Stakeholder Engagement in a Sustainable Circular Economy Theoretical and Practical Perspectives

The purpose of this open access edited collection is to discuss the role and importance of stakeholder engagement in a sustainable circular economy from multiple theoretical and practical perspectives. Developing and maintaining a circular economy is an essential step to a more environmentally friendly and socially inclusive society. In addition to redesigning products and business models to minimise waste and increase the reuse of materials, a transition towards a sustainable circular economy requires collaboration and co-operation between various stakeholders from all parts of society. An international team of contributors explore how stakeholder engagement can foster and support sustainable change, assessing current literature and laying out guidance for future study. The collection is of interest to academics and students of sustainability management and sustainable business models, stakeholder theory and practice, and the circular economy.

Chapter 1. Outlining Stakeholder Engagement in a Sustainable Circular Economy.- Part I Theoretical and Conceptual Starting Points. Chapter 2. How Did It Come to Be? Circular Economy as Collective Stakeholder.- Chapter 3. Engaging Stakeholders in the Circular Economy: A Systematic Literature.- Chapter 4. Developing Sustainable Partnerships for Circular Economies: A Literature.- Part II Multi-Stakeholder Participation and Collaboration. Chapter 5. Multi-Stakeholder Network in a Circular Economy Transition: A Typology of  Stakeholder Relationships.- Chapter 6.,Developing a Participatory Approach to Support Decision-making in Waste Management.- Chapter 7. How to Engage Stakeholders in Circular Economy Ecosystems: The Process.- Part III. Value Creation Opportunities. Chapter 8.     Stakeholder Engagement Mechanisms and Value Creation in Circular Entrepreneurship.- Chapter 9. Alignment Through Value Consolidation Mechanisms – Focusing on Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration for Circular Economy.- Chapter 10. Coopetition for a Circular Economy: Horizontal Initiatives in Resolving Collective Environmental Challenges.- Part IV Novel Approaches to Stakeholder Engagement. Chapter 11. Enablers of a Circular Economy: A Strength-based Stakeholder Engagement Approach.- Chapter 12. In the Margins of Stakeholder Engagement: Fringe Stakeholders’ Inclusion in Sustainability Transition Initiatives.- Chapter 13.Connecting the Circular Economy and Sustainability: Finnish Stakeholder Perceptions.

Johanna Kujala is Professor of Management and Organizations and Vice Dean for Research at the Tampere University, Faculty of Management and Business, Finland. Her current research interests focus on stakeholder theory and engagement, sustainable value creation and circular economy, and corporate responsibility and business ethics.  

Anna Heikkinen is Adjunct Professor, Senior Lecturer of Management and Organizations,  and  the Academic Director of the  Responsible Business Master’s degree programme at the Faculty of Management and Business, Tampere University, Finland. She is an internationally well-connected scholar, whose research is primarily in the areas of stakeholder theory and corporate responsibility and sustainability, examining the relationships between business organisations and society.

Annika Blomberg is a post-doctoral Researcher at the Faculty of Management and Business, Tampere University, Finland.  Her research topics include stakeholder engagement, collaboration, and ethics, and she is interested in critical approaches as well as aesthetically sensitive and language-focussed methods.