Steering the circular transition: Challenges and Solutions for Small Municipalities in the Netherlands
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2025-06-19
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en
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This master’s thesis explores how small municipalities in the Netherlands navigate the transition to a circular economy, focusing on the governance challenges they face and the solutions they employ. Using the framework of Dagiliene et al. (2021), the study identifies three key challenges: goal ambivalence, knowledge uncertainty, and distributed power. Through document analysis, a survey, and interviews with ten municipalities and experts, the research reveals that circular goals are often vague and inconsistent, knowledge is limited and concentrated in a few individuals, and municipalities lack formal influence over systemic change. While steering solutions—such as regulation, shared visioning, learning, and collaborative governance—are acknowledged, their practical application is constrained by the very challenges they aim to address. The study proposes an adaptation of the original framework, introducing governance capacity as a necessary intermediary. It concludes that small municipalities can only effectively steer the circular transition if they first invest in administrative capacity: building structural knowledge, developing clear visions, and strengthening partnerships. Despite their resilience and creativity, without consistent support from higher levels of government, their impact remains fragmented and limited.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen