Why do some regions proceed with a circular transition faster that others? Why are some more innovative or creative than others and are there patterns?
It became evident from our work within RESOURCE and interaction with multiple stakeholders and partners that circularity transitions are not just about data and models. It is about people, places, the local ecosystem and the ingredient of knowledge. Specifically, the latter was something that triggered our curiosity.
We set out to contribute to answering a simple question: How does access to knowledge shape the transition to a circular economy? Within RESOURCE we zoomed in on the often-overlooked role of service firms — such as consultants, financial advisors, engineers, and tech experts who quietly power innovation behind the scenes.
Through two analyses of over 1,400 OECD regions related to their circular patent registrations and nearly 1,500 European regions linked to their trademark registration activities, RESOURCE uncovered interesting patterns: regions with strong positioning in service firm networks benefit for their circular innovation. In Aragon, Zaragoza stood out, with registrations of circular trademarks—far ahead of Huesca and Teruel. It’s a reminder that innovation isn’t evenly spread.
Within RESOURCE we did not solely focus on observation, we also contributed to building tools. One key achievement is a new approach to create disaggregated Multi-Regional Input-Output (MRIO) models, as in our case for Spain. An MRIO depicts economic flows within regional and sectoral networks. However, these networks go beyond geography they are shaped by invisible actions of knowledge and collaboration, a feature that has been missing in existing construction approaches. Our new construction methodology incorporates firm-level interactions rather than relying solely on traditional geographical or sectoral approaches. The resulting model enables advanced simulation of circular economy interventions and their measuring cross-regional impacts, addressing a significant gap in existing analytical tools.
Please note that the research in RESOURCE is not yet published.
Stay tuned!