Abstract for: Circular Economy as an aid for small-sized companies in times of COVID: an exploratory case study

The paper focuses on Circular Economy as an opportunity for small-sized companies in times of COVID. In contrast with the “linear-oriented system” that has traditionally characterized our production processes, a Circular Economy is seen as an economy that is regenerative by design, aiming at retaining as much value as possible of products, parts, and materials, and eliminating waste. Notably, Circular Economy not only is rising quickly political and economic agendas but is also mentioned as a possible aid for small-sized companies in the pandemic period. In this context, it is fundamental discovering and exploiting the “circular loops” at the basis of this system. However, small-sized companies quite often lack the theoretical knowledge, the technical skills and tools, and the information to conceptualize how their business domain works in practice and subsequently exploit all the opportunities at disposal, and this weakness also applies to the analysis and management of Circular Economy-related activities. Starting from these considerations, this paper aims to explore the potentials of System Dynamics to the analysis and management of Circular Economy-related opportunities. To pursue this aim, an exploratory case study is developed and analyzed according to an action research design.