Design Principles for IT-Driven Circular Economy Initiatives

The concept of the circular economy (CE) has gained widespread attention in academia, practice, and policy over the past decades. However, its implementation poses significant challenges, including diverse interpretations and a lack of conceptual clarity. These challenges hinder both research and practice, making it difficult for organizations to identify IT-driven CE initiatives and for researchers to build on a consistent foundation. We propose design principles that codify actionable design knowledge for IT-driven CE initiatives. Using a mixed-methods approach, we conducted a structured literature review, a quantitative and qualitative text analysis, and a nominal group workshop to identify three design principles, offering actionable design knowledge for practitioners and a structured foundation for researchers. The proposed design principles provide guidance on identifying and implementing IT-driven CE initiatives, thereby facilitating more effective and systematic adoption.