Dr Sarah Dixon of Bradford University School of Management on 'the Circular Economy - Implications for Business Schools

1. Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Business Schools Study Tour
The Circular Economy -
Implications for Business Schools
21st May 2012
Dr Sarah Dixon
Bradford University
School of Management
www.bradford.ac.uk/management

2. Agenda
 Context – the world is changing
 Curriculum - what we need to develop
 Research and knowledge transfer - how to make knowledge
work
 Organisational adaptation – constraints and enablers of
innovation
 University of Bradford – committed to the cause
 Conclusion – can we change the world?
www.bradford.ac.uk/management

3. The World is Changing
Crisis of Anglo Aging populations in
American capitalism developed world ‘Arab spring’
Rapid technological Changing regional
change economic power
Finite resources
Power of social
media
Climate
change
www.bradford.ac.uk/management

4. Circular Economy Curriculum
 Rethink economic systems
 Rethink supply chains
 Rethink manufacturing and operations management
 Rethink financial models and accounting systems
 Rethink sales and marketing
 Rethink technology and information systems
 Rethink business models and strategy
www.bradford.ac.uk/management

5. Making Knowledge Work
Circular Economy Concept Requires:
Rigorous evidence Cross-disciplinary
based research research
Knowledge Support from
transfer funding bodies
Academic & Close interactions
business credibility with businesses
Impact case Management
studies adapation
www.bradford.ac.uk/management

6. Organisational Adaptation
Exploitation Deployment
Entry Point:
Dynamic Capabilities Exit Point:
Turnaround Failure to
Incremental Innovation
Intervention Upgrade
Temporary
Innovation Matrix Sustainable
Strategic Capabilities
Sustainable Competitive
Operational Capabilities
Temporary Competitive
competitive competitive Advantage Advantage
advantage advantage
Disruptive Innovation Entry Point:
Exit Point:
Exploration
Renewal
Linked Disruptive
Organizational Learning
Failure to Dynamic Capabilities
Intervention
innovation Innovation Redesign Path creation Exploration
(Incremental Innovation)
Exploitation
Business Business
Reengineering
Dynamic Capabilities Lifecycle
as Usual (Systemic Innovation)
Risk of imitation Operational Dynamic Temporary
or substitution competitive
Capabilities advantage
www.bradford.ac.uk/management

7. Constraints on Innovation
Stockmarket
Revenue and margin growth
vs. risk and lower margins
Reward systems
Linked to known revenues
vs. linked to innovation
People
Way we do things = success
vs. new things may = failure
www.bradford.ac.uk/management

8. Influences on adaptation
 Top management team attitudes and willingness to
change
 Firm characteristics:
 Culture, structure
 Approaches to innovation
 Procedures for approval of new business
 Mechanisms and support for sharing ideas and
interactions between managers
 Appropriate communications, networks & communities
 Organizational responses to mistakes and attitude to risks
Attitudes to success and failure
 Balancing ‘new’ and ‘old’ business
 Strategy and the current business models/foci of the
firms
www.bradford.ac.uk/management

9. Bradford Commitment
to Circular Economy
 EMF Partnership since 2010
 Postgraduate Certificate in Circular Economy
 10+1 Summit 2011 on closed loop thinking
 EMF HEI Partner
 MBA in Enterprise, Innovation and Circular Economy
 Leeds City Region scoping study
 Planned research programme with Euromed
 ‘The Loop’
www.bradford.ac.uk/management

10. SEC – Conceptual Environmental Strategy

11. 3.5 Proposals – North & South Perspectives
South Perspective
North Perspective
Confronting Inequality: Celebrating Diversity

12. The Loop (SEC)
 Research and knowledge
transfer  Create and support new
business models
 Programmes
 Incubate new businesses
 Incubation units
 Support regeneration
 Consultancy
 Spread the word
 Student enterprise
 Underpin with research
 Schools outreach

www.bradford.ac.uk/management

13. Can we change the world?
Education Aspiration
and Interaction
Knowledge
Passion
Making
Network knowledge
Ellen work
MacArthur
Foundation
www.bradford.ac.uk/management