Implementing a circular economy with the aim of slowing and closing material loops requires various circular activities like take-back, repair, or recycling. Central actors in a supply chain, like OEMs, have the opportunity to either coordinate these activities by themselves (‘make’), to closely cooperate with other actors like retailers or third-party loop operators (‘ally’) or to completely outsource those activities (‘buy’).

Within the project ‘Circular Value Creation Survey’, we first analyze the implementation status of the circular economy in the Austrian industry context. Of relevance are questions about circular (R-)strategies, product design, business models, as well as drivers and barriers. Based on that, the core question is how OEMs and related actors in their supply chain coordinate circular practices in order to create circular value.