In recent years, a number of case studies of the circular economy in business have been analysed by academics. However, some areas of research are little explored at the micro level, such as the study of the characteristics of the financial resources applied to investments to introduce circular activities in businesses. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to define the resources applied to circular activities by firms. To describe the influence of financial resources on achieving a more advanced circular economy in business is also an objective of this paper. Using a sample of Spanish companies, we applied a partial least square structural equation model (PLS-SEM) to enhance the knowledge about financial resource management in the framework of the resource-based view. We find that availability of funds, quality of the firm’s own financial resources and public subsidies have a positive effect in stimulating the implementation of circular economy initiatives in businesses.

The main objective of this article is to contribute empirically to the understanding of the impact that eco-innovation has on firms’ financial performance within the framework of the resources-based view. Specifically, eco-innovation is measured by using eco-innovative activities and financial resources applied to eco-innovation to argue that the identification and measurement of certain resources of firms allow companies that are particularly active in investing in eco-innovation to be more competitive. Furthermore, the analysis attempts to ascertain whether firms that own green patents and other characteristics exhibit different level of financial performance than firms without registered green patents. The empirical partial least squares structural equation modeling results indicate a positive relationship between the investment of resources and the financial performance of eco-innovative firms. The effects of involving managers in eco-innovative processes as an environmental capability of firms are also tested.

This study investigates the intangible assets related to the circular economy, defined as ‘circular patents’, that are classified and measured to be bundled into the innovation capabilities of a firm. The impact of a business’s capabilities on its level of circular patent activism is empirically analysed in this study in a theoretical framework of dynamic capabilities. To this end, a model of the cause-and-effect relationship between the circular patents held by firms and their capabilities is designed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) and is tested using a sample of 120,406 patents in 2216 Spanish companies. In this analysis, patents that can foster the sharing economy and the circular economy in sensu latu are also considered circular patents, in addition to waste patents and other green patents, offering an enhanced measurement of the intangible assets related to the circular economy. Based on these results, this study provides new insight of how accounting can enable or constrain the transition to a circular economy business model through the measurement and valuation of related intangible assets and the specific business’ capabilities in an environmental management framework.

Purpose: This study aims to define and measure the capabilities applied by firms to waste-related patents and their relations with the businesses economic performance to support decision-making towards a circular economy (CE).Design/methodology/approach: A model of cause-and-effect relationships between firms' waste-related patents and the firm' capabilities was defined within the dynamic capabilities' theoretical framework. Empirical results were obtained by applying partial least squares structural equation modelling to a sample of 2,216 Spanish firms that hold 120,406 patents.Findings: Results revealed the importance of the innovation capabilities of firms related to patenting, such as collaborative innovation, persistence in patenting or the capabilities to collaborate with research institutes, as drivers of level of waste patents to improve the businesses economic performance.Research limitations/implications: The systemic nature of the CE at the firm level suggests future research focused on the environmental divergence that appears when the innovation on waste fall outside the regular domain of its industry. Another topic to be investigated is related to the full text of patents that could improve the results of this study.Practical implications: The definition of indicators to measure investments in the CE is complex, but it is necessary to assess progress in the closing of material loops at a micro level and to report the investments in waste-related patents in a circular model to the stakeholders involved in the economic management of the company.Originality/value: Measuring CE-related patents and the specific capabilities needed for patenting in a circular framework is an understudied topic, and this study opens a specific line of inquiry enhancing the knowledge of CE within the dynamic capabilities' theoretical framework.

(1) This document explores the impact of an interactive learning platform on students’ academic performance through a teaching innovation project. (2) The study involved 127 students in financial economics and accounting courses at a Spanish university. Preliminary and post-learning phase surveys, along with instructor evaluations, were conducted to assess students’ expectations, satisfaction, and performance using the Kahoot platform. The data underwent analysis using PLS-SEM and multivariate techniques. (3) Remarkably, 42.5% of students achieved high academic performance, surpassing their average scores. Notably, those who enjoyed using Kahoot and had higher expectations showed significantly higher performances (48.3% vs. 26.4% and 64.1% vs. 18.3%, respectively). These results highlight the positive impact of perceived usefulness on satisfaction and academic performance. The study also emphasizes the moderating role of students’ enjoyment in enhancing satisfaction and learning outcomes through Kahoot. (4) The document concludes with insights into students’ motivation to use Kahoot and its effectiveness in improving learning outcomes, providing valuable implications for interactive learning platforms in education.

The aim of this study is to test whether the use of non-financial quality performance indicators reduces bankruptcy probabilities. A questionnaire was sent to the population of small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the Spanish furniture industry. The final sample consists of 126 SMEs from the referred industry during the recent economic crisis (2007–2014), a period characterised by a huge increase in business competition and the rate of failure. The main argument is that, in this context, the competitive response of the furniture industry, especially in the case of SMEs, revolves around quality. A logistic multivariate regression model is estimated in which we include both financial and non-financial quality-implementation measures. We use a variable inspired by Perera et al.’s (1997) scale which integrates a variety of factors related to quality practices. The results show that the pre-emptive use of quality non-financial indicators is a key factor for subsequent business survival. These findings suggest important implications for external and internal stakeholders as well as policymakers.