This study analyzes the sustainability of the metaverse technology by adopting a responsible digitalization perspective to drive the transition to Industry 5.0. This is motivated by the current experiences of digital transformation paths, which appear careless regarding the side effects induced when adopting digital technologies—for example, the energy consumption associated with blockchain, the jobs lost due to 3D printing, and the continuous payments required by artificial intelligence systems. While very few sustainable solutions are currently available to properly address these issues, similar effects might materialize when adopting metaverse technology. Therefore, this study provides tools to undertake a responsible digital transformation path through the metaverse to properly manage the transition to Industry 5.0. Specifically, it offers a set of frameworks to analyze the metaverse either from the perspective of the triple bottom line or by adopting an environmental, social, and governance (ESG) perspective and linking it to the most impacted business strategies or by connecting the technology to the sustainable development goals (SDGs). These tools enable readers to understand how society at large can responsibly implement, adopt, and manage a metaverse. By utilizing these frameworks, businesses can identify the most impacted strategies and take action to address any potential negative impacts.

Although digital technologies grant documented operational and economic benefits, they can activate unwanted consequences for the environment and society. This research investigates these issues by exploring how firms can create a portfolio of technologies to perform corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals and then achieving responsible digitalization. The latter is defined as the firms' capacity of adopting digital technologies without underperforming in terms of CSR. Accordingly, we investigate the relationships between digital technologies and CSR to discover the firms' capacity to achieve responsible digitalization targets. Furthermore, we explore how the use of some green practices allows firms to increase the chances of achieving responsible digitalization goals.

Purpose: This paper aims to analyze the benefits of the blockchain to the circular economy (CE), which is composed of both closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) systems and reverse omnichannel solutions. By ensuring transparency, traceability, visibility and security, the blockchain allows firms to acquire operational capabilities through a CLSC and service capabilities through a reverse omnichannel, which can boost business performance considerably. The related network of relationships can be reinforced by establishing incentives, which entail both smart contracts in the blockchain and active return approaches in CE.Design/methodology/approach: After identifying the boundaries of the theoretical framework, several research hypotheses are developed according to the literature review and emerging gaps. These gaps link to the impact of the blockchain on CE systems (CLSC and reverse omnichannel), as well as the influence on business performance. The hypotheses are then tested using structural equation modeling and adopting a partial least squares-path modeling technique on a dataset composed of 157 firms. Finally, multigroup analysis is used to test the impact of incentives on the research hypotheses.Findings: The blockchain facilitates a more efficient CE system, although reverse omnichannel solutions seldom bring any benefits to performance. The shift from a passive to an active return approach must be carefully evaluated. The CLSC network can benefit from an active return approach by developing appealing incentives for collectors and enhancing the positive effects of the blockchain. In contrast, consumer incentives can have detrimental effects on the blockchain. Various combinations of incentives can only bring a few business performance increases, while collector incentives are vital to reinforce the CE system's operational and service capabilities.Originality/value: This paper takes a new approach toward the study of CE, which considers a dual circular system composed of a CLSC and a reverse omnichannel. The research explores whether the adoption of blockchain technology enables better return processes by improving the operations in CLSC and services in reverse omnichannel. Finally, this is the first empirical work to evaluate the benefits emerging from incentives, which can activate smart contracts in the blockchain and enable active return approaches in CE.

Background: This study investigates how firms can enhance the functionality of their circular supply chains (CSCs) by adopting a portfolio of sustainable practices as well as digital technologies to increase performance. It analyzes the benefits that firms can obtain when investing in specific technologies to boost the impact of technologies and sustainable practices on CSCs, and further increase performance. Methods: We test several hypotheses by using structural equation modeling as well as multi-group analysis to verify whether CSCs can be achieved through sustainable practices and technologies and improve the firms’ performance. Results: The empirical results partially support the research hypotheses. While the main research hypotheses are fully supported, the analysis of single digital technologies reveals that only a few solutions can contribute to both the management and the improvement of the CSC. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that the identification of green suppliers and ad hoc environmental regulations, combined with attention to the origin and provenance of raw materials, can promote a CSC. Moreover, transportation management systems (TMS) and the internet of things (IoT) are efficient technologies for managing transportation and product flow in the CSC. Furthermore, machine learning (ML) is effective in making positive green decisions, and 3D printing can extend product life.

This paper analyses the firms’ chances to consider circular economy as a part of the corporate strategy. The analysis of four Italian firms engaged in circular economy programs allows us to detect its connections with the corporate strategy, the real activities involved, the supply chain network ensuring circularity, the industrial symbiosis, as well as the links with performance. Our findings highlight that circular economy is a true business lever when the corporate strategy complements and supports its development. This allows firms to achieve high level targets that go beyond the traditional targets of social, environmental, and economic performance, and include circular supply chain, eco-innovations, and industrial symbiosis.