The dissertation offers new insights into the roles of entrepreneurs and financiers in Circular Economy (CE) transitions through a dynamic, multi-perspective approach, utilising primarily qualitative methods. It begins by developing an integrated research framework that provides a structured foundation for investigating the research topic. The study is organised into three empirical chapters.
The first examines success factors for scaling up CE ventures and raising investments, employing Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) to identify patterns across emerging markets and developing economies.
The second investigates how entrepreneurs contribute to the mainstreaming of CE innovations from niches to regimes, as conceptualised in the Multi-Level-Perspective (MLP), using pattern matching to compare developed versus emerging and developing economies.
The third focuses on institutional change in CE transitions, using a case study approach to explore European financial organisations. The dissertation concludes with discussions and a synthesis of the findings, offering a comprehensive understanding of the roles played by entrepreneurs and financiers in CE transitions as processes of multiple value creation across micro, meso, and macro levels, differing geographic contexts, and diverse stakeholder groups.
About the author
Olga Rataj is part of the Economics of Innovation and Technology research group at UNU-MERIT. Her research interests lie in the field of circular economy transitions with focus on finance and entrepreneurship in emerging markets and developing economies.
She studied at WU Vienna (Vienna University of Economics and Business); University of London - SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies); and UCL (University College London) - The Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources. Olga obtained two Master's degrees - in economics as well as in environmental & development studies.
Currently, Olga works at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) where she manages the Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP) which covers 15+ developing countries and has a grant value of ~USD 30 million. GCIP supports start-ups and SMEs with innovative solutions to climate change in the fields of energy, waste, materials, and others by providing business acceleration and investment facilitation services as well as by building capacity of the national innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem actors.
