Browsing by Author "Korpa, Viola"

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    Challenges of the introduction of circular business models within rural SMEs of EU
    (2020) Uvarova, Inga; Atstaja, Dzintra; Korpa, Viola
    Recently the circular economy has got a lot of attention within discussions of policy makers, academics and practitioners. The circular economy proposes the treatment of environmental and climate change problems, simultaneously promising benefits for the business. The circular economy promotes the reduction of the consumption and reuse or recycling of the resources that in various aspects contradicts traditional business models that stream to linear growth of sales of their products. Yet the circular economy concept has been more discussed regarding its global scale, but there is a lack of scientific discussions about the approaches of the adoption of circular economy principles on the business level. This paper conceptualises multi-level dimensions of the circular economy and highlights challenges related to the perception of the circular economy principles in the micro business level. The conducted research shows that rural SMEs of six EU countries have rarely heard about the circular economy and even less about circular business models. While rural SMEs are more familiar with the bio and green economies forming good base for developing circular business models, they are reluctant towards introducing new business models. This paper aims to assess the level of the advancement in introduction of the circular business models among rural SMEs of EU countries. This article emphasizes the circular economy as an inseparable part of the business models of rural SMEs and rural economies of EU countries. This study has a policy implication as we suggest that the government should play an important role in promotion of circular business models in rural SMEs. The existing public support system is fragmented, and in most cases just incidentally encourage rural SMEs to adopt new circular business models. Also, the circular economy on a local level, especially in rural areas, has an important role in ensuring social wellbeing of local inhabitants. The methodological approach and research results presented in the paper can be used further developing EU support system and priorities beyond 2020.
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    COLLABORATION COMPETENCIES AND GREEN BUSINESS MINDSET
    (2022) Uvarova, Inga; Atstaja, Dzintra; Volkova, Tatjana; Ozolina-Ozola, Iveta; Korpa, Viola; Rīga Stradiņš University
    INTRODUCTION There is increased international pressure to develop sustainable and circular businesses. This raises the question of entrepreneurs’ green awareness and the ability to adopt green values ​​in their business and management practices. While this has become a hot topic on the agenda of policymakers and researchers, there is a critically low level of green awareness among entrepreneurs. This highlights the need to explore how to better foster the development of a green business mindset among entrepreneurs. Collaboration with multiple stakeholders is currently promoted as an essential resource for companies to create a positive environmental impact and circular value. However, entrepreneurs do not recognise the advantages of collaboration, but instead face growing stakeholder green pressure. Collaboration competence has been recognised as one of the essential elements of the green business mindset. The awareness of green values ​​and the importance of collaboration in this context needs to be developed at school to provide theoretical knowledge and promote green skills. This study aimed to investigate the understanding of teachers and academic staff about the green business mindset and to assess their perception of the importance of collaboration competencies within the green business mindset. Research questions: 1) What are the main competencies comprising the green business mindset model and the status quo of the collaboration within this model; 2) How do teachers and academic staff perceive the importance of collaboration in developing the green business mindset? MATERIALS AND METHODS The systematic literature analysis, content analysis and clustering of the co-occurrence of keywords and concepts were used for the research. The empirical study reflects the situation in Latvia, and accordingly, the academic staff as well as teachers from Latvia were surveyed. Interviews of experts were conducted. The descriptive analyses synthesised the research results and described the main implications and further research gaps. RESULTS The green business model encounters the development of critical thinking, creativity, initiative and leadership, reflection, sharing and collaboration, environmental concerns and the attitude towards green values. The research results reveal the increased necessity to promote green awareness among youth, entrepreneurs, families and teachers. The academic staff rather have an overall understanding of green business, but they lack detailed green knowledge. Changing the behaviour and attitudes towards environmentally friendly business is considered most important, but collaboration is less critical. DISCUSSION Latvian entrepreneurs do not recognise the benefits and positive impact of green business practices. Changing customer values and global trends of sustainable transition will foster green business practices. Therefore, it is essential to develop knowledge of the circular and green business and stimulate behavioural changes of entrepreneurs to accept and follow environmentally friendly values. Previous studies prove the vital and integral role of collaboration with and for multiple stakeholders in creating positive environmental impacts. Such stakeholder collaboration includes various managerial tasks - the establishment of the relationship, value mapping and standard value orientation, regular communication, involvement and engagement, sharing and co-creation, and requiring appropriate competencies. Collaboration with multiple stakeholders is a cross-cutting issue that should be reflected horizontally in different study courses, not just in a specific environmental or ecological curriculum. However, the entrepreneurship and management study programmes should include stakeholder collaboration topics as one of the managerial practices. CONCLUSION This study describes the green business mindset model and its multi-dimensional nature, including knowledge and skills related to entrepreneurship, sustainability, ecology, and green education on the one hand, and emotional intelligence, green values and attitudes on the other. This research reveals the shorthand situation of Latvia. The green business mindset model envisages several levels of development and assessment – raising awareness, acquiring knowledge, changing attitudes and values, changing behaviour, and initiating green actions. The academic staff and teachers consider that, in Latvia, besides green business knowledge, the emotional, intuitive and spiritual intelligence, self-awareness and self-confidence encompassing green values ​​are essential, and should be developed.
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    End-of-life tyre recycling : Going beyond to new circular business models in Latvia
    (2020) Uvarova, Inga; Atstaja, Dzintra; Korpa, Viola; Avena, Liga; Erdmanis, Miks; Rīga Stradiņš University
    The end-of-life tyre recycling industry in Latvia faces significant issues on a national level and on a micro business level. The aim of the research is the clarification of opportunities for new circular business models within the tyre recycling industry in Latvia. The main research methods are literature review, semi-structured in-depth interviews, case studies, content analyses, and quantitative statistical analyses, qualitative and descriptive analyses, allowing providing integrative interdisciplinary assessment. In addition, design-thinking methods contributed to conclusions on future opportunities of new tyre recycling business models. The research shows that the system is insufficiently supervised, and it does not facilitate the development of new environmentally friendly technologies and circular business models. A large share of tyres ends up in waste landfills, are incinerated or illegally stored, whereas only a small number of them are recycled. The traditional tyre incineration methods are ineffective and create adverse effects on the environment. Tyre recycling companies in Latvia are not active in adoption of new technologies and business models. This justifies the topicality of the research problem. The research results reveal that globally new opportunities are being actively explored on how to produce higher added value products from materials obtained in the tyre recycling process. In Latvia, it is possible to develop new financially viable circular business models in tyre recycling industry, for instance, by producing tyre-derived aggregates for construction materials or pavement subbases. Besides the need for dynamic innovation capabilities of entrepreneurs, development of new business models in tyre recycling requires collaboration among various stakeholders. In addition, the government has a significant role in implementing the Green Public Procurement for the industries utilizing products gained as a result of tyre recycling.
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    FINANCIAL VIABILITY OF CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODELS IN TYRE RECYCLING INDUSTRY IN LATVIA
    (2020) Uvarova, Inga; Atstāja, Dzintra; Korpa, Viola; Erdmanis, Miks
    The end-of-life (EOL) tyre recycling industry in Latvia is encountering economic and sustainability challenges, which require solutions by various stakeholders. Improvement of tyre waste management and recycling is important within the context of sustainability and the new streamlining of circular business models. Its importance is also recognized at the European Union level in relation to the further strategic goals and the European Green Deal. In addition, the tyre recycling industry in Latvia demonstrates a relatively unfavourable financial situation, which is one of the most significant factors hindering the introduction of new circular business models. The aim of this research is to clarify the challenges related to the financial viability of tyre recycling companies adopting the new circular business models. The main research methods are literature review, semistructured in-depth interviews, case studies and financial analyses. There are large stocks of EOL tyres and on average just 50 % of them are recycled. The tyre waste management companies are not motivated to supply EOL tyres to recycling companies. On the other hand, due to various reasons, most of the tyre recycling companies are not working with their maximum production capacity. The research results reveal that the tyre recycling companies mostly run traditional and inefficient business models that require large operating costs and ensure comparatively low profitability. In order to enable more efficient and environmentally friendly tyre recycling process, the companies should implement new, investment intensive technologies. Yet, they face critical issues of liquidity and financial returns. Major conclusions are related to the necessity to develop several business models interlinked within one portfolio thus ensuring the manufacturing of various products with higher added value and quality. This may maximise the profits and improve the financial viability of tyre recycling business models