21st century innovation: What is the name of the new game?

Abstract

The Circular Economy is a relatively immature research landscape, particularly when considered from an Innovation perspective. However it is gaining momentum and according to critics offers a solution to many of the issues currently being experienced around the world, in terms of resource shortages and the energy, food, water nexus. This study attempts to explore examples of products and services, collected by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, to begin to understand which size of companies are developing them, what types of innovations they represent and how they might diffuse to scale. The contribution of this paper is to introduce, define and raise awareness of circular innovations whilst beginning to articulate how analysis of CE products and service might be undertaken by further studies, with the aim of informing companies and policy-makers accordingly.