RT Journal Article
T1 Spinning the circle: unravelling the “why?” behind social motivations in circular economy entrepreneurship
A1 Borrero Sánchez, Juan Diego
A1 Yousafzai, Shumaila Y.
AB Purpose – This study aims to investigate how circular entrepreneurs integrate social objectives within thecircular economy (CE), with a particular focus on the often-overlooked social aspects of CE sustainability. Itexplores the motivations behind circular entrepreneurs’ pursuit of social goals and the specific strategies theyuse.Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on perspectives from the social and solidarity economy and theethics of care, this multiple-case study examines the drivers that lead entrepreneurs to adopt socially focusedcircular business models. This study introduces a framework for understanding these motivations and presentsthe concept of circular necessity entrepreneurship.Findings – The analysis reveals a strong reliance on circular strategies, particularly beneficial for resourceconstrainedsmaller enterprises. It identifies diverse social motivations among entrepreneurs: while some aredriven by aspirations for systemic change and justice − leading to solidarity-driven and care-centricapproaches − others emphasize community betterment through job creation, gender equality advocacy andwork−life balance.Research limitations/implications – This study focuses on a specific geographic area, necessitatingfurther research to enhance generalizability.Practical implications – The proposed model reinforces ethical values in organizations, leading to strongerbusiness performance and creating new business opportunities within society.Originality/value – By advancing the social dimension alongside environmental and economic pillars in CEdiscourse, this research offers new insights into circular entrepreneurs’ motivations and strategies, providingpathways to amplify social objectives within the CE framework
PB Emerald
SN 1750-6204 (electrónico)
YR 2025
FD 2025-04
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10272/25491
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10272/25491
LA eng
NO Borrero, J. D., & Yousafzai, S. (2025). Spinning the circle: unravelling the “why?” behind social motivations in circular economy entrepreneurship. In Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy. Emerald. https://doi.org/10.1108/jec-01-2024-0003
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva
RD 2 jun 2026