Integrating R-imperatives, product development, and supply chain design and planning for sustainability and resilience

The focus on minimising resource consumption and prioritising environmental preservation has driven supply chains to accelerate their transition toward the circular economy. To effectively support this transition, manufacturing companies need to integrate R-imperatives into product development and supply chain processes. However, existing approaches often treat product development and supply chain as separate domains or rely on sequential integration, leading to limited sustainability and resilience outcomes. This study addresses this gap by conducting a systematic literature review to develop a conceptual framework and show its applicability using multiple case studies involving Norwegian manufacturing companies. Theoretically, the framework advances knowledge by highlighting how R-imperatives, product characteristics, and SC configurations must be integrated to achieve sustainability and resilience. In practice, it helps managers select R-imperatives based on product and SC characteristics, thereby overcoming the limitations of traditional sequential approaches. This research offers actionable insights for companies aiming to transition toward CE, while also setting a foundation for future studies.