Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION, sa.Pre-proof, ss.1-55, 2023 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
The resource recovery business model (RRBM) involves producing and utilizing secondary
raw materials from waste streams. Overcoming the barriers small and medium-sized firms
(SMEs) face in developing countries during the transition to the RRBM is a considerable
challenge. RRBM has quite different barriers than other circular economy business models
(e.g., product life extension, product-service systems, etc.). The aim of this study is to present
a hybrid multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methodology to evaluate possible solution
strategies by analyzing RRBM barriers. First, a comprehensive literature review was
conducted on the barriers to implementing RRBM. Working with the expert decision-making
group through semi-structured forms, the micro, macro, and Meso-level barriers were
finalized by considering the emerging economies. The importance levels of the twenty-five
barriers were determined in the second stage using the Improved Fuzzy Stepwise Weight
Assessment Ratio Analysis (IMF-SWARA) method. With the IMF-SWARA method, it was
convenient to get straightforward, expert opinions, and inconsistency was no problem. In the
third stage, eight main solution strategies were analyzed to see to what extent they could
overcome the barriers. At this point, the Fuzzy Measurement Alternatives and Ranking
according to Compromise Solution (F-MARCOS) was used to evaluate the decision-maker’s
opinions more accurately, which may not be confident within the scope of the criteria. While
the most critical barriers to be considered are collaboration problems, global secondary
material supply chain problems, and quality problems of the recovered resources, the
solutions to be considered are financial support, design for circularity, and industrial
symbiosis. In addition, a comprehensive sensitivity analysis was performed to test its validity
after the proposed model was applied. This study’s key contribution is to highlight the
barriers that may occur in the context of emerging economies during the adoption of the
RRBM as well as the solutions that should be prioritized. Thus, it became evident which
actions SMEs, representing the most significant proportion of businesses in emerging
economies, should take to execute the resource recovery business model.
Keywords: Resource recovery business model, emerging economies, barrier&solution
analysis, IMF-SWARA, F-MARCOS, MCDM
1. Introduction
The resource recovery business model (RRBM) is a framework that aims to provide raw
materials based on multi-featured recycling rather than non-renewable natural resources
(OECD, 2018). Resource recovery focuses on the final stages of the utilization cycle, namely
the recovery of embedded materials, energy, and resources from goods that have reached the
end of their useful lives in their current application (Jensen, 2022). The OECD predicts that
the worldwide demand for materials will double by 2060, from 79 billion tonnes to 167
billion tonnes. In the following decade, global resource rivalry will intensify significantly.