Meeting the closed-loop challenge: The “Who-What-How” strategic choices for a successful remanufacturing approach

Remanufacturing is a life-cycle renewal process recognised as one of the most effective circular strategies that can be adopted to achieve sustainable production. However, its potential has been hindered by the absence of an integrated perspective across various business domains to catalyse successful remanufacturing efforts. This paper aims to explore how such an integrated perspective can facilitate the creation of sustainable value within remanufacturing business models. To fill this gap, an in-depth longitudinal case study was conducted on how remanufacturing practices can be effectively implemented in the white goods sector. The research identifies four fundamental mechanisms that, when used synergistically, pave the way for a successful remanufacturing approach yielding triple-bottom-line benefits. The study contributes to the remanufacturing literature by illustrating how (i) moving from products to solutions that fulfil customer priorities, (ii) resequencing business processes according to customer-oriented logic, (iii) enhancing the clock-speed of decision-making and (iv) sharing risks within the supply chain, can unveil new strategic positioning for sustainable value creation. From a practical perspective, it advocates for the adept management of remanufacturing uncertainties through continuous, active questioning of Who-What-How choices and the cultivation of circular and organic interdependencies.