Broadening the understanding of the role of consumer services in the circular economy: Toward a conceptualization of value creation processes

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of the article is to contribute to the current discussion and further the understanding of the role of services in the circular economy as processes of value creation. The article elaborates on the concept of service for the circular economy, partly through a literature study, which argues for an extension of the understanding of the roles of services in the circular economy. This involves services aimed at the consumer's person in addition to recirculating consumer waste products. The second part of the study takes the first steps to building a typology for understanding value creation processes in the circular economy. Here, it is argued that the success of advancing services in the circular economy hinges not only on providing value-in-use, but equally so on the ability to provide contextual value that supports consumers' identity and role enactment. Furthermore, cases are used to illustrate and exemplify practical ways to further deepening the service engagement in the circular economy.