Circular Economy in the Växjö Region : Case: Local Entrepreneurs and Organizations

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to gain insights into the implementation of circular economy from the perspectives of local entrepreneurs and organizations within the Växjö region. Design/methods/approach - This paper follows the case study design with local entrepreneurs and organizations as the unit of analysis. The authors adopted both iterative and abductive thinking in order to alternate between analysis of theories and empirical material. Systematic literature review with themes was used as a specific purpose and research question was specified from the beginning. When collecting empirical material, guided and semi-structured interviews were used. For the data analysis, “initial coding” was utilized, which allowed the authors to differentiate themes and thus perform a thorough analysis. Findings - Växjö Kommun has a long-term goal of fostering sustainability and circularity within the Växjö region through numerous communication channels and continuous collaboration and cooperation with various groups of stakeholders. Their efforts have facilitated the emergence of initiatives and projects from small entrepreneurs. However, the relationship between Växjö Kommun and other stakeholders (local entrepreneurs and organizations) face difficulties due to a lack of communication and differences in perception of how the strategies should be implemented. Practical implications - Through collecting, analyzing and combining theoretical and empirical material, insights were gained into the implementation of circular economy. Based on these, recommendations to the local entrepreneurs and organizations were outlined, which can be utilized when rethinking their strategies related to sustainable and circular projects in the region of Växjö. Originality/value - The originality of this paper lies in the absence of previous research conducted on similar topics within this local context. The authors believe that their paper will be valuable to both local entrepreneurs and organizations who wish to better understand the implementation of circular economy. At the same time, the findings could be useful for other scholars who wish to continue this research