Unfinished Products

This article delves into the crucial role of strategic technology management activities in effectively adopting the recycling principle of the circular economy within organizations. Addressing a notable gap in comprehensively understanding and exploring the relationship between strategic technology decisions, interoperability, and lifecycle assessment in the circular economy’s context, the study embarks with an in-depth literature review, scrutinizing the integration of Information Technology (IT), Operational Technology (OT), and Engineering Technology (ET) in organizations adopting the circular economy model. Additionally, it spotlights the pivotal role of interoperability and lifecycle assessment in aligning technological choices with an organization’s strategic business trajectory.

From the literature review’ insights, the research crystallizes four objectives: evaluating awareness among CTOs and Technology Leads about interoperability and lifecycle assessment, examining strategies utilized by technology decision-makers to navigate these challenges, investigating the association between strategic technology choices and business strategy and, at last, pinpointing gaps in prevailing literature.

Employing a qualitative research modality (comprising case studies analysis and interviews with CTOs, technology leads, and consultants specializing in technology management and sustainability) the research navigates through the experiential and strategic realm of organizations immersed in the circular economy. The ensuing findings, juxtaposed against the literature backdrop, reveal insights into the determinative factors that organizations must weave into their strategic technology management endeavours.

Conclusively, the article affirms that wise strategic technology management is essential for proficiently deploying the recycling principle of the circular economy. It underscores the imperativeness of assimilating IT, OT and ET, nurturing interoperability, executing thorough lifecycle assessments and necessitates the infusion of a conducive cultural and organizational mindset, establishment of persuasive business cases and judicious management of data and digital technologies. Ultimately, this research augments the understanding of strategic technology management within the circular economy context, offering tangible insights and guidelines for organizations aspiring to align their technology decisions with the circular economy principles, especially in the recycling spectrum.

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