Received:
2021-10-10 | Accepted:
2022-01-07 | Published:
2022-03-30
Title
Barriers to the development of the circular economy in small and medium-sized enterprises in Slovakia
Abstract
The circular economy is the successor to the current model of the linear economy. Its basic principle is the environmentally acceptable use of resources. At present, it can be understood as an intensively developing megatrend of the business environment. It can be assumed that the competitiveness of companies in the future will be highly dependent on how companies will be able to implement the principles of the circular economy. The article is focused on the analysis of the use of activities of the circular economy in the conditions of small and medium enterprises in Slovakia and on the willingness to finance these activities from the turnover of the company. Based on the conducted questionnaire survey, it was confirmed that smaller companies implement activities of the circular economy more slowly and their willingness to finance these activities is lower compared to larger companies. It can also be stated that if smaller companies carry out activities of the circular economy, these are mostly cost-free or low-cost activities. As the size of the company increases, so does the level of company involvement in the circular economy. The results achieved are similar in several areas to those of the Eurobarometer 2016. It may therefore appear that, despite the various activities of economic policy makers, there has been no shift in this area. However, it should be taken into account that our questionnaire survey was conducted during the Covid 19 virus pandemic, which has a significant impact on the business environment, business decision-making processes.
Keywords
small and medium-sized enterprises, circular economy, economic policy
JEL classifications
Q55
, Q56
, Q58
URI
http://jssidoi.org/jesi/article/937
DOI
Pages
76-87
Funding
This research was supported by the University Grant Agency of the Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra through the research project UGA VII/10/2019
This is an open access issue and all published articles are licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
References
Álvarez Jaramillo, J., Zartha Sossa, J. W., & Orozco Mendoza, G. L. (2019). Barriers to sustainability for small and medium enterprises in the framework of sustainable development—Literature review. Business Strategy and the Environment, 28(4), 512–524. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2261
Search via ReFindit
Antikainen, M., Aminoff, A., Kettunen, O., Sundqvist-Andberg, H., & Paloheimo, H. (2017). Circular economy business model innovation process – Case study. Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, 68, 546–555. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57078-5_52
Search via ReFindit
Araujo Galvão, G. D., De Nadae, J., Clemente, D. H., Chinen, G., & De Carvalho, M. M. (2018). Circular Economy: Overview of Barriers. Procedia CIRP, 73, 79–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2018.04.011
Search via ReFindit
Barbieri, R., & Santos, D. F. L. (2020). Sustainable business models and eco-innovation: A life cycle assessment. Journal of Cleaner Production, 266, 121954. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121954
Search via ReFindit
Bassi, F., & Dias, J. G. (2019). The use of circular economy practices in SMEs across the EU. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 146, 523–533. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.03.019
Search via ReFindit
Beresecká, J., & Hudáková, M. (2018). Identity of businesses in rural tourism. 21ST INTERNATIONAL COLLOQUIUM ON REGIONAL SCIENCES, 573–580. https://doi.org/10.5817/CZ.MUNI.P210-8970-2018-75
Search via ReFindit
Biondi, V., Iraldo, F., & Meredith, S. (2002). Achieving sustainability through environmental innovation: The role of SMEs. International Journal of Technology Management, 24(5–6), 612–626. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJTM.2002.003074
Search via ReFindit
Bocken, N. M. P., Pauw, I. de, Bakker, C., & Grinten, B. van der. (2016). Product design and business model strategies for a circular economy. https://doi.org/10.1080/21681015.2016.1172124
Search via ReFindit
Cassells, S., & Lewis, K. (2011). SMEs and environmental responsibility: Do actions reflect attitudes? Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 18(3), 186–199. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.269
Search via ReFindit
Ch'ng, P. C., Cheah, J., & Amran, A. (2021). Eco-innovation practices and sustainable business performance: The moderating effect of market turbulence in the Malaysian technology industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124556
Search via ReFindit
Commission, E. (2020). SME Definition User Guide. European Union. https://doi.org/10.2873/677467
Search via ReFindit
European Union. (2016). European SMEs and the Circular Economy (Issue April). http://ec.europa.eu/COMMFrontOffice/PublicOpinion
Search via ReFindit
Európska komisia. (2020). Stratégia pre MSP pre udržateľnú a digitálnu Európu (An SME strategy for a sustainable and digital Europe). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/SK/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52020DC0103&from=EN
Search via ReFindit
Goyal, S., Esposito, M., & Kapoor, A. (2018). Circular economy business models in developing economies: Lessons from India on reduce, recycle, and reuse paradigms. Thunderbird International Business Review, 60(5), 729–740. https://doi.org/10.1002/tie.21883
Search via ReFindit
Gruenbichler, R., Klucka, J., Haviernikova, K., & Strelcova, S. (2021). Business performance management in small and medium-sized enterprises in the Slovak Republic: An integrated three-phase-framework for implementation. Journal of Competitiveness, 13(1), 42–58. https://doi.org/10.7441/JOC.2021.01.03
Search via ReFindit
Guštafíková, T., & Lieskovská, Z. (Eds.). (2016). Slovak Republic towards green economy. Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic.
Search via ReFindit
Guštafíková, T., Kostúriková, A., & Lieskovská, Z. (2019). Circular economy - future of the development of Slovakia https://circulareconomy.europa.eu/platform/en/knowledge/circular-economy-future-development-slovakia
Search via ReFindit
Heyes, G., Sharmina, M., Mendoza, J. M. F., Gallego-Schmid, A., & Azapagic, A. (2018). Developing and implementing circular economy business models in service-oriented technology companies. Journal of Cleaner Production, 177, 621–632. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.12.168
Search via ReFindit
Hoogendoorn, B., Guerra, D., & van der Zwan, P. (2015). What drives environmental practices of SMEs? Small Business Economics, 44(4), 759–781. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-014-9618-9
Search via ReFindit
Hudáková, J., Papcunová, V., Štubňová, M., & Urbaníková, M. (2020). Relationship of labour costs and labour productivity with Foreign Direct Investment In The V4 Countries. Polish Journal of Management Studies, 22(2), 173–186. https://doi.org/10.17512/PJMS.2020.22.2.12
Search via ReFindit
Kirchherr, J., Reike, D., & Hekkert, M. (2017). Conceptualizing the circular economy: An analysis of 114 definitions. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 127, 221–232. Elsevier B.V. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.09.005
Search via ReFindit
Korhonen, J., Honkasalo, A., & Seppälä, J. (2018). Circular Economy: The Concept and its Limitations. Ecological Economics, 143, 37–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.06.041
Search via ReFindit
Liu, J. Y. (2018). An integrative conceptual framework for sustainable successions in family businesses: The case of Taiwan. Sustainability (Switzerland), 10(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/su10103656
Search via ReFindit
Lüdeke-Freund, F., Gold, S., & Bocken, N. M. P. (2019). A Review and Typology of Circular Economy Business Model Patterns. In Journal of Industrial Ecology, 23(1), 36–61. Blackwell Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.12763
Search via ReFindit
Ormazabal, M., Prieto-Sandoval, V., Puga-Leal, R., & Jaca, C. (2018). Circular Economy in Spanish SMEs: Challenges and opportunities. Journal of Cleaner Production, 185, 157–167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.03.031
Search via ReFindit
Pacheco, D. A. de J., ten Caten, C. S., Jung, C. F., Ribeiro, J. L. D., Navas, H. V. G., & Cruz-Machado, V. A. (2017). Eco-innovation determinants in manufacturing SMEs: Systematic review and research directions. Journal of Cleaner Production, 142, 2277–2287. Elsevier Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.11.049
Search via ReFindit
Pearce, D. W. (David W., & Turner, R. K. (1990). Economics of natural resources and the environment. Johns Hopkins University Press.
Search via ReFindit
Řezanková, H. (2017). Analýza dat z dotazníkových šetření (Analysis of data from questionnaire surveys). Professional Publishing.
Search via ReFindit
Rimarčík, M. (2007). Štatistika pre prax (Statistics for practice), 200p. ISBN 978-80-969813-1-1
Search via ReFindit
Silva, F. C., Shibao, F. Y., Kruglianskas, I., Barbieri, J. C., & Sinisgalli, P. A. A. (2019). Circular economy: analysis of the implementation of practices in the Brazilian network. Revista de Gestão, 26(1), 39–60. https://doi.org/10.1108/rege-03-2018-0044
Search via ReFindit
Sojková, Z., Čitaryova, E., & Palkovič, J. (2015). Competitiveness of regions based on comparative advantage. Proceedings From Ix. International Conference On Applied Business Research (ICABR 2014), 1055–1063.
Search via ReFindit
Stacho, Z., & Stachová, K. (2016). The orientation on innovation is a challange for organisations operating in Slovakia. Proceedings of the 13Th International Conference Efficiency and Responsibility in Education, 518–525.
Search via ReFindit
Urbaníková, M., Štubňová, M., Papcunová, V., & Hudáková, J. (2020). Analysis of Innovation Activities of Slovak Small and Medium-Sized Family Businesses. Administrative Sciences, 10(4), 80. https://doi.org/10.3390/ADMSCI10040080
Search via ReFindit
Urbinati, A., Chiaroni, D., & Chiesa, V. (2017). Towards a new taxonomy of circular economy business models. Journal of Cleaner Production, 168, 487–498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.09.047
Search via ReFindit