Circular business opportunities : exploring a win-win-win situation from a design thinking perspective

Abstract: The transport sector is one of the main contributors to greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. A current solution to this problem is the introduction of electric vehicles into our transport fleets. However, this solution comes with its challenges; for instance, the environmental impact of batteries once they reach their end-of-life. The circular economy is an approach to manage ecological electromobility issues while providing economic and societal wellbeing. A starting point for the implementation of a circular economy can be found in the implementation of circular business models. Because the circular economy requires its actors to think in systems, the collaboration between multiple stakeholders is essential. However, most circular business model frameworks are focusing on the focal firm, which is not sufficient to encourage cross-collaboration between organizations. Therefore, this study outlines the development of a new framework that focuses on a multi-stakeholder perspective. I propose the “framework for multi-stakeholder circular business model innovation” to explore win-win-win scenarios for the management of 2LB. I conducted a study in collaboration with Svealandstrafiken, Mälarenergi and Västerås Stad. The organizations were involved in data collection via a series of interviews and the validation of the framework through a workshop. The proposed framework consists of a process of four phases subdivided into eight steps that meant to address key challenges organizations are facing to achieve circularity. Within these four phases, the framework encourages discussions on shared values and visions between all stakeholders at an early stage. As a consequence, better collaborations and relationships are formed, which positively benefits the development of circular business models.