Systems Thinking in Practice in a Circular Economy

Abstract

The Circular Economy (CE) is frequently touted as important for building sustainability. Despite growing interest in CE, few theories have provided effective on the-ground tools for building circularity. This case study of an agricultural organization in Western Canada illustrates how the logic of complexity helps frame and sustain a CE. Interviewees embraced complexity to manage the messy, unpredictable work of CE. Although preliminary, this suggests the possibility that circular economy-like behaviour may be more complex than currently understood. Interviewees represented complex systems thinkers in the wild and could help others seeking to build their own CE initiatives.

Keywords

• circular economy, social economy / économie circulaire, économie sociale
• complexity