Circular economy (CE) and Industry 4.0 (I4.0) laid the foundation of intelligent and sustainable manufacturing based on real‐time data collection. However, the absence of a human‐centric approach has recently pushed for a more value‐driven Industry 5.0 (I5.0) vision. A systematic literature review is conducted by critically analysing the peer‐reviewed academic journals to evaluate the material‐flow of a product's lifecycle and information‐flow in a data‐driven platform to find any existing relationship between the CE and I4.0 nexus with I5.0. The results indicate that the application of I5.0 is significantly more comprehensive as it is not limited to industry‐focused but also considers broader societal values. I5.0 places the human‐centric approach at the centre of the production process and utilise innovative technical advancement to provide a sustainable and resilient smart manufacturing path. It extends the tech features of I4.0 and complements the CE paradigm that prospers beyond jobs and growth while respecting the environment.

Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies have been highlighted in recent literature as enablers of servitisation. Simultaneously, businesses are advised to implement a circular economy (CE) to bring new opportunities. However, it is pertinent to mention that little attention has been given to assess the role of I4.0 in adopting the CE and servitisation in a fully integrated manner. This research fills this gap by developing a conceptual framework through a systematic literature review of 139 studies investigating the relationship between the I4.0, CE, and servitisation. This study identifies the impact of these variables on a firm’s operational and financial performance (revenue stream, growth, and profitability). Our research findings advocate that adopting I4.0 technologies to the business and manufacturing model enables sustainability, energy and resource efficiency while enhancing performance and offering innovative products through smart services. Thus, firms must systematically adopt I4.0 technologies to support a CE model that creates value through servitisation. This study identifies the research gaps that are unexplored for practitioners and future researchers while providing insight into the role of I4.0 in implementing CE in the servitisation business model.

The integration of innovative technologies creates a circular economy (CE) system that enhances the value and legitimacy of their trade. Recently, many global industries have shifted their focus towards product‐service system (PSS) to perpetuate in today's competitive market without negatively influencing the environmental detrition and retaining the extended producer responsibility (EPR). Thus, this study will advance an understanding of how I4.0 technologies derivate renewables from waste to create sustainable energy sources rather than consuming virgin resources (normally considered a linear model) from a data management and product lifecycle perspective. This research used the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) methodology to analyse and categorise a literature survey of 126 research articles published over the years (2013–2022). The analysis indicates that the early research is mostly focused on defining the key variables (CE, I4.0 and PSS) and developing various frameworks to promote eco‐efficient services and sustainable development using I4.0 technologies and is engineering focused. It is established that two propositions leverage CE; the first one is value co‐creation, which enhances perceived value. In contrast, the other one is related to the application of data‐driven platforms using I4.0 technologies for sculpting the strategy and other decision support. More studies need to be analysing CE, I4.0 and PSS. To support researchers, managers and policymakers, this study has analysed the applicability of theoretical propositions regarding the application of I4.0 technologies with CE and PSS and presented a theoretical framework for the I4.0‐enabled share platform that may be tested using empirical data.

This paper examines the relationship between CSR activities and innovation performance with the moderating effect of CEO gender in the U.S. market. This paper provides evidence about the relationship between CSR and innovation performance from the resources-based views by replacing the common measurements of innovation and R&D expenditures with the number of patents and citations to better measure the innovation quality rather than quantity. The current paper verifies the relationship between CSR and innovation in S&P 500 U.S. listed companies and fills the gaps in the current research on the moderating effect of CEO gender on this relationship. The paper analyzed the panel data for 1204 observations from various databases (Compustat, KLD, U.S. patents by words and Excompustat) from 2014 to 2018. Specifically, the number of patents and citations is set as the measurement of the explanatory variable; innovation performance and CSR scores from KLD are treated as the dependent variable and the proportion of female directors in the top management as the method of moderating indicator. The result in this paper shows a positive correlation between CSR and innovation performance in the U.S. At the same time, the moderating effect of CEO gender has an insignificant impact on this relationship. The findings suggest that the female CEOs do not have a positive relationship with corporate innovation. These results will help companies realize the importance of CSR activities and how to balance gender diversity in their strategies.

This study delves into the financial performance of the Compañía Española de Petróleos, S.A.U. (CEPSA) within the context of the ongoing ESG transformation in the Energy Sector. The primary aim of this research is to understand the critical dimensions essential for evaluating energy companies’ ESG performances. The research assesses the changes in CEPSA’s financial indicators over the last five years (2018–2022). The report uses DuPont analysis to evaluate CEPSA’s environmental and social responsibility performances. The study examines several financial performance metrics, including return on net assets, profitability, and corporate financing structure changes. The methodology of this study comprehensively assesses CEPSA’s sustainable development trajectory and ESG management system. The analysis reveals that CEPSA has consistently improved its sustainable development capabilities over the last five years by establishing a comprehensive ESG management system. While return on net assets and profitability indicators have shown positive trends, the financing structure has changed significantly. Notably, the proportion of debt financing has increased substantially, and there is a slight decline in the net profit margin. The formal transformation in 2020 further influenced increases in liabilities and fixed assets for CEPSA. The study focuses on CEPSA’s sustained improvements in ESG management and the associated shifts in financial metrics, adding originality to the study and offering a nuanced perspective on the evolving landscape of sustainable practices. The study reveals the financial implications of ESG transformation in the energy sector and offers valuable insights for stakeholders. Moreover, this research contributes to the existing literature by employing the DuPont analysis system to explore the intricate relationship between ESG performance and financial indicators in the energy sector.

It is a common perception that circular economy (CE) principles positively influence the servitisation strategy. The firms improve their productivity and resource/energy efficiency by engineering functional efficacy in a sustainable product. However, the managerial practices that support this distinctive business model (BM) are relatively sparse despite their liaisons. Therefore, this paper is focused on addressing this gap by investigating the managerial practices that firms can implement to explore the downstream opportunities of CE and servitisation BM. This paper uses a systematic literature review (SLR) approach to frame a theoretical model. The findings were improved by cross-validation using a text mining technique, demonstrating how organisations may co-create and extract value through CE and servitisation to develop a flexible management system. This study used the business model canvas antecedents to map a set of managerial practices to understand the mythography of the servitisation approach with CE principles. The findings show that identifying key stakeholders assists a firm in selecting an appropriate strategy based on sustainable value propositions that include cost structure and revenue streams to close the resource loop. Managerial commitment is critical in achieving the maximum economic, environmental, and societal potential. A few research agendas with distinct research orientations are proposed to mitigate the significant research gaps in CE and servitisation literature. This study provides managers and practitioners with some intriguing insights as it emphasises the need to select a suitable strategy to utilise a firm's resources successfully.