The impact of the electricity tariff reform on renewable energies and energy efficiency investments: The case of the Italian residential market

This article investigates the impact that the electricity tariff reform is likely to have on investments in renewable energies (i.e., photovoltaics) and the adoption of energy efficiency measures (i.e., installation of heat pumps and efficient home appliances) in the residential market in Italy. The study develops detailed cost comparisons and simulations considering two different investment scenarios (before and after the reform) to conclude that the reform will: (i) have a negative impact on investments in photovoltaic systems; (ii) favor the adoption of energy efficiency measures, such as efficient home appliances

How companies innovate business models and supply chains for a circular economy : a multiple-case study and framework

To implement a circular economy (CE), companies are pushed to innovate, respectively, their business models, from a micro-perspective, and their supply chains, from a meso-perspective. Despite the increasing research on both these perspectives, there is still a knowledge gap on how companies innovate business models and supply chains for circularity. In this study, we build on innovation management, circular business model (CBM), and circular supply chain (CSC) literatures and develop a theory-based framework where circularity leads to product/process/service innovation from a micro-perspective, and to possible innovation in companies' supply chains (retaining existing chains/renewing them) from a meso-perspective. Through a multiple-case study of Finnish and Italian CE pioneer companies, we validate this framework, find evidence on interplay between CBM and CSC innovation, and identify innovation strategy variants. The framework contributes to innovation management, CBM, and CSC literature works, and encourages managers willing to adopt circularity to consider innovating simultaneously both their business models and supply chains.acceptedVersionPeer reviewe

Roadmapping for Sustainability: Evidence from an Italian based multinational firm

The paper analyses the process through which an Italian-based multinational company that competes in the fashion and accessories industry, developed a roadmap for its sustainability strategy. The paper discusses the use of roadmaps, as a valuable instrument for fostering change and supporting strategic thinking about sustainability. Research methodology is based on participant observation and leverages on a work conducted by the authors in tight relations with key actors in the company on a time frame of 18 months. The paper shows how the case company designed its sustainability roadmap, with the aim of posing individual behaviour at the centre of the change process. The structure of the roadmap is analysed highlighting the design choices that crucially reflect the sustainability strategy developed by the company and enabled its implementation (selection of the layers, and definition of ad hoc sub-layers). Then, examples of the actual use of the roadmap are presented and discussed, in order to pinpoint the benefits of this instrument. The results of the study highlight how firms and organisations can leverage on this type of instruments in order to collect and integrate the proposals of different individuals, aligning their actions to the corporate strategy. Furthermore, this tool can provide a basis for monitoring the results achieved through a proper set of indicators, improving a company’

Circular economy business models: towards a new taxonomy of the degree of circularity

Circular Economy has undoubtedly become one of the hot topics, particularly in Europe, in public debates about new and more sustainable industrial paradigms needed for giving a boost to a post-crisis economy. In this respect, the fashion of Circular Economy is in the fact that it aims at overcoming the dominant linear take, make, disposal model. A model that “relies on large quantities of easily accessible resources and energy, and as such is increasingly unfit to the reality in which it operates”, where resources are neither so abundant nor so accessible. Despite the interest for Circular Economy by politicians and practitioners, scholars, particularly in strategic management field, are still struggling with a representation of Circular Economy based on macro-loops mainly associated with the product-life extension, its redistribution/reuse, remanufacturing and recycling. In other words, there is still a lack of a framework explaining whether and how companies willing to embrace Circular Economy should change their business models. By extensively reviewing the extant literature on Circular Economy and Business Models, we propose a new taxonomy of Circular Economy Business Models based on the degree of adoption of circularity along two major dimensions: (i) customer value proposition & interface, i.e. the positioning against competitors in the market; (ii) value network, i.e. the organization of internal activities and the relationships with suppliers. The taxonomy is then initially tested through some explorative case studies, showing in practice the ability of the framework to properly distinguish different modes of adoption of Circular Economy.13-14 October 201