Decision-making for Industrial Ecology Implementation: place-based factors and interdependencies.

Industrial Ecology (IE) is originally rooted in system thinking, aiming to avoid fragmented solutions for environmental problems of industrial systems. Embeddedness of industrial systems in physical, social and geographical contexts shape the potential for IE implementation requiring managerial decision-making. This research proposes to understand place-based factors that influence decision-making for IE implementation. Following the assumption that decision-making depends on the place in which it occurs, this research emphasizes three placebased factors that will guide the analysis: materiality, relationships and institutions. These factors integrate biophysical resources and landscape (materiality), social capital and collaborative capacity (relational) and regulatory and cultural stimuli (institutional) related considerations into managerial decision-making. The study follows a comparative case study methodology across isolated places. From empirical testing of the place-based framework, the main goal is to unveil decision-making models for IE implementation. The research question guiding this study is What place-based physical, relational, and institutional factors influence managerial decision-making for industrial ecology implementation? And how do these factors interrelate in the decision-making process?