towards a sustainable future: identification and prioritization drivers and barriers for circular business models in iranian industries

This research seeks to enrich the literature by providing insights into the drivers and barriers of adopting circular business models (cbms) in diverse contexts. this study examines cbms in iranian companies across industries and stages of the business lifecycle, addressing specific industry challenges. to achieve this, a mixed research method is employed, incorporating an extended decision-making approach using a q-rung orthopair fuzzy number (q rofn), as well as the multimoora and delphi approaches. by examining iranian companies of varying sizes and maturity levels, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of cbms and their potential for achieving resource efficiency and sustainability. the mixed research method employed combines qualitative and quantitative approaches, with the qualitative delphi phase identifying 12 drivers and 17 barriers, with the quantitative section utilizing q rofn to enhance decision-making processes. the analysis reveals that the most significant drivers are comprehensive monitoring and ranking (0.0402), management attitudes (0.0391), and compliance with production standards (0.0345). the most critical barriers are limited market for waste (0.0507), restrictive regulations 0.0495), and capability gaps (c24, 0.0483). the primary implication for practice is that successful cbm adoption in iran requires policymakers to prioritize creating secondary material markets and reforming restrictive regulations, while managers must focus on securing leadership commitment and building internal circular capabilities. these findings provide a strategic decision-making framework for accelerating the transition to a circular economy in iran and similar emerging economies.