Studying the Evolution of the ‘Circular Economy’ Concept using Topic Modelling

Sampriti Mahanty; Frank Boons; Julia Handl; Riza Theresa Batista-Navarro

Studying the Evolution of the ‘Circular Economy’ Concept using Topic Modelling

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

Circular Economy has gained immense popularity for its perceived capacity to operationalise sustainable development. However, a comprehensive long-term understanding of the concept, characterising its evolution in academic literature, has not yet been provided. As a first step, we apply unsupervised topic models on academic articles to identify patterns in concept evolution. We generate topics using LDA, and investigate topic prevalence over time. We determine the optimal number of topics for the model (k) through coherence scorings and evaluate the topic model results by expert judgement. Specifying k as 20, we find topics in the literature focussing on resources, business models, process modelling, conceptual research and policies. We identify a shift in the research focus of contemporary literature, moving away from the Chinese pre-dominance to a European perspective, alongwith a shift towards micro level interventions, e.g., circular design, business models, around 2014-2015.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Intelligent Data Engineering and Automated Learning – IDEAL 2019
Subtitle of host publication	20th International Conference, Manchester, UK, November 14–16, 2019, Proceedings, Part II
Editors	Hujun Yin, David Camacho, Peter Tino, Antonio J. Tallón-Ballesteros, Ronaldo Menezes, Richard Allmendinger
Publisher	Springer Nature
Pages	259-270
Number of pages	12
ISBN (Electronic)	9783030336172
ISBN (Print)	9783030336165
Publication status	Published - 24 Oct 2019

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes in Computer Science
Publisher	Springer
Volume	11872
ISSN (Print)	0302-9743

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals

Keywords

circular economy
topic modeling
concept evolution

Research Beacons, Institutes and Platforms

Sustainable Consumption Institute

Cite this

Mahanty, S., Boons, F., Handl, J., & Batista-Navarro, R. T. (2019). Studying the Evolution of the ‘Circular Economy’ Concept using Topic Modelling. In H. Yin, D. Camacho, P. Tino, A. J. Tallón-Ballesteros, R. Menezes, & R. Allmendinger (Eds.), Intelligent Data Engineering and Automated Learning – IDEAL 2019: 20th International Conference, Manchester, UK, November 14–16, 2019, Proceedings, Part II (pp. 259-270). Article 127 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 11872). Springer Nature.

Mahanty, Sampriti ; Boons, Frank ; Handl, Julia et al. / Studying the Evolution of the ‘Circular Economy’ Concept using Topic Modelling. Intelligent Data Engineering and Automated Learning – IDEAL 2019: 20th International Conference, Manchester, UK, November 14–16, 2019, Proceedings, Part II. editor / Hujun Yin ; David Camacho ; Peter Tino ; Antonio J. Tallón-Ballesteros ; Ronaldo Menezes ; Richard Allmendinger. Springer Nature, 2019. pp. 259-270 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science).

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abstract = "Circular Economy has gained immense popularity for its perceived capacity to operationalise sustainable development. However, a comprehensive long-term understanding of the concept, characterising its evolution in academic literature, has not yet been provided. As a first step, we apply unsupervised topic models on academic articles to identify patterns in concept evolution. We generate topics using LDA, and investigate topic prevalence over time. We determine the optimal number of topics for the model (k) through coherence scorings and evaluate the topic model results by expert judgement. Specifying k as 20, we find topics in the literature focussing on resources, business models, process modelling, conceptual research and policies. We identify a shift in the research focus of contemporary literature, moving away from the Chinese pre-dominance to a European perspective, alongwith a shift towards micro level interventions, e.g., circular design, business models, around 2014-2015. ",

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Mahanty, S, Boons, F , Handl, J & Batista-Navarro, RT 2019, Studying the Evolution of the ‘Circular Economy’ Concept using Topic Modelling. in H Yin, D Camacho, P Tino, AJ Tallón-Ballesteros, R Menezes & R Allmendinger (eds), Intelligent Data Engineering and Automated Learning – IDEAL 2019: 20th International Conference, Manchester, UK, November 14–16, 2019, Proceedings, Part II., 127, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 11872, Springer Nature, pp. 259-270.

Studying the Evolution of the ‘Circular Economy’ Concept using Topic Modelling. / Mahanty, Sampriti; Boons, Frank ; Handl, Julia et al.
Intelligent Data Engineering and Automated Learning – IDEAL 2019: 20th International Conference, Manchester, UK, November 14–16, 2019, Proceedings, Part II. ed. / Hujun Yin; David Camacho; Peter Tino; Antonio J. Tallón-Ballesteros; Ronaldo Menezes; Richard Allmendinger. Springer Nature, 2019. p. 259-270 127 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 11872).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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AB - Circular Economy has gained immense popularity for its perceived capacity to operationalise sustainable development. However, a comprehensive long-term understanding of the concept, characterising its evolution in academic literature, has not yet been provided. As a first step, we apply unsupervised topic models on academic articles to identify patterns in concept evolution. We generate topics using LDA, and investigate topic prevalence over time. We determine the optimal number of topics for the model (k) through coherence scorings and evaluate the topic model results by expert judgement. Specifying k as 20, we find topics in the literature focussing on resources, business models, process modelling, conceptual research and policies. We identify a shift in the research focus of contemporary literature, moving away from the Chinese pre-dominance to a European perspective, alongwith a shift towards micro level interventions, e.g., circular design, business models, around 2014-2015.

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Mahanty S, Boons F , Handl J , Batista-Navarro RT. Studying the Evolution of the ‘Circular Economy’ Concept using Topic Modelling. In Yin H, Camacho D, Tino P, Tallón-Ballesteros AJ, Menezes R, Allmendinger R, editors, Intelligent Data Engineering and Automated Learning – IDEAL 2019: 20th International Conference, Manchester, UK, November 14–16, 2019, Proceedings, Part II. Springer Nature. 2019. p. 259-270. 127. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science). Epub 2019 Oct 18.

Studying the Evolution of the ‘Circular Economy’ Concept using Topic Modelling

Abstract

Publication series

UN SDGs

Keywords

Research Beacons, Institutes and Platforms

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Cite this