The future of circularity
A study undertaken by the University of Macerata contributes to the understanding of a complex and ongoing theme
New technologies to be attained and applied, so as not to lag behind – something that concerns all companies, including small and medium ones, though the end goal will vary for each one, as it all depends on dimensions and skills, a genuine production culture, and financial means. Still, we need to understand the many evolutions that shape the relationship between innovation and businesses and this is indeed what Rebecca Colanero and Dominique Lepore (from the University of Macerata, Department of Jurisprudence) have achieved with “Economia circolare e Industria 4.0: il futuro del Made in Italy” (“The circular economy and Industry 4.0: the future of ‘Made in Italy’”), a recently published research study.
The aim of the study is to analyse the opportunities and the issues experienced by Italian micro and small enterprises (MSE) when adopting management models oriented towards the circular economy, also considering the strategic role of technologies related to the Industry 4.0. Attaining these two objectives presents an inviting, though certainly hard, challenge – and, to some extent, this is a challenge that really must be tackled.
Combining primary and secondary sources, the research paper examines one micro and two small enterprises from the Marche region (“Feleppa SV” from the clothing industry, “TM Italia” from the wood furnishing industry, and “A Mare” from the footwear industry), which have invested in “circular” processes and products exploiting Industry 4.0 technologies.
After two initial sections that contextualise the topic, the two researchers analyse the experiences of the three companies, and in fact succeed in identifying the very same financial, legal and cultural obstacles – obstacles that slowed down their transformation process – across the board. The authors then employ this evidence to discuss a number of enabling factors that can support enterprises during the transition process, such as the availability of financial resources, the ability to build adequate relationship networks with other enterprises and with the world of research – and, in some cases, the need for legislative clarity and the presence of adequate infrastructure.
Colanero and Lepore’s paper has the great merit of being clear (with very useful summary and comparison tables illustrating the different case studies) and concise in addressing what we need to understand such a complex and ongoing phenomenon.
Economia circolare e Industria 4.0: il futuro del Made in Italy (“The circular economy and Industry 4.0: the future of ‘Made in Italy’”)
Rebecca Colanero, Dominique Lepore
ECONOMIA MARCHE Journal of Applied Economics, Vol. XLI, No. 2, December 2022
A study undertaken by the University of Macerata contributes to the understanding of a complex and ongoing theme
New technologies to be attained and applied, so as not to lag behind – something that concerns all companies, including small and medium ones, though the end goal will vary for each one, as it all depends on dimensions and skills, a genuine production culture, and financial means. Still, we need to understand the many evolutions that shape the relationship between innovation and businesses and this is indeed what Rebecca Colanero and Dominique Lepore (from the University of Macerata, Department of Jurisprudence) have achieved with “Economia circolare e Industria 4.0: il futuro del Made in Italy” (“The circular economy and Industry 4.0: the future of ‘Made in Italy’”), a recently published research study.
The aim of the study is to analyse the opportunities and the issues experienced by Italian micro and small enterprises (MSE) when adopting management models oriented towards the circular economy, also considering the strategic role of technologies related to the Industry 4.0. Attaining these two objectives presents an inviting, though certainly hard, challenge – and, to some extent, this is a challenge that really must be tackled.
Combining primary and secondary sources, the research paper examines one micro and two small enterprises from the Marche region (“Feleppa SV” from the clothing industry, “TM Italia” from the wood furnishing industry, and “A Mare” from the footwear industry), which have invested in “circular” processes and products exploiting Industry 4.0 technologies.
After two initial sections that contextualise the topic, the two researchers analyse the experiences of the three companies, and in fact succeed in identifying the very same financial, legal and cultural obstacles – obstacles that slowed down their transformation process – across the board. The authors then employ this evidence to discuss a number of enabling factors that can support enterprises during the transition process, such as the availability of financial resources, the ability to build adequate relationship networks with other enterprises and with the world of research – and, in some cases, the need for legislative clarity and the presence of adequate infrastructure.
Colanero and Lepore’s paper has the great merit of being clear (with very useful summary and comparison tables illustrating the different case studies) and concise in addressing what we need to understand such a complex and ongoing phenomenon.
Economia circolare e Industria 4.0: il futuro del Made in Italy (“The circular economy and Industry 4.0: the future of ‘Made in Italy’”)
Rebecca Colanero, Dominique Lepore
ECONOMIA MARCHE Journal of Applied Economics, Vol. XLI, No. 2, December 2022