Challenges of demographic changes and digitalization on eco-innovation and the circular economy : qualitative insights from companies

Hojnik, Jana (avtor), Ruzzier, Mitja (avtor), Konečnik Ruzzier, Maja (avtor), Sučić, Boris (avtor), Soltwisch, Brandon William (avtor)

The overuse of natural resources through excessive consumptions has led to environmental problems. As a result, there have been calls for a more sustainable, circular and digital future. Research on the topics of eco-innovations and the circular economy have made significant headways toward identifying sustainable solutions, however, the influence of demographic changes and digitization remain underexplored. Therefore, the current study investigates how demographic changes and digitization effect business practices related to eco- innovations and the circular economy. Semi-structured interviews are conducted with ten companies in Slovenia that actively adopt and develop eco-innovations, and moreover employ the principles of a circular economy. These semi-structured interviews specifically explore the impact of digitalization and demographic changes on eco-innovation and how these impacts enable the development of the circular economy. Results suggest that companies are adjusting their products and services to meet changing demands from demographic trends. Relatedly, digitization has allowed them to create new products and optimize existing ones in more sustainable ways, i.e., having less harmful effects on the environment. Specifically, digitization gave them better control over the eco-innovation process, increasing transparency, control, and manageability of the technological process in a way that reduced energy consumption and lessoned the environmental impact. These results are integrated with the existing literature to identify new insights related to the adoption and implementation of eco-innovations in the circular economy.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: investment company, circular economy, innovations, sustainable development, eco-innovation, digitalization, demographic changes, companies
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: EF - Ekonomska fakulteta
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2023
• Št. strani: 9 str.
• Številčenje: Vol. 396, art. 136439
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-148003
• UDK: 502.131.1
• ISSN pri članku: 0959-6526
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136439
• COBISS.SI-ID: 141898755
• Datum objave v RUL: 18.07.2023

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: Journal of cleaner production
• Skrajšan naslov: J. clean. prod.
• Založnik: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0959-6526
• COBISS.SI-ID: 15470597

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY-NC 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva-Nekomercialno 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: Licenca Creative Commons, ki prepoveduje komercialno uporabo, vendar uporabniki ne rabijo upravljati materialnih avtorskih pravic na izpeljanih delih z enako licenco.

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Ključne besede: investicijsko podjetje, krožno gospodarstvo, inovacije, trajnostni razvoj

Projekti

• Financer: ARRS - Agencija za raziskovalno dejavnost Republike Slovenije
• Številka projekta: J5-3106
• Naslov: Eko inovacije in krožno gospodarstvo – pot do bolj trajnostne in vključujoče prihodnosti: vloga demografskih sprememb in digitalizacije