The Industrial Dynamics of Waste Management and Recycling : A Call for Research and a Proposed Agenda

The waste management sector is undergoing profound transformations that challenge its structures and institutions. The function and position of waste management companies have been changing, and this process accelerates as the circular economy consolidates as part of the strategy to implement green shifts. There is, however, a knowledge gap regarding the patterns underpinning waste management as an economic sector of activity. This article lays the ground for building bridges between research in waste management and the field of industrial dynamics. Combining these research streams is crucial in face of transformations going on in the sector and can benefit both policymakers who are paving the way to sustainability transitions, and firms that are navigating these transformations. Four crucial themes at the intersection of waste management and industrial dynamics are: (i) the nature of waste management as an economic activity, (ii) industry evolution and institutions, (iii) business organization and management, and (iv) technological change, innovation and entrepreneurship. These themes are at the core of industrial dynamics literature, but they have been little explored in the context of waste management. This article introduces these issues to a waste management audience, thereby laying the grounds for further empirical work