‘The long and circular road’: a roadmap for transition to circular supply chain through the Theory of Constraints thinking processes

Circular supply chains (CSC) have been hindered by complex barriers. There remains a lack of structured, actionable guidance to help organisations prioritise and overcome these barriers. This study innovates by addressing this gap by applying the Theory of Constraints (TOC), specifically the Prerequisite Tree (PRT) tool, to systematically identify and organise the intermediate objectives needed to transition from traditional to CSC. Until now there was a lack of studies applying TOC in the CSC context. The PRT was validated through a Delphi study with experts from academia and industry, which is another innovation of the study. The roadmap consists of 26 interrelated objectives that reflect key organisational, technological, and stakeholder-related dimensions for CSC implementation. The findings offer theoretical contributions, by introducing a systems-based approach to CSC research also offering a new way to validate PRT, and practical implications, providing companies with a structured decision-making tool to guide their circular transition.