Exploring Orchestration to Enable Joint Value Creation in Emerging Circular Ecosystems A Case Study in the Outdoor Retail Industry

Abstract

The resource-intensive nature of the retail industry necessitates a shift towards circu- larity, requiring collective stakeholder support to transition from linear value chains to circular economies. While existing literature often addresses the challenges of the retail industry, there remains a gap in exploring the outdoor retail industry and its emerging ecosystems, which is crucial for the circular transition. This master’s thesis examines the circular ecosystem within the outdoor retail in- dustry in Sweden, in collaboration with Haglöfs. Through a qualitative single case study, involving interviews and document analysis, the study explores value creation within the ecosystem and identifies critical practices for eective orchestration. The study identifies three phases of ecosystem emergence from the perspective of a central firm—acceleration, transition, and orchestration—illustrating Haglöfs’ evo- lution from a network accelerator to a central orchestrator. To comprehend the central actor’s role in the acceleration phase, three overarching themes emerge; ex- ternal image disparities, internal value generation, and the initiation of second-hand item volume. In the transition phase, the importance of sustainable business model development and new infrastructure is highlighted. In the orchestration phase, e- cient collaboration eorts and value creation systems surface as two primary themes, oering deeper insight into Haglöfs’ orchestrator role. The study has found that each of the identified phases presents multiple barriers that must be overcome to drive the ecosystem’s evolution. To overcome these barriers, twelve key practices for guiding a central actor through each phase were identified, emphasising relationship management, value creation, and resource allocation. The practices help guide the central actor in strategic decisions and shifting priorities as the ecosystem evolves. These practices are intended to adapt as the ecosystem matures, ensuring dynamic and eective joint value creation.