Circular Economy Practices, Procurement Strategies, and Organizational Competitiveness: Insights from Future Business Professionals

This study examines the perceived relationships between circular economy practices, procurement strategies, and organizational competitiveness using a theory-driven model and survey data from future business professionals. Drawing on multiple theoretical perspectives, the research explores how circular economy practices and procurement strategies influence organizational competitiveness and investigates the mediating and moderating roles of organizational culture, stakeholder pressure, resource availability, innovation, and industry characteristics. The findings suggest that circular economy practices not only contribute to environmental goals, but also hold strategic value for competitive advantage. Procurement strategies are found to be more than operational tools; they act as strategic levers that shape sustainable performance. Based on cross-sectional survey data with a sample of 568 respondents, the study sheds light on patterns that highlight the importance of organizational culture, innovation, and resource access in reinforcing the link between sustainability and competitiveness. Although the data reflects perceptions rather than organizational behavior, the study offers conceptual foundations and future-oriented insights into how the systemic interactions between sustainable practices, procurement, and competitiveness are likely to be interpreted and enacted. Therefore, the insights inform both academic research and managerial practice by emphasizing the strategic value of integrating circular economy principles and procurement strategies within a broader sustainability-oriented framework.