Project-Based Enactment of Circular Economy (CE) Business Models: A Systematic Literature Review of the CE–Project Research Nexus

Projects are platforms for circular economy (CE) experimentation and innovation on the one hand, and CE can be integrated into projects to improve their sustainability performance on the other hand. This CE–project nexus is useful for scholars and practitioners to understand how projects can drive CE transition. However, research in the CE–project nexus is dispersed, and it is unclear how the CE–project research intersections are conceptualised in the literature. In this paper, we address this gap using a systematic literature review (SLR). We provide an analysis of the theoretical lenses useful in investigating the CE-project nexus. We find four forms of CE–project nexuses, namely, CE in projects, CE by projects, CE for projects and CE through projects. We further present a framework for project-based enactment of circular business models (CBMs) across micro, meso and macro CE levels and discuss the critical role of project professionals in overcoming CE implementation barriers. Theoretically, our work contributes to literature by presenting how scholars can theorise research in this domain to bridge the gap between the temporary, goal-specific nature of projects and the systemic transformations required for CE.