Schmid, NinaNinaSchmid2023-04-132023-04-132023-02-20https://www.alexandria.unisg.ch/handle/20.500.14171/107744While the circular economy literature widely points to the importance of collaboration within value networks, the concept provides little guidance on structuring collaboration and how collaboration, in turn, leads to circularity. Specifically, the role of buyer-supplier collaboration in achieving circular design principles in the context of product development remains underexplored by scholars, both theoretically and empirically. This thesis examines how different levels of supplier integration are leveraged by apparel brands to realise circular design principles. Relying on a multi-case study approach with typological theorising, I evidence how greater buyer-supplier collaboration measured as the level of supplier integration (frequency of interaction, sharing of resources, joint planning and decision-making, and respective roles and responsibilities) leads to the realisation of more circular design principles compared with lower supplier integration.enSupply Chain ManagementKreislaufwirtschaftTextilindustrieNachhaltigkeitLieferantKollaborationBeschaffungEDIS-5306typological theorysustainable developmenttextile industryCircular economycircular designLieferantenmanagementcircular textilesprocurementLieferkettecircular procurementcase studysupplier collaborationdoctoral thesis