Purpose

Circular Economy is a policy and practice-oriented concept drawing mainly on engineering and natural science. This paper aims to contribute a conceptual development based on social systems theory. Does the Circular Economy have the prospect to become a sustainability-enhancing feedback mechanism potentializing an evolutionary systemic rearrangement of structural couplings, and will it encounter limitations as a general approach for a sustainable development?

Design/methodology/approach

By using the Luhmannian theory as method, core concepts are semantics, structure and rearrangement of structural couplings. In acknowledging the social system’s operational closure, social-metabolism with nature is discussed. The research is in three stages. First, structural couplings of matter and social systems. Second, structural couplings of organizational networks closing the loop–eventually using digitalization. Third, the Circular Economy encountering multicontextuality.

Findings

The paper provides: (1) A four-stage structural coupling enacting metabolism with nature allowing measurement of circularity potentially useable for feedback “irritating” relevant social systems’ reflexion. (2) Identification of obstacles encountered in the proliferation due to paradoxes of strategic decisions in organizations, difficulties of structural couplings of organizational networks and the paradox of digitalization. (3) Help by future digitalization but simultaneously new side-effects. (4) The multicontextuality as the limitation for a broad sustainability approach.

Originality/value

The paper answers a call for more social science theoretical research on the Circular Economy. It develops core conceptualizations based on social systems theory. Also, advices for future research and practical implementation are suggested.

中文翻译：

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循环经济：重新安排结构耦合和基于道德的可持续性增强反馈的悖论

目的

循环经济是一个以工程和自然科学为主的政策和实践导向的概念。本文旨在为基于社会系统理论的概念发展做出贡献。循环经济是否有可能成为一种增强可持续性的反馈机制，使结构耦合的进化系统重排成为可能，作为可持续发展的一般方法，它是否会遇到限制？

设计/方法/方法

以卢曼理论为方法，核心概念是语义、结构和结构耦合的重排。在承认社会系统的运作关闭时，讨论了与自然的社会代谢。研究分为三个阶段。第一，物质与社会系统的结构耦合。其次，组织网络的结构耦合闭环——最终使用数字化。第三，循环经济遭遇多语境。

发现

该论文提供：（1）一个四阶段的结构耦合，使新陈代谢与自然发生作用，允许测量循环性，可能可用于反馈“刺激”相关社会系统的反射。(2) 识别由于组织战略决策悖论、组织网络结构耦合困难和数字化悖论而在扩散过程中遇到的障碍。(3) 有利于未来的数字化，但同时也会带来新的副作用。(4) 多语境作为广泛可持续性方法的限制。

原创性/价值

该论文回应了对循环经济进行更多社会科学理论研究的呼吁。它发展基于社会系统理论的核心概念。此外，还提出了对未来研究和实际实施的建议。