The practice of sustainable business models: The case of circular supply management

n the past few decades there has been an increased awareness on the potential impact of managing supply chains in such a way to stimulate sustainable behavior. A related, more recent trend is the growing attention for the circular economy, based on the vision that the dominant paradigm of linear thinking is not sustainable. Rather than maintaining a linear ?take make waste? business model, designing according to circular economy principles enables more sustainable business models. In this context, the main objective of this research project is to increase our understanding of the role of the purchasing function in organizations? efforts to make a transition from linear towards circular supply chains. More specifically, we pay attention to the changing role of purchasing professionals, traditionally challenged for maximizing efficiency in their job, but increasingly also for adapting flexibly to societal changes. Hence it is of key importance for organisations that purchasing professionals possess the knowledge, attitude and skills to contribute to a transition towards sustainable business models. In other words, purchasing professionals need to display ?intrapreneurship? in being proactive and take initiative in sustainable supply management. This study focuses on the determinants and the effects of ?intrapreneurship? of purchasing professionals, and also addresses the way in which ?intrapreneurship? can be facilitated in daily business practice. The project aims to result in concrete guidelines for managers about the way in which this intrapreneurship can be developed in the context of a transition towards sustainable business models from an individual, team and organizational perspective.