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

Cilt: 7 Sayı: 1 28 Ocak 2026
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Organizational Sustainability through Circular Economy Principles: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Evolution and Intellectual Structure

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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.

Anahtar Kelimeler

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

Kaynakça

  1. 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.
  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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. Circle Economy. (2019). The circularity gap report 2019. Circle Economy.
  8. Corvellec, H., Stowell, A. F., & Johansson, N. (2022). Critiques of the circular economy. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 26(2), 421-432.
  9. 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
  10. 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

Kaynak Göster

APA
Karakaya, T., & Balcıoğlu, Y. S. (2026). Organizational Sustainability through Circular Economy Principles: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Evolution and Intellectual Structure. Sosyal Mucit Academic Review, 7(1), 23-59. https://doi.org/10.54733/smar.1684944
AMA
1.Karakaya T, Balcıoğlu YS. Organizational Sustainability through Circular Economy Principles: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Evolution and Intellectual Structure. SMAR. 2026;7(1):23-59. doi:10.54733/smar.1684944
Chicago
Karakaya, Turhan, ve Yavuz Selim Balcıoğlu. 2026. “Organizational Sustainability through Circular Economy Principles: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Evolution and Intellectual Structure”. Sosyal Mucit Academic Review 7 (1): 23-59. https://doi.org/10.54733/smar.1684944.
EndNote
Karakaya T, Balcıoğlu YS (01 Ocak 2026) Organizational Sustainability through Circular Economy Principles: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Evolution and Intellectual Structure. Sosyal Mucit Academic Review 7 1 23–59.
IEEE
[1]T. Karakaya ve Y. S. Balcıoğlu, “Organizational Sustainability through Circular Economy Principles: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Evolution and Intellectual Structure”, SMAR, c. 7, sy 1, ss. 23–59, Oca. 2026, doi: 10.54733/smar.1684944.
ISNAD
Karakaya, Turhan - Balcıoğlu, Yavuz Selim. “Organizational Sustainability through Circular Economy Principles: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Evolution and Intellectual Structure”. Sosyal Mucit Academic Review 7/1 (01 Ocak 2026): 23-59. https://doi.org/10.54733/smar.1684944.
JAMA
1.Karakaya T, Balcıoğlu YS. Organizational Sustainability through Circular Economy Principles: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Evolution and Intellectual Structure. SMAR. 2026;7:23–59.
MLA
Karakaya, Turhan, ve Yavuz Selim Balcıoğlu. “Organizational Sustainability through Circular Economy Principles: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Evolution and Intellectual Structure”. Sosyal Mucit Academic Review, c. 7, sy 1, Ocak 2026, ss. 23-59, doi:10.54733/smar.1684944.
Vancouver
1.Turhan Karakaya, Yavuz Selim Balcıoğlu. Organizational Sustainability through Circular Economy Principles: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Evolution and Intellectual Structure. SMAR. 01 Ocak 2026;7(1):23-59. doi:10.54733/smar.1684944