Circular Economy and Frugal Innovation Business Models for Sustainable Development

Dear Colleagues,

(1) Introduction, including scientific background and highlighting the importance of this research area.

The circular economy and frugal innovations have recently gained prominence globally in response to demand for economic, social, and environmental sustainability. According to the European Parliament research service (2023), the circular economy is a production and consumption model involving sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products. The circular economic system includes waste management, sustainable design, efficient production, green distribution, consumption reuse, and repair and collection processes.  The circular economy provides an economic system in which reductions in resource use and the mitigation of environmental impacts play a dominant role (Oliveira et al., 2021). Also, frugal innovation has emerged as a novel approach to improving the economic inclusion of the poor and marginalized population (Igwe et al., 2020; Meagher, 2016). According to UNICEF (2020), frugal innovations are simple products or services essential in environments of necessity and lack of resources, built by the people who need them the most with locally sourced materials. Frugal innovations also tend to use fewer resources than alternative products and services, and they do so in a sustainable manner (UNICEF, 2020).

(2) Aim of the Special Issue and how the subject relates to the journal scope.

This Special Issue focuses on circular economy business models and frugal innovation aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG):9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure); SDG:12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG:13 (Climate Action).

(3) Suggest themes.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. We invite submissions that reside at the intersection of the circular economy and frugal innovation management. We seek papers based on any methods (literature reviews, conceptual, case studies, qualitative, quantitative) that offer a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the circular economy and frugal innovation concepts, including (but not limited to) the following:

• Circular economy and frugal innovation business models, processes, and principles;
• Challenges, barriers, and solutions in implementing circular economy or frugal innovations;
• Links between circular economy, economic, and social and environmental sustainability;
• The role of technological advancements in promoting circular economy;
• Cultural differences in the adoption of circular economy and frugal innovation practices;
• New enterprises emerging from circular and frugal innovation business models;
• New business cases and examples of circular economy and climate actions;
• New business cases and examples of frugal innovations;
• Entrepreneurial ecosystems supporting or limiting circular economy or frugal innovations;
• Corporate social responsibility and business resilience through circular economy or frugal innovation;
• Any topic that is relevant to circular economy and frugal innovation.

References

1. European Parliament research service (2023). Circular economy: definition, importance and benefits. 24 May 2023. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/economy/20151201STO05603/circular-economy-definition-importance-and-benefits#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20circular%20economy,products%20as%20long%20as%20possible.
2. Igwe, P. A., Odunukan, K., Rahman, M., Rugara, D.G., Ochinanwata, C. (2020). How entrepreneurship ecosystem influences the development of frugal innovation and informal entrepreneurship. Thunderbird Int. Bus. Rev, 62: 475–488. https://doi.org/10.1002/tie.22157.
3. Meagher, K. (2016). The scramble for Africans: Demography, globalisation, and Africa's informal labour markets. Journal of Development Studies, 52(4), 483–497.
4. UNICEF (2020). What are frugal innovations? Turning constraints into advantages: Frugal innovations essential in environments of necessity. https://www.unicef.org/innovation/stories/what-are-frugal-innovations.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Paul Agu Igwe
Dr. Mahfuzur Rahman
Guest Editors

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• circular economy
• frugal innovation
• circular economy business model
• frugal business model
• sustainable waste management
• sustainable production and consumption