Lampinen et al. (2025). Catalyzing the Circular Economy: Socio-cultural and Spatial Trajectories in Industrial Ecosystems

Summary: The article explores how socio-cultural and spatial trajectories shape industrial circular economy (CE) ecosystems by integrating economic geography with CE research to understand the contextual factors influencing CE development. The study employed a qualitative case study approach, focusing on the regional electric vehicle battery metal ecosystem in Finland, where researchers analyzed complex regional factors governing the circulation of resources and materials. The findings revealed that socio-cultural and spatial dynamics significantly impact the development and implementation of CE in industrial ecosystems, highlighting the importance of understanding local economic geography parameters to drive sustainable CE practices. Circular economy research is at the heart of CECE’s work, and this study is a significant part of it.

Usefulness of the results: Policymakers can leverage the findings to design more effective CE policies that consider local socio-cultural and spatial dynamics, leading to tailored strategies that better support sustainable practices in specific regions. Industries can use the insights to optimize their CE initiatives by understanding the regional factors that influence resource circulation, thereby creating more efficient and sustainable industrial ecosystems. Researchers can build on this study to further explore the interplay between economic geography and CE, opening up new avenues for investigating how local contexts affect the success of CE practices.

Authors: Mikko Lampinen, University of Eastern Finland; Hanna Lehtimäki, University of Eastern Finland; Nuppu Mielonen, University of Eastern Finland

Publishing date: 18.3.2025

Format of the publication: Scientific article

Publishing platform: Journal of Circular Economy (https://doi.org/10.55845/BHLO9795)

More information: mikko.lampinen@uef.fi