Opportunity Recognition for Industrial Symbiosis : A Process Model

Sammanfattning

Purpose – This study examines how opportunities for industrial symbiosis are recognized, assessed, and pre-developed in an emerging industrial park. Paradoxically, opportunities for industrial symbiosis are greatest in the early stages of industrial park development when uncertainty is at its peak. However, by the time uncertainty around future conditions declines, it may be too late to retrofit industrial symbiosis into established process designs. So far, the industrial symbiosis literature has paid limited attention to how individual actors alone or collectively recognize opportunities for industrial symbiosis in this early stage. Method - We use industrial symbiosis and opportunity recognition literature to frame an empirical in-depth case study of the emerging industrial park in Luleå. The case study covered a diverse set of actors, including incumbent process industries and newcomers, but also small and medium enterprises and public actors active in the ecosystem. In total, 26 qualitative interviews were conducted, and the empirical material was analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings – The findings outline a process model framework which enables actors to systematically analyze and evaluate potential opportunities for industrial symbiosis. The process model illustrates how industrial symbiosis opportunities emerge and develop through three interconnected phases: recognition, assessment, and pre-development. Theoretical and Practical Implications - The study extends the processual understanding of how IS opportunities are recognized, assessed, and pre-developed in emerging industrial parks. It shows that opportunities are not simply uncovered through technical identification but are socially recognized and gradually shaped through actor interaction, systematic assessment, and early commitment-building under uncertainty. The framework also provides practical guidance for industrial actors and municipalities seeking to progress IS opportunities despite uncertainty. Limitations and Future Research - Although the study provides in-depth insights from Luleå Industrial Park, the findings may be shaped by its specific actor landscape and early phase. Future research should therefore explore the IS opportunity process in other contexts and follow opportunities over time, from recognition to implementation, through longitudinal studies.