Results

CICAT2025 publishes research results in scientific publications as well as in other formats during the project.

Theorizing Ideological Steering : The journey of the circular economy

This dissertation deals with the terms “ideological steering” and “circular economy” (CE). The CE has been one of the key environmental policy concepts of the last decade. Despite its......

Stakeholder value creation in the intersection of business and sustainability

This article-based dissertation examines how businesses can create value with and for stakeholders in the context of sustainability. The dissertation increases understanding of how stakeholder......

Value creation in circular economy business for sustainability: A stakeholder relationship perspective

This study examined how and what kind value is created within stakeholder relationships in CE business. We conducted a single case study of an energy company that has developed a CE business......

Scientific Articles

Aarikka-Stenroos, Ranta (2019). Business catalysts for the Circular Economy innovations.

Alaranta, Turunen (2021). How to Reach a Safe Circular Economy?—Perspectives on Reconciling the Waste, Product and Chemicals Regulation.

Apostol, Mäkelä, Heikkilä, Höyssä, Kalliomäki, Jokinen, Saarni (2021). Triggering sustainability communication in a B2B context: combining action research and sensemaking.

Gonzales-Porras, Heikkinen, Kujala (2020). Understanding stakeholder influence: Lessons from a controversial megaproject.

Harala, Alkki, Aarikka-Stenroos, Al-Najjar, Malmqvist (2023). Industrial ecosystem renewal towards circularity to achieve the benefits of reuse – Learning from circular construction.

Ingstrup, Aarikka-Stenroos, Adlin (2020). When institutional logics meet: Alignment and misalignment in collaboration between academia and practitioners.

Kaipainen, Aarikka-Stenroos, Ranta (2020). Strategic Renewal Process towards Environmental Sustainability – A Longitudinal Case.

Kaipainen, Aarikka-Stenroos, Ritala (2021). Circular-Oriented Innovation for Solving Grand Environmental Challenges: A Multiple-case Study.

Kaipainen, Uusikartano, Aarikka-Stenroos, Harala, Alakerttula, Pohls (2021). Engaging Stakeholders to Circular Economy Ecosystems: A Process Model.

Kallio, Ermala, Seppänen (2020). Enabling 4P Collaboration: Multidisciplinary, Industrial-Scale Circular Economy Park.

Koistinen, Teerikangas, Mikkilä, Linnanen (2019). Active sustainability actors: A life course approach.

Koistinen, Teerikangas (2021). The Debate If Agents Matter vs. the System Matters in Sustainability Transitions—A Review of the Literature.

Kortetmäki, Heikkinen, Jokinen (2022). Particularizing Nonhuman Nature in Stakeholder Theory: The Recognition Approach.

Kujala, Sachs, Leinonen, Heikkinen, Laude (2022). Stakeholder engagement: Past, present, and future.

Lehtimäki, Piispanen, Henttonen (2020). Strategic Decisions Related to Circular Business Model in a Forerunner Company: Challenges Due to Path Dependency and Lock-In.

Lehtimäki, Piispanen, Sengupta (2020). Social Entrepreneurship as a Cluster Concept: Is a Cricket Farming Start-Up a social enterprise?

Marjamaa, Mäkelä (2022). Images of the future of a circular economy: The case of Finland.

Mateo, Turunen, Alaranta (2022). Demand-Pull Instruments to Support the Circular Economy: A Global Perspective.

Piispanen, Henttonen, Aromaa (2020). The role of drivers and adaptation factors in transferring business from linear to circular – Case Martela.

Piispanen, Henttonen, Aromaa (2020). Applying the circular economy to a business model: an illustrative case study of a pioneering energy company.

Piispanen, Suokas, Henttonen, Lehtimäki (2022). Sustainable Circular Economy in the Wood Construction Industry: A Business Opportunity Perspective.

Pitkänen, Lehtimäki, Jokinen (2023). Sustainability Project Champions as Environmental Leaders in a City Organization: Driving the Urban Circular Economy.

Ranta, Aarikka-Stenroos, Väisänen (2020). Digital technologies catalyzing business model innovation for circular economy – Multiple case study.

Ranta, Keränen, Aarikka-Stenroos (2020). How B2B suppliers articulate customer value propositions in the circular economy: Four innovation-driven value creation logics.

Salminen, Marjamaa, Tapaninaho, Heikkinen, Gonzalez-Porras, Kujala (2020). How do stakeholders understand sustainable circular economy – consesus or contradictions?

Sarja, Onkila, Mäkelä (2021). A systematic literature review of the transition to the circular economy in business organizations: Obstacles, catalysts and ambivalences.

Sarna, Onkila, Mäkelä (2021). Rationality, experiences or identity work? Sensemaking of emotionally tense experiences of organizational sustainability.

Sjöblom (2021). Communicating with brand names in the sustainable Finnish fashion industry.

Sjöblom, Virsi (2022). Recognition and interpretations of the Finnish word kiertotalous ’circular economy’ (in Finnish).

Teerikangas, Colman (2020). Theorizing in the qualitative study of mergers & acquisitions.

Turunen, Alaranta (2021). The Role of the CJEU in Shaping the Future of the Circular Economy.

Turunen, Suvantola, Romppanen (2021). Defined is half solved? The regulatory barriers for circular economy business.

Uusikartano (2019). Circular economy center: a concept for sustainable innovative constitutions.

Väisänen, Ranta, Aarikka-Stenroos (2019). Enabling Circular Economy with Software: A Multi-level Approach to Benefits, Requirements and Barriers.

Doctoral Theses

Nylén (2023). Theorizing Ideological Steering : The journey of the circular economy.

Tapaninaho (2022). Stakeholder value creation in the intersection of business and sustainability.

Theses

Eltayeb (2019). Mapping and assessing technoloy catalysts that accelerate Circular Economy transition.

Harala (2021). Coopetition and Alignment in Circular Economy Ecosystems – Beverage Package Recycling System and Circular Economy Service Platform.

Kaipainen (2020). Strategic Renewal Process Towards Sustainability – An Ecosystem Approach.

Kämäräinen (2020.) Circular economy in Finland: Perceptions from the textile industry.

Minkkinen (2023). The leadership moment in circular start-ups.

Niemi (2019). Corporate social responsibility in private, public and third sector [Yritysvastuu yksityisellä, julkisella ja kolmannella sektorilla: Yritysvastuuasiantuntijoiden näkemyksiä yritysvastuun edistäjistä].

Paavilainen (2020). Inter-organizational collaboration in circular economy ecosystems.

Pohls (2020). Finnish textile ecosystem – circular economy drivers and barriers.

Saarinen (2021). Financial Drivers and Inhibitors of Circular Economy Business.

Sairanen (2022). Customer-Perceived Value and Its Components in Industrial Scale Circular Business Models – Comparison of Recycling and Reuse Settings Through a Multiple-Case Study.

Suokas (2019). Is circular economy the new black?

Uusikartano (2019). Circular Economy Center: Creating a General Concept for Circular Economy Constitutions.

Books

Halonen, Seppänen (2019). Eco-Industrial Parks.

Tapaninaho, Kujala (2019). Stakeholder value creation: Legitimating business sustainability.

Book Chapters

Mikkilä, Koistinen, Kuokkanen, Levänen, Linnanen (2020). Acceptability of operations.

Jokinen A., Uusikartano, Jokinen P., Kokko (2021). The interagency cycle in sustainability transition.

Kaipainen, Aarikka-Stenroos (2021). From vision to commercialization of a circular economy innovation: a longitudinal study of overcoming challenges throughout the full innovation process.

Kujala, J., Heikkinen, A., Tapaninaho, R., Marjamaa, M. & Gonzalez Porras, L. (2019). Stakeholder interests in a transition towards sustainable circular economy.

Leinonen, Blomberg (2022). Stakeholder engagement practices of companies in the context of a circular economy in Finland: A longitudinal study.

Levänen, Mikkilä, Koistinen, Kuokkanen, Linnanen (2020). Emerging Markets.

Mikkilä, Koistinen, Kuokkanen, Levänen, Linnanen (2020). Acceptability of Operations.

Piispanen, Peltola, Lehtimäki, Henttonen, Pitkänen (2021). Circular Economy Innovation in Waste Management: Employees as Sustainability Agents.

Sachs, Kujala (2021). Stakeholder Engagement in Management Studies: Current and Future Debates.

Tapaninaho, Kujala (2019). Stakeholder value creation: Legitimating business sustainability.

Valkjärvi, You (2021). The circular economy in manufacturing and service solutions: An air compressor company’s ‘air as a service’.

Presentations

Engez, Aarikka-Stenroos, Kokko, A. Jokinen, P. Jokinen (2019). Smart City District as a Living Lab Platform in Sustainability Transition: Nutrient Recycling in Hiedanranta, Finland.

Kaipainen, Aarikka-Stenroos, Ritala (2021). Circular-Oriented Innovation for Solving Grand Environmental Challenges: A Multiple-case Study.

Kaipainen, Urbinati, Aarikka-Stenroos, Chiaroni (2022). Innovating for circularity: Bridging business model and supply chain design.

Kaipainen, Uusikartano, Aarikka-Stenroos, Harala, Alakerttula, Pohls (2021). Engaging Stakeholders to Circular Economy Ecosystems: A Process Model.

Policy briefs

CICAT2025 policy brief #1 (pdf): Promoting a circular economy requires cross-silo collaboration

CICAT2025 policy brief #2 (pdf): Join the circular economy celebration!

CICAT2025 policy brief #3 (pdf): Circular economy as a success factor to cities

CICAT2025 policy brief #4 (pdf): The circular economy calls for smooth contractual practices

CICAT2025 policy brief #5 (pdf): Circular economy startups boost sustainable change and modernize the economy

Visual Catalysts exhibition

Visual Catalysts exhibition brought together artists around the world to use their creative visions for catalyzing our transition to a sustainable circular economy. The exhibition took place in Tampere September 25th – October 18th, 2020. Visual Catalysts is also a 3D virtual exhibition that can be experienced from home.