Despite the extensive literature on corporate sustainability and the concept of being sustainable, there is a lack of studies exploring how companies transform themselves to achieve sustainability [1][2][3]. Moreover, while research on eco-friendly and sustainable innovations is increasing, the innovative processes leading organizations to become “green” are still poorly understood [4][5]. In this context, Industrial symbiosis (IS) can be regarded as a novel model of sustainable development and as an excellent analytical tool for evaluating processes transitioning from linear to circular [6]. Therefore, IS practices involve the mutual exchange of waste materials between different companies. Specifically, an Industrial Symbiosis Relationship (ISR) is established when one company utilizes the waste
generated by another as a substitute for production inputs or for generating new products [7][8][9]. To explore how the concept of IS can be taught to students to foster the development of sustainable entrepreneurial skills, the study considers a business game centered around IS, which was developed
as part of the "Circular Sustainable Business Development" (CSBD) course at the University of Twente [10][11][12][13][14]. The game can be taken as a good example for new and flexible learning methodology aimed to create sustainable culture because, during the game, students negotiate
simulated IS agreements, thereby cultivating a comprehensive understanding of the economic and environmental implications of their decisions. The main objective of this study is to investigate how the IS business game can impact students' entrepreneurial skills, particularly their negotiation abilities, holistic vision, and forward-thinking capabilities. This research is crucial because entrepreneurial education needs to adapt to the
changing economic landscape, urging future entrepreneurs to think in a sustainable manner [15][16]. The paper aims to address the need for educational models that prepare the new generation of entrepreneurs not only to apply existing principles and models but also to equip them with the tools to pose new questions and find innovative solutions. To achieve this, students are asked to fulfill a questionnaire before and after the business game to assess their knowledge and proficiency levels in
industrial symbiosis and entrepreneurial thinking. It is anticipated that the business game, as an active training experience, will have a significant impact not only on students' understanding of industrial symbiosis but also on their skills related to entrepreneurial thinking [17][18]. Students are expected to gain a deeper comprehension of IS dynamics and develop more sophisticated negotiation skills [19]. Furthermore, the game is expected
to promote a holistic view of entrepreneurial practices related to the circular economy, encouraging students to consider sustainability aspects in their business decisions. This study thus endeavors to shed light on the transformative potential of experiential learning in shaping a new breed of
entrepreneurs equipped to navigate the complexities of a sustainable business landscape.
Keywords: Circular economy; soft skills; sustainable management; entrepreneurship; education
References:
[1] Zollo, M., Cennamo, C., & Neumann, K. (2013). Beyond what and why:
Understanding organizational evolution towards sustainable enterprise models. Organization & Environment,26(3), 241–259.
[2] Hansen, E., Große‐Dunker, F., & Reichwald, R. (2009). Sustainable innovation cube—A framework to evaluate sustainability‐oriented innovations. International Journal of Innovation Management,13(4),683–713.
[3] Schiederig, T., Tietze, F., & Herstatt, C. (2012). Green innovation in technology and innovation management—An exploratory literature view. R&D Management,42(2), 180–192.
[4] Klewitz, J., & Hansen, E. (2014). Sustainability‐oriented innovation in SMEs: A systematic literature review. Journal of Cleaner Production,65,57–75.
[5] Dosi, G., Nelson, R., & Winter, S. (2000). The nature and dynamics of
organizational capabilities. New York: Oxford University Press.
[6] Albino, V., & Fraccascia, L. (2015). The industrial symbiosis approach: A
classification of business models. Procedia Environmental Science, Engineering and Management, 2(3), 217–223.
[7] Jacobsen, N. B. (2006). Industrial symbiosis in Kalundborg, Denmark: A quantitative assessment of economic and environmental aspects. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 10(1–2), 239–255.
[8] Kim, H.-W., Ohnishi, S., Fujii, M., Fujita, T., & Park, H.-S. (2018). Evaluation and allocation of greenhouse gas reductions in industrial symbiosis. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 22(2), 275–287
[9] Sokka, L., Lehtoranta, S., Nissinen, A., & Melanen, M. (2011). Analyzing the environmental benefits of industrial symbiosis. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 15(1), 137–155.
[10] Fraccascia L., Sabato A., Yazan D.M. (2021). An industrial symbiosis simulation game: Evidence from the Circular Sustainable Business Development class, Journal of Industrial Ecology, in press.
[11] Fraccascia L., Giannoccaro I., Albino V. (2021). Ecosystem indicators for measuring industrial symbiosis, Ecological Economics 183, 106944.
[12] Fraccascia L., Yazdanpanah V., van Capelleveen G., Yazan D.M. (2020). Energybased industrial symbiosis: a literature review for circular energy transition, Environment, Development and Sustainability, 23, 4791–4825.
[13] Yazan D.M., Yazdanpanah V., Fraccascia L. (2020). Learning strategic cooperative behavior in industrial symbiosis: A game-theoretic approach integrated with agentbased simulation, Business Strategy and the Environment 29, 2078-2091.
[14] Fraccascia L. (2020). Quantifying the direct network effect for online platforms supporting industrial symbiosis: an agent-based simulation study, Ecological Economics 170, 106587.
[15] Nelson, R. R., & Winter, S. G. (1982). An evolutionary theory of economic change. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
[16] Helfat, C., Finkelstein, S., Mitchell, W., Peteraf, M., Singh, H., Teece, D., &Winter, S. (2007). Dynamic capabilities: Understanding strategic change in organizations. Oxford: Blackwel.
[17] E Teece, D. J., Pisano, G., & Shuen, A. (1997). Dynamic capabilities and strategic management. Strategic Management Journal,18, 509–533.
[18] López‐Nicolás, C., & Meroño‐Cerdán, Á. L. (2011). Strategic knowledge
management, innovation and performance. International Journal of Information Management,31, 502–509
[19] Scarpellini, S., Marín-Vinuesa, L.M., Aranda-Uson, ´ A., Portillo-Tarragona, P., (2020). Dynamic capabilities and environmental accounting for the circular economy in businesses. Sustain. Account. Manag. Policy J. 11 (7), 1129 1158.
Pixel International Conferences
