Towards a framework of smart-circular systems: An integrative literature review

Profiting from the benefits of smart products connected through the Internet of Things (IoT) could disrupt business models and has the potential to foster a circular economy by embracing a performance economy. Extant literature has offered insights into circular strategies, smart products and product service systems (PSS) in isolated ways or by considering partial overlaps, but lacks a holistic account of their interplay. By means of an integrated review, this paper synthesises literatures from various domains to describe interrelationships among these three concepts and propose a conceptual framework of smart-circular systems. This paper thereby advances research by providing a description of three binary interrelationships: smart circularity, smart PSS and circular PSS. Moreover, the review elaborates a new understanding of smart-circular (product-service) systems by articulating the base strategy smart use and extending the following circular strategies (or technical loops): maintenance, reuse, remanufacturing and recycling. Finally, the review outlines a critique of the state of the literature on this phenomenon and offers suggestions to guide future empirical and theoretical research in the domains of circular strategies, services and business models. (C) 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.