Building Circular Together: How Stakeholder Collaboration shapes Efficiency in Circular Construction A case study of a Dutch SME on stakeholder-driven efficiency in circular construction

Abstract

The Dutch construction sector faces dual pressures: a huge housing shortage and ambitious national circularity targets. This thesis examines how collaboration between stakeholders during the implementation of Circular Economy (CE) principles influences the efficiency of a construction firm. Grounded in the stakeholder theory and by adopting a qualitative case study approach within a Dutch SME, this thesis explores how interactions with governmental actors, clients, and internal partners shape the firm’s economic, technical, and production efficiency. The thesis’ findings indicate that stakeholder collaboration serves as an operational mechanism for overcoming complexities and challenges associated with CE. Public procurement, regulatory incentives and knowledge-sharing platforms play key roles in aligning sustainability goals with efficiency. The study contributes to literature by operationalizing stakeholder engagement in the context of CE transitions and highlights the pragmatic, context-dependent nature of circular construction in SMEs. The findings are also used to introduce some managerial implications for the case company.