Circular Economy: An International Needs Analysis for Vocational Learning in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
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| Title: | Circular Economy: An International Needs Analysis for Vocational Learning in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Anett Wolgast, Caroline Pape, Metje Rocklage |
| Source: | International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training. 2026 13(1):103-125. |
| Availability: | European Educational Research Association / European Research Network Vocational Education and Training.Am Fallturm 1, Bremen, 28359, Germany. Tel: +49-421-218-66336; Fax: +49-421-218-98-66336; e-mail: ijrvet@uni-bremen.de; Web site: http://www.ijrvet.net |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 23 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Small Businesses, Psychological Patterns, Employers, Employees, Foreign Countries, Sustainability, Economics, Employer Attitudes, Employee Attitudes, Career and Technical Education, Educational Needs |
| Geographic Terms: | Germany, Italy, Poland |
| ISSN: | 2197-8638 2197-8646 |
| Abstract: | Extensive theory-based research on academic and vocational education has long explored the connections between emotions, motivation, and learning as drivers of behavioral change in occupational contexts. Emotions and motivations play a crucial role in shaping how individuals and organizations adopt new practices, yet their role in fostering larger-scale shifts, such as the transition to a circular economy, has received limited attention. Meanwhile, the global shift toward a circular economy has gained increasing priority, with governments, industries, and international organizations promoting various initiatives aimed at encouraging companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to adopt sustainable, resource-efficient, and circular practices. These initiatives predominantly emphasize the cognitive and practical dimensions of circular-economy strategies, focusing on actionable knowledge and technical skills. However, the emotional drivers--such as enthusiasm, apprehension, or resistance--of such transformative changes are often over-looked. Sentiments, which significantly influence individual and collective behaviors, could be critical to understanding how ready SMEs are to embrace circular-economy principles. Despite their importance, the role of sentiments in shaping organizational and behavioral responses to circular-economy transitions remains underexplored and warrants further investigation. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1495024 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Extensive theory-based research on academic and vocational education has long explored the connections between emotions, motivation, and learning as drivers of behavioral change in occupational contexts. Emotions and motivations play a crucial role in shaping how individuals and organizations adopt new practices, yet their role in fostering larger-scale shifts, such as the transition to a circular economy, has received limited attention. Meanwhile, the global shift toward a circular economy has gained increasing priority, with governments, industries, and international organizations promoting various initiatives aimed at encouraging companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to adopt sustainable, resource-efficient, and circular practices. These initiatives predominantly emphasize the cognitive and practical dimensions of circular-economy strategies, focusing on actionable knowledge and technical skills. However, the emotional drivers--such as enthusiasm, apprehension, or resistance--of such transformative changes are often over-looked. Sentiments, which significantly influence individual and collective behaviors, could be critical to understanding how ready SMEs are to embrace circular-economy principles. Despite their importance, the role of sentiments in shaping organizational and behavioral responses to circular-economy transitions remains underexplored and warrants further investigation. |
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| ISSN: | 2197-8638 2197-8646 |
