Enabling Circular Business Models through Design Methods and Tools

Despite the availability of multiple CBMs that merge economic sustainability with environmental considerations, each enterprise faces its own challenges in the transition from a linear to a circular economy. This work proposes an approach for organizations to determine which CBM aligns best with their practices, starting from available design tools, and being supported by the correlation matrix serves as allowing design tools to be integrated among core resources. With the support of the proposed approach, designers can extend their overview over multiple stages of a product's lifecycle. The paper focuses on three design tools and identifies the lifecycle extension strategies they enable. The application provides an example of the implementation of the approach and involves three tools: the first quantitatively evaluates the environmental and economic sustainability of durable products; the second interrogates virtual 3D models and identifies recycling criticalities; the latter supports the research of new supply chain partners to avoid landfilling and incineration. The correlation matrix correlates the functionalities of the tools and ecofriendly models to commercialize goods and offer services, scheduling and prioritizing the introduction of innovative aspects and business models. Future work could introduce quantitative milestones for a more robust evaluation.