Short answer
Focus innovation efforts on developing and understanding the viability of circular economy models like product-as-a-service and product life extension, as these are currently underserved areas with significant potential.
- Field
- Sustainability
- Source
- International Transactions in Operational Research (2025)
- Method
- Literature Review and Game Theory Analysis
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Many circular economy business strategies, particularly those focused on product life extension and use extension, remain underexplored in game theory research, despite their potential for sustainability. This sustainability research insight is drawn from a 2025 study published in International Transactions in Operational Research. Using Literature review and game theory analysis, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Focus innovation efforts on developing and understanding the viability of circular economy models like product-as-a-service and product life extension, as these are currently underserved areas with significant potential.
Circular Economy Strategies: Unexplored Business Models and Public Scheme Interactions
Many circular economy business strategies, particularly those focused on product life extension and use extension, remain underexplored in game theory research, despite their potential for sustainability.
International Transactions in Operational Research · 2025
Key Findings
- 01Resource recovery is the most researched circular economy strategy in game theory literature.
- 02Product life extension and product use extension strategies are significantly under-researched.
- 03Strategies like circular inputs, sharing platforms, and product-as-a-service (PaaS) are largely unexplored in relation to public schemes.
Application
Design takeaway
Focus innovation efforts on developing and understanding the viability of circular economy models like product-as-a-service and product life extension, as these are currently underserved areas with significant potential.
How to apply
When developing new product or service concepts, consider how they can be designed for longevity, repairability, and eventual reintegration into material cycles, and investigate potential public support mechanisms.
Project actions
- 01When choosing a design project, consider exploring a circular economy strategy that is currently under-researched.
- 02Investigate how different public incentives could support or hinder the adoption of your chosen circular economy strategy.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Provides a structured overview of research gaps in CE strategy and public scheme interactions.
- +Identifies specific areas for future research and design innovation.
Limitations
It can be challenging to find comprehensive data on the effectiveness of all public schemes across different circular economy strategies.
Reliability & validity
The reliability of the findings depends on the comprehensiveness of the literature review. Validity is enhanced by the structured categorization of strategies and schemes.
Think critically
Given the under-exploration of certain CE strategies, what are the potential risks and rewards for businesses that pioneer these models, and how can public schemes be designed to mitigate risks and amplify rewards?
Design Principles
"Prioritize research and development into circular economy business models that extend product life and promote service-based offerings, as these represent significant opportunities for sustainable innovation."
Understanding the strategic interactions between emerging circular economy business models and existing public incentives is crucial for fostering widespread adoption. Identifying these research gaps allows for targeted development of policies and business strategies that can accelerate the transition to a circular economy.
What This Means for Your Design
Many ways to make products circular are not well-studied, especially when considering how government help (like grants or taxes) works with business ideas like renting products instead of selling them, or making products last longer.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this research to justify the novelty and potential impact of your chosen design approach within the circular economy.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This research highlights that while resource recovery is a well-studied aspect of the circular economy within game theory, strategies such as product life extension, use extension, and product-as-a-service remain significantly underexplored. This gap presents an opportunity for design projects to investigate innovative business models and their interaction with public schemes, potentially leading to more effective and widespread adoption of circular practices.
Source
International Transactions in Operational Research
Circular economy business strategies and public schemes: a game theory‐based survey
journal · 2025
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about circular economy strategies: unexplored business models and public scheme interactions?
- Focus innovation efforts on developing and understanding the viability of circular economy models like product-as-a-service and product life extension, as these are currently underserved areas with significant potential. Evidence: International Transactions in Operational Research (2025).
- Why does "Circular Economy Strategies: Unexplored Business Models and Public Scheme Interactions" matter for design?
- Understanding the strategic interactions between emerging circular economy business models and existing public incentives is crucial for fostering widespread adoption. Identifying these research gaps allows for targeted development of policies and business strategies that can accelerate the transition to a circular economy.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Focus innovation efforts on developing and understanding the viability of circular economy models like product-as-a-service and product life extension, as these are currently underserved areas with significant potential.
- What were the main findings?
- Resource recovery is the most researched circular economy strategy in game theory literature.. Product life extension and product use extension strategies are significantly under-researched.. Strategies like circular inputs, sharing platforms, and product-as-a-service (PaaS) are largely unexplored in relation to public schemes.
- What research method was used?
- Literature Review and Game Theory Analysis.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2025 journal from International Transactions in Operational Research.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When developing new product or service concepts, consider how they can be designed for longevity, repairability, and eventual reintegration into material cycles, and investigate potential public support mechanisms.
- What are the limitations?
- The analysis is based on existing game theory literature, which may not encompass all emerging circular economy strategies or public schemes.