavramsal entegrasyonu, (2) döngüsel iş modelleri ve değer yaratma, (3) döngüsellik için tedarik zinciri ve operasyon yönetimi, (4) organizasyonel dönüşüm ve değişim yönetimi ve (5) performans ölçümü ve etki değerlendirmesi. Bu alan, kavramsal temellerden uygulama odaklı araştırmalara doğru evrilmiş ve dijital teknolojilere etkinleştirici olarak artan bir ilgi gösterilmiştir. Sosyal boyutlar, ekonomik ve çevresel boyutlara kıyasla nispeten daha az gelişmiştir. Bulgularımız, döngüsel ekonomi ilkelerinin üçlü kar hanesi boyunca kurumsal sürdürülebilirliği nasıl geliştirebileceğini anlamaya yönelik teorik katkıları vurgulamaktadır. Coğrafi dengesizlik, metodolojik kısıtlamalar, sınırlı boylamsal çalışmalar ve az gelişmiş sosyal boyutlar da dahil olmak üzere mevcut araştırmalardaki önemli sınırlamaları tespit ediyoruz. Çalışma, gelecekteki araştırmalar için sekiz umut verici yönün ana hatlarını çizmektedir: coğrafi çeşitliliği genişletmek, metodolojik yaklaşımları ilerletmek, sosyal boyut araştırmalarını güçlendirmek, dijital dönüşümü araştırmak, örgütsel yetenekleri araştırmak, esneklik bağlantılarını incelemek, entegre teorik çerçeveler geliştirmek ve politika-uygulama etkileşimlerini araştırmak.

Keywords

döngüsel ekonomi , kurumsal sürdürülebilirlik , bibliyometrik analiz , sürdürülebilir iş modelleri

References

• Babbitt, C. W., Gaustad, G., Fisher, A., Chen, W. Q., & Liu, G. (2018). Closing the loop on circular economy research: From theory to practice and back again. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 135, 1-2.
• Bansal, P., & Song, H. C. (2017). Similar but not the same: Differentiating corporate sustainability from corporate responsibility. Academy of Management Annals, 11(1), 105-149. https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2015.0095
• Baxter, W., Aurisicchio, M., & Childs, P. (2017). Contaminated interaction: Another barrier to circular material flows. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 21(3), 507-516. https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.12612
• Bocken, N. M. P., de Pauw, I., Bakker, C., & van der Grinten, B. (2016). Product design and business model strategies for a circular economy. Journal of Industrial and Production Engineering, 33(5), 308-320. https://doi.org/10.1080/21681015.2016.1172124
• Braungart, M., McDonough, W., & Bollinger, A. (2007). Cradle-to-cradle design: Creating healthy emissions – a strategy for eco-effective product and system design. Journal of Cleaner Production, 15(13-14), 1337-1348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2006.08.003
• Brydges, T. (2021). Closing the loop on take, make, waste: Investigating circular economy practices in the Swedish fashion industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 293, 126245. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126245
• Circle Economy. (2019). The circularity gap report 2019. Circle Economy.
• Corvellec, H., Stowell, A. F., & Johansson, N. (2022). Critiques of the circular economy. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 26(2), 421-432.
• Cousins, P. D., Lawson, B., Petersen, K. J., & Fugate, B. (2019). Investigating green supply chain management practices and performance. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 39(5), 767-786. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPM-11-2018-0676
• Cullen, J. M. (2017). Circular economy: Theoretical benchmark or perpetual motion machine?. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 21(3), 483-486. https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.12599
• De Angelis, R., Howard, M., & Miemczyk, J. (2018). Supply chain management and the circular economy: Towards the circular supply chain. Production Planning & Control, 29(6), 425-437. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2018.1449244
• de Jesus, A., & Mendonça, S. (2018). Lost in transition? Drivers and barriers in the eco-innovation road to the circular economy. Ecological Economics, 145, 75-89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.08.001
• de Sousa Jabbour, A. B. L., Jabbour, C. J. C., Godinho Filho, M., & Roubaud, D. (2018). Industry 4.0 and the circular economy: A proposed research agenda and original roadmap for sustainable operations. Annals of Operations Research, 270(1), 273-286. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-018-2772-8
• Demirel, P., & Danisman, G. O. (2019). Eco-innovation and firm growth in the circular economy: Evidence from European small and medium-sized enterprises. Business Strategy and the Environment, 28(8), 1608-1618. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2336
• Durach, C. F., Blesik, T., von Düring, M., & Bick, M. (2021). Blockchain applications in supply chain transactions. Journal of Business Logistics, 42(1), 7-24. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbl.12238
• Dyllick, T., & Hockerts, K. (2002). Beyond the business case for corporate sustainability. Business Strategy and the Environment, 11(2), 130-141. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.323
• Elkington, J. (1998). Cannibals with forks: The triple bottom line of 21st century business. Capstone.
• Ellen MacArthur Foundation, & McKinsey Center for Business and Environment. (2015). Growth within: A circular economy vision for a competitive Europe.
• Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2013). Towards the circular economy: Opportunities for the consumer goods sector (Vol. 2).
• Ferasso, M., Beliaeva, T., Kraus, S., Clauss, T., & Ribeiro‐Soriano, D. (2020). Circular economy business models: The state of research and avenues ahead. Business Strategy and the Environment, 29(8), 3006-3024. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2554
• Fitch-Roy, O., Benson, D., & Monciardini, D. (2020). Going around in circles? Conceptual recycling, patching and policy layering in the EU circular economy package. Environmental Politics, 29(6), 983-1003. https://doi.org/10.1080/09644016.2019.1673996
• Freeman, R. E. (1984). Strategic management: A stakeholder approach. Pitman.
• García-Quevedo, J., Jové-Llopis, E., & Martínez-Ros, E. (2020). Barriers to the circular economy in European small and medium-sized firms. Business Strategy and the Environment, 29(6), 2450-2464. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2513
• Geissdoerfer, M., Morioka, S. N., de Carvalho, M. M., & Evans, S. (2018). Business models and supply chains for the circular economy. Journal of Cleaner Production, 190, 712-721. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.04.159
• Geissdoerfer, M., Savaget, P., Bocken, N. M., & Hultink, E. J. (2017). The circular economy–A new sustainability paradigm?. Journal of Cleaner Production, 143, 757-768. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.12.048
• 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, 114, 11-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.09.007
• Grewal, J., & Serafeim, G. (2020). Research on corporate sustainability: Review and directions for future research. Foundations and Trends in Accounting, 14(2), 73-127. https://doi.org/10.1561/1400000061
• Hobson, K. (2020). ‘Small stories of closing loops’: Social circularity and the everyday circular economy. Climatic Change, 163(1), 99-116. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-019-02480-z
• Hou, J., Wang, C., & Luo, S. (2020). How to improve the competiveness of distributed energy resources in China with blockchain technology. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 151, 119744. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2019.119744
• Inigo, E. A., & Blok, V. (2019). Strengthening the socio-ethical foundations of the circular economy: Lessons from responsible research and innovation. Journal of Cleaner Production, 233, 280-291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.06.053
• Ioannou, I., & Serafeim, G. (2015). The impact of corporate social responsibility on investment recommendations: Analysts' perceptions and shifting institutional logics. Strategic Management Journal, 36(7), 1053-1081. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.2268
• Ioannou, I., Li, S. X., & Serafeim, G. (2016). The effect of target difficulty and incentive provision on managers’ performance in achieving environmental targets. Accounting Review, 91(5), 1467-1492. https://doi.org/10.2308/accr-51307
• Jaeger-Erben, M., Jensen, C., Hofmann, F., & Zwiers, J. (2021). There is no sustainable circular economy without a circular society. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 168, 105476. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105476
• Jawahir, I. S., & Bradley, R. (2016). Technological elements of circular economy and the principles of 6R-based closed-loop material flow in sustainable manufacturing. Procedia CIRP, 40, 103-108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2016.01.067
• Kalmykova, Y., Sadagopan, M., & Rosado, L. (2018). Circular economy – From review of theories and practices to development of implementation tools. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 135, 190-201. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.10.034
• Kates, R. W., Clark, W. C., Corell, R., Hall, J. M., Jaeger, C. C., Lowe, I., McCarthy, J. J., Schellnhuber, H. J., Bolin, B., Dickson, N. M., Faucheux, S., Gallopin, G. C., Grübler, A., Huntley, B., Jäger, J., Jodha, N. S., Kasperson, R. E., Mabogunje, A., Matson, P., Mooney, H., O’Riordan, T., & Svedin, U. (2001). Sustainability science. Science, 292(5517), 641-642. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1059386
• Kazancoglu, Y., Ozbiltekin, M., Ozkan-Ozen, Y. D., & Sagnak, M. (2021). A proposed sustainable and digital collection and recovery management for post-pandemic circular economy. Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 34(1), 267-291. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEIM-02-2020-0043
• Khan, S. A. R., & Qianli, D. (2017). Impact of green supply chain management practices on firms' performance: An empirical study from the perspective of Pakistan. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 24(20), 16829-16844. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9172-5
• Khan, S. A. R., Razzaq, A., Yu, Z., & Miller, S. (2021). Retracted: Industry 4.0 and circular economy practices: A new era business strategies for environmental sustainability. Business Strategy and the Environment, 30(8), 4001-4014. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2853
• Kirchherr, J., Piscicelli, L., Bour, R., Kostense-Smit, E., Muller, J., Huibrechtse-Truijens, A., & Hekkert, M. (2018). Barriers to the circular economy: Evidence from the European Union (EU). Ecological Economics, 150, 264-272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2018.04.028
• Kirchherr, J., Reike, D., & Hekkert, M. (2017). Conceptualizing the circular economy: An analysis of 114 definitions. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 127, 221-232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.09.005
• Korhonen, J., Honkasalo, A., & Seppälä, J. (2018b). Circular economy: The concept and its limitations. Ecological Economics, 143, 37-46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.06.041
• Korhonen, J., Nuur, C., Feldmann, A., & Birkie, S. E. (2018a). Circular economy as an essentially contested concept. Journal of Cleaner Production, 175, 544-552. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.12.111
• Kouhizadeh, M., Saberi, S., & Sarkis, J. (2021). Blockchain technology and the sustainable supply chain: Theoretically exploring adoption barriers. International Journal of Production Economics, 231, 107831. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2020.107831
• Kouhizadeh, M., Sarkis, J., & Zhu, Q. (2019). At the nexus of blockchain technology, the circular economy, and product deletion. Applied Sciences, 9(8), 1712. https://doi.org/10.3390/app9081712
• Lacy, P., & Rutqvist, J. (2015). Waste to wealth: The circular economy advantage. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137530707
• Lieder, M., & Rashid, A. (2016). Towards circular economy implementation: A comprehensive review in context of manufacturing industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 115, 36-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.12.042
• Linder, M., & Williander, M. (2017). Circular business model innovation: Inherent uncertainties. Business Strategy and the Environment, 26(2), 182-196. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.1906
• Liu, J. Y. S. (2012). Circular economy and environmental efficiency–the case of traditional Hakka Living system. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 57, 255-260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.1183
• Lüdeke-Freund, F., Gold, S., & Bocken, N. M. (2019). A review and typology of circular economy business model patterns. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 23(1), 36-61. https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.12763
• Mathews, J. A., & Tan, H. (2016). Circular economy: Lessons from China. Nature, 531, 440-442. https://doi.org/10.1038/531440a
• McDonough, W., & Braungart, M. (2010). Cradle to cradle: Remaking the way we make things. North Point Press.
• McDowall, W., Geng, Y., Huang, B., Barteková, E., Bleischwitz, R., Türkeli, S., Kemp, R., & Doménech, T. (2017). Circular economy policies in China and Europe. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 21(3), 651-661. https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.12597
• Meuer, J., Koelbel, J., & Hoffmann, V. H. (2020). On the nature of corporate sustainability. Organization & Environment, 33(3), 319-341. https://doi.org/10.1177/1086026619850180
• Morais, D. O. C., & Silvestre, B. S. (2018). Advancing social sustainability in supply chain management: Lessons from multiple case studies in an emerging economy. Journal of Cleaner Production, 199, 222-235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.07.097
• Morseletto, P. (2020). Restorative and regenerative: Exploring the concepts in the circular economy. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 24(4), 763-773. https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.12987
• Murray, A., Skene, K., & Haynes, K. (2017). The circular economy: An interdisciplinary exploration of the concept and application in a global context. Journal of Business Ethics, 140(3), 369-380. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2693-2
• Narayan, R., & Tidström, A. (2019). Circular economy inspired imaginaries for sustainable innovations. In N. Bocken, P. Ritala, L. Albareda, & R. Verburg (Eds.), Innovation for Sustainability (pp. 393-413). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97385-2_21
• Padilla-Rivera, A., Russo-Garrido, S., & Merveille, N. (2020). Addressing the social aspects of a circular economy: A systematic literature review. Sustainability, 12(19), 7912. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12197912
• Pearce, D. W., & Turner, R. K. (1990). Economics of natural resources and the environment. Johns Hopkins University Press.
• 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, 215, 198-216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.01.036
• Pieroni, M. P. P., McAloone, T. C., & Pigosso, D. C. A. (2020). From theory to practice: Systematising and testing business model archetypes for circular economy. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 162, 105029. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105029
• Potting, J., Hekkert, M. P., Worrell, E., & Hanemaaijer, A. (2017). Circular economy: Measuring innovation in the product chain. PBL Publishers.
• Razzaq, A., Sharif, A., Najmi, A., Tseng, M. L., & Lim, M. K. (2021). Dynamic and causality interrelationships from municipal solid waste recycling to economic growth, carbon emissions and energy efficiency using a novel bootstrapping autoregressive distributed lag. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 166, 105372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105372
• Reike, D., Vermeulen, W. J., & Witjes, S. (2018). The circular economy: New or refurbished as CE 3.0?—Exploring controversies in the conceptualization of the circular economy through a focus on history and resource value retention options. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 135, 246-264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.08.027
• Rekha, A. G., & Resmi, A. G. (2021). An empirical study of blockchain technology, innovation, service quality and firm performance in the banking industry. In Eurasian Economic Perspectives: Proceedings of the 29th Eurasia Business and Economics Society Conference (pp. 75-89). Springer International Publishing.
• Rosa, P., Sassanelli, C., & Terzi, S. (2019). Circular business models versus circular benefits: An assessment in the waste from electrical and electronic equipments sector. Journal of Cleaner Production, 231, 940-952. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.05.310
• Roy, V., & Khastagir, D. (2016). Exploring role of green management in enhancing organizational efficiency in petro-chemical industry in India. Journal of Cleaner Production, 121, 109-115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.02.039
• Schröder, P., Lemille, A., & Desmond, P. (2020). Making the circular economy work for human development. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 156, 104686. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.104686
• Schroeder, P., Anggraeni, K., & Weber, U. (2019). The relevance of circular economy practices to the sustainable development goals. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 23(1), 77-95. https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.12732
• Seyfang, G. (2009). The new economics of sustainable consumption: Seeds of change. Palgrave Macmillan.
• Sheehy, B., & Farneti, F. (2021). Corporate social responsibility, sustainability, sustainable development and corporate sustainability: What is the difference, and does it matter? Sustainability, 13(11), 5965. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13115965
• Simnett, R., Vanstraelen, A., & Chua, W. F. (2009). Assurance on sustainability reports: An international comparison. The Accounting Review, 84(3), 937-967. https://doi.org/10.2308/accr.2009.84.3.937
• Stahel, W. R. (2016). The circular economy. Nature, 531, 435-438. https://doi.org/10.1038/531435a
• Suárez-Eiroa, B., Fernández, E., Méndez-Martínez, G., & Soto-Oñate, D. (2019). Operational principles of circular economy for sustainable development: Linking theory and practice. Journal of Cleaner Production, 214, 952-961. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.12.271
• Tambovceva, T. T., Melnyk, L. H., Dehtyarova, I. B., & Nikolaev, S. O. (2021). Circular economy: Tendencies and development perspectives. Mechanism of an Economic Regulation, 2, 33-42. https://doi.org/10.21272/mer.2021.92.04
• United Nations. (1987). Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our common future.
• Van Marrewijk, M. (2003). Concepts and definitions of CSR and corporate sustainability: Between agency and communion. Journal of Business Ethics, 44(2), 95-105. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023331212247
• Velenturf, A. P. M., & Purnell, P. (2021). Principles for a sustainable circular economy. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 27, 1437-1457. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2021.02.018
• Velis, C. A., & Vrancken, K. C. (2015). Which material ownership and responsibility in a circular economy?. Waste Management & Research, 33(9), 773-774. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X15599305
• Walker, A. M., Opferkuch, K., Roos Lindgreen, E., Simboli, A., Vermeulen, W. J. V., & Raggi, A. (2021). Assessing the social sustainability of circular economy practices: Industry perspectives from Italy and the Netherlands. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 27, 831-844. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2021.01.030
• Wiedmann, T., Lenzen, M., Keyßer, L. T., & Steinberger, J. K. (2020). Scientists' warning on affluence. Nature Communications, 11, 3107. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16941-y