Abstract
This paper focuses on the intersection of digital platforms and industrial symbiosis, a collaborative circular economy paradigm that brings together actors who exchange resources in mutually beneficial relationships. While scholars have acknowledged that digital platforms are one of the main enablers of circular economy and industrial symbiosis, literature on the role of digital platforms in enabling industrial symbiosis is scarce, and the factors that affect their use remain unclear. Scholars have called for more empirical evidence on this matter, which has been mainly investigated through theoretical and quantitative approaches. In the present paper, we deploy a two-step methodology. First, we review existing literature to identify three typologies of digital platforms as industrial symbiosis enablers; namely, digital platforms per se, those enhanced by artificial intelligence, and those enhanced by blockchain. Second, we conduct an exploratory empirical analysis to characterise their use. As a result, this paper reveals the outcomes generated by the identified typologies of digital platforms, together with the barriers and drivers that need to be overcome or leveraged to promote their use. We note that environmental and economic aspects need to be considered together to promote the use of digital platforms to enable industrial symbiosis. We highlight that managerial commitment is key to support the use of digital platforms. We also provide contrasting evidence on the effectiveness of digital platforms in building trust among the actors implementing industrial symbiosis. Finally, we encourage managers to use digital platforms and consider them as relevant tools to enable industrial symbiosis and improve environmental as well as economic performance.