takeholder Collaboration for Circular Economy Implementation - A Qualitative Study in the Swedish Construction Secto

Abstract

The construction industry is a major contributor to global resource consumption and waste generation, making it a critical sector for advancing the circular economy. However, circular implementation remains fragmented due to the complex value chain and weak inter organizational coordination. This thesis explores how collaboration among key stakeholders - specifically construction companies, material manufacturers, and real estate developers - can accelerate the transition to a CE in the Swedish construction value chain. Drawing on Stakeholder Theory and the Stakeholder Salience Model, the study investigates how stakeholder interactions, influence, and alignment shape circular outcomes. Using a qualitative, abductive research design, the study is based on nine semi-structured interviews with industry professionals involved in CE settings. The findings reveal that successful CE adoption relies on early-stage collaboration, shared goals, and joint responsibility across project phases. Key enablers include digital tools for material tracking and trust-based relationships. and clear procurement criteria. Conversely, major barriers include project fragmentation, misaligned incentives, regulatory uncertainty, and limited reuse infrastructure. The salience model further highlights how stakeholder influence is distributed unevenly, with public developers and policymakers often acting as definitive stakeholders, while internal sustainability teams play critical enabling roles despite limited formal power. The study contributes to both theory and practice by illustrating the importance of structured collaboration in overcoming systemic barriers to circularity. It provides actionable insights for firms and policymakers seeking to embed circularity into the construction sector and underscores the need for ongoing collaboration, a supportive framework, and shared incentives to achieve scalable impact.