The role of digital platforms in the transition to symbiotic and “smart communities”

The global decline in resources and raw materials, challenges in waste management, and the rise in greenhouse gas concentrations are driving companies to seek more sustainable and symbiotic business models. Digital platforms, as hubs for information and data flows, play a key role in coordinating symbiotic production and service systems. Industrial symbiosis (IS) represents one such business model, where the exchange of waste, by-products, or other resources between firms and local organizations generates new forms of competitive advantage. Despite growing awareness of the role of information technologies and digital platforms in advancing sustainability, research on these digital sharing platforms as enablers of symbiotic networks remains in its early stages. This paper seeks to address this gap by examining the role of digital platforms in transitioning local ecosystems into symbiotic and “smart” communities. The study employs a systematic review of existing literature alongside a case study. The paper is structured into three major sections, followed by conclusions and implication.

The global decline in resources and raw materials, challenges in waste management, and the rise in greenhouse gas concentrations are driving companies to seek more sustainable and symbiotic business models. Digital platforms, as hubs for information and data flows, play a key role in coordinating symbiotic production and service systems. Industrial symbiosis (IS) represents one such business model, where the exchange of waste, by-products, or other resources between firms and local organizations generates new forms of competitive advantage. Despite growing awareness of the role of information technologies and digital platforms in advancing sustainability, research on these digital sharing platforms as enablers of symbiotic networks remains in its early stages. This paper seeks to address this gap by examining the role of digital platforms in transitioning local ecosystems into symbiotic and “smart” communities. The study employs a systematic review of existing literature alongside a case study. The paper is structured into three major sections, followed by conclusions and implication.

digital platforms symbiotic business model industrial symbiosis smart and sustainable communities

digital platforms symbiotic business model industrial symbiosis smart and sustainable communities