Atitudes empresariais das PMEs portuguesas face à implementação da Economia Circular

Rui Jorge Carreira; José Vasconcelos Ferreira; Ana Luisa Ramos

doi:10.34624/iciemc.v0i4.32400

Authors

Rui Jorge Carreira Universidade de Aveiro / GOVCOPP
José Vasconcelos Ferreira University of Aveiro / GOVCOPP
Ana Luisa Ramos University of Aveiro

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34624/iciemc.v0i4.32400

Keywords:

Quality, semi-structured interviews, methodology, circular economy

Abstract

The Circular Economy emerges as a way to alleviate the increasingly pressing problems of resource scarcity and excess waste.

The transition from the traditional Linear Economy to the Circular Economy novel would be substantially easier if it were assumed as a requirement by the consumer. If the consumer is not willing to pay more for circular products, nor even to give them preference, companies only find motivation for circularity when it is associated with reducing costs, which rarely happens.

Faced with this scenario, the authors understand that it is important to better understand both positions, both of companies and consumers, thus justifying a careful and enlightening investigation that helps to discover new ways to accelerate the implementation of the Circular Economy.

About the characteristics of the business attitude towards the Circular Economy, the ongoing investigation opted for semi-structured interviews with those responsible for Portuguese SMEs, starting by testing the conditions for their implementation, namely the script to be used, in a restricted set of companies selected for convenience. This article discusses the information obtained and the conclusions drawn.

Author Biographies

José Vasconcelos Ferreira, University of Aveiro / GOVCOPP

José Vasconcelos Ferreira has a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Porto, a Master's in Operational Research and Systems Engineering from the Technical University of Lisbon and a PhD in Engineering Sciences from the University of Porto. He is an Associate Professor at the University of Aveiro, integrating the direction of the Doctoral Program in Industrial Engineering and Management. He is an effective member of the Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policy Research Unit (GOVCOPP), investigating in the areas of Supply Chain Management, Environmental & Social Sustainability and Urban Mobility.
Ana Luisa Ramos, University of Aveiro

Ana Luísa Ferreira Andrade Ramos has a degree in Engineering and Industrial Management from the University of Aveiro and in Traditional Chinese Medicine from the University of Chinese Medicine, a Master's degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Coimbra and a PhD in Industrial Management from the University of Aveiro. She is an Assistant Professor at the University of Aveiro, integrating the direction of the Master in Engineering and Industrial Management. He is an effective member of the Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policy Research Unit (GOVCOPP), investigating in the areas of Modeling & Simulation, Systems Engineering and Dynamic Performance Indicators.