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This paper investigates the role of institutional pressures (IPs) and supply chain integration (SCI) in driving the adoption of circular economy (CE) practices. It is hypothesised that, responding to IPs, firms might adopt higher levels of SCI in the attempt to implement CE practices.

A research model is developed and tested on a cross-sectional sample of 150 multi-national enterprises (MNEs). Textual content from corporate sustainability reports is used to measure the constructs of interest through an advanced coding approach.

Findings show that IPs are driving the adoption of CE practices primarily through the mediation of SCI; the prominent roles of coercive regulatory pressures (CRPs) and normative pressures (NPs) are also highlighted. CRPs influence on CE practices is partially mediated by SCI, with NPs influence being fully mediated by it.

The study shows that SCI is a key mechanism that lies in between IPs and CE practices; as such, organisations interested in implementing CE practices need to be aware of requirements for achieving higher levels of SCI.

This empirical study is the first large scale analysis that conceptualises how MNE-driven supply chains adopt CE practices. The study empirically validates the model and identifies research avenues in supply chain management (SCM) research to support the adoption of CE practices.

To analyze the integration of the circular economy and Industry 4.0 in agtechs through lean integration and people.

Following in-depth interviews with key informants, data tabulation was performed via families of viewpoints supported by the primary elements mapped in the investigated context.

The integration of the circular economy with Industry 4.0, and integrated into lean production, aiming to eliminate waste and maximize customer value, and the valorization of people are fundamental in the context of recycling, reuse and reutilization of materials not only in the agricultural sector but also, since it is the object of study of this research. The use of I4.0 technologies and solutions, such as applications, sensors, artificial intelligence and digital platforms, allows for the collection and analysis of real-time data, facilitating decision-making and monitoring of agricultural operations.

The research limitations may include the limited sample of Agtechs analyzed, which might not cover all innovations and trends existing in the sector; data and information available up to the study date (April 2023), which might not reflect more recent developments in the field of Agtechs and the circular economy.

The circular economy seeks to minimize waste and maximize resource use, promoting recycling, reusing and repurposing of materials. In contrast, Industry 4.0 refers to the application of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, the internet of things and automation to optimize productive processes and make them more efficient. Lean integration, which aims to eliminate waste and maximize customer value, and the appreciation of people are fundamental in this context.

The use of technologies and solutions from Industry 4.0, like apps, sensors, artificial intelligence and digital platforms, allows real-time data collection and analysis, facilitating decision-making and monitoring of agricultural operations. In addition, the provision of online consulting and technical assistance services contributes to producer training and the maximization of results.

Significant benefits for the agricultural sector, such as greater efficiency, sustainability, product quality, traceability, cost reduction and productivity increase. The use of advanced technologies and the valorization of people are key elements to drive this integration and promote digital transformation in the field. The integration of the circular economy and Industry 4.0 in agtechs, integrating lean production and people.

The aim of this study is to evaluate Big Data Analytics (BDA) drivers in the context of food supply chains (FSC) for transition to a Circular Economy (CE) and Sustainable Operations Management (SOM).

Ten different BDA drivers in FSC are examined for transition to CE; these are Supply Chains (SC) Visibility, Operations Efficiency, Information Management and Technology, Collaborations between SC partners, Data-driven innovation, Demand management and Production Planning, Talent Management, Organizational Commitment, Management Team Capability and Governmental Incentive. An interpretive structural modelling (ISM) methodology is used to indicate the relationships between identified drivers to stimulate transition to CE and SOM. Drivers and pair-wise interactions between these drivers are developed by semi-structured interviews with a number of experts from industry and academia.

The results show that Information Management and Technology, Governmental Incentive and Management Team Capability drivers are classified as independent factors; Organizational Commitment and Operations Efficiency are categorized as dependent factors. SC Visibility, Data-driven innovation, Demand management and Production Planning, Talent Management and Collaborations between SC partners can be classified as linkage factors. It can be concluded that Governmental Incentive is the most fundamental driver to achieve BDA applications in FSC transition from linearity to CE and SOM. In addition, Operations Efficiency, Collaborations between SC partners and Organizational Commitment are key BDA drivers in FSC for transition to CE and SOM.

The interactions between these drivers will provide benefits to both industry and academia in prioritizing and understanding these drivers more thoroughly when implementing BDA based on a range of factors. This study will provide valuable insights. The results from this study will help in drawing up regulations to prevent food fraud, implementing laws concerning government incentives, reducing food loss and waste, increasing tracing and traceability, providing training activities to improve knowledge about BDA and focusing more on data analytics.

The main contribution of the study is to analyze BDA drivers in the context of FSC for transition to CE and SOM. This study is unique in examining these BDA drivers based on FSC. We hope to find sustainable solutions to minimize losses or other negative impacts on these SC.