A Continuous Improvement Framework for Transition to an Intelligent Circular Economy

With the shift towards a circular economy (CE) recognised as a key driver for advancing sustainable development, researchers and practitioners are intensifying their efforts to implement CE solutions with the support of Industry 4.0 digital technologies (DTs). However, there is a risk that some could focus solely on implementing DTs and thereby lose sight of the overall goal of sustainable development. To prevent this, the research in this paper describes an intelligent circular transition framework that addresses important opportunities identified by a systematic literature review (SLR): (1) the need to consider interactions from a systems lifecycle perspective, (2) the evaluation of CE principles based on the Triple Bottom Line (TBL), and (3) the use of DTs as enablers. The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle is employed as the foundational methodology, as it is essential to approach this transition as a continuous improvement process, viewing it as a cyclical progression rather than a linear path. A high-level conceptual framework to align circular strategy with digital maturity is proposed, along with future research opportunities to strengthen and enhance its generalisability.