Digitally-Enabled Circular Economy Framework for Localized Industrial Sustainability in Emerging Economies

This chapter investigates how digital technologies—particularly the Internet of Things (IoT) and Circular Business Model Innovation (CBMI)—drive circular-economy (CE) adoption in emerging-economy industries. It proposes a framework linking Digital Infrastructure Readiness (DIR), Digital Innovation Intensity (DII), Policy and Institutional Support (PIS), Circular Economy Culture (CEC), and Environmental Commitment and Investment (ECI) to Digitally-Enabled Circular Economy (DE-CE) outcomes. Case evidence from India, Bangladesh, and East Africa shows that IoT adoption (M1) enhances traceability and compliance, while CBMI (M2) fosters innovation but remains limited by capital and ecosystem constraints. Socio-institutional readiness and policy coherence determine digital effectiveness. The study contributes an integrated model combining technology, governance, and culture to advance sustainable industrial transformation and provides actionable insights for policymakers and managers promoting inclusive, digitally enabled circular growth.