A hybrid fuzzy MCDM approach for prioritizing the solutions of resource recovery business model adoption to overcome its barriers in emerging economies

The resource recovery business model (RRBM) involves producing and utilizing secondary raw materials from waste streams. Overcoming the barriers small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) face in developing countries during the transition to the RRBM is a considerable challenge. RRBM has quite different barriers than other circular economy business models (e.g., product life extension, product-service systems, etc.). The aim of this study is to present a hybrid multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methodology to evaluate possible solution strategies by analyzing RRBM barriers. First, a comprehensive literature review was conducted on the barriers to implementing RRBM. Working with the expert decision-making group through semi-structured forms, the micro, macro, and Meso-level barriers were finalized by considering the emerging economies. The importance levels of the twenty-five barriers were determined in the second stage using the Improved Fuzzy Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (IMF-SWARA) method. With the IMF-SWARA method, it was convenient to get straightforward, expert opinions, and inconsistency was no problem. In the third stage, eight main solution strategies were analyzed to see to what extent they could overcome the barriers. At this point, the Fuzzy Mea-surement Alternatives and Ranking according to Compromise Solution (F-MARCOS) was used to evaluate the decision-maker's opinions more accurately, which may not be confident within the scope of the criteria. While the most critical barriers to be considered are collaboration problems, global secondary material supply chain problems, and quality problems of the recovered resources, the solutions to be considered are financial support, design for circularity, and industrial symbiosis. In addition, a comprehensive sensitivity analysis was performed to test its validity after the proposed model was applied. This study's key contribution is to highlight the barriers that may occur in the context of emerging economies during the adoption of the RRBM as well as the solutions that should be prioritized. Thus, it became evident which actions SMEs, representing the most significant pro-portion of businesses in emerging economies, should take to execute the resource recovery business model.