Actor Behaviour and Robustness of Industrial Symbiosis Networks: An Agent-Based Modelling Approach

Kasper Lange; Gijsbert Korevaar; Igor Nikolic; Paulien  Herder

doi:10.18564/jasss.4635

Actor Behaviour and Robustness of Industrial Symbiosis Networks: An Agent-Based Modelling Approach

Kasper Lange, Gijsbert Korevaar, Igor Nikolic, Paulien Herder

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

Industrial Symbiosis Networks (ISNs) consist of firms that exchange residual materials and energy locally, in order to gain economic, environmental and/or social advantages. In practice, ISNs regularly fail when partners leave and the recovery of residual streams ends. Regarding the current societal need for a shift towards sustainability, it is undesirable that ISNs should fail. Failures of ISNs may be caused by actor behaviour that leads to unanticipated economic losses. In this paper, we explore the effect of these behaviours on ISN robustness by using an agent-based model (ABM). The constructed model is based on insights from both literature and participatory modelling in three real-world cases. It simulates the implementation of synergies for local waste exchange and compost production. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) was used to model agent behaviour in time-dependent bilateral negotiations and synergy evaluation processes. We explored model behaviour with and without TPB logic across a range of possible TPB input variables. The simulation results show how the modelled planned behaviour affects the cash flow outcomes of the social agents and the robustness of the network. The study contributes to the theoretical development of industrial symbiosis research by providing a quantitative model of all ISN implementation stages, in which various behavioural patterns of entrepreneurs are included. It also contributes to practice by offering insights on how network dynamics and robustness outcomes are not only related to context and ISN design, but also to actor behaviour.

Original language	English
Article number	8
Number of pages	28
Journal	JASSS
Volume	24
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.18564/jasss.4635
Publication status	Published - 30 Jun 2021

Funding

The authors would like to thank the editor and anonymous reviewers for their highly valuable comments on the previous versions of the article. In addition, we thank Janne van den Akker, Maarten Mulder, Yannick Schrik, Marco van Hees, Jan Willem Verloop, Erik Essen, Krispijn Faddegon, Simon de Rijke and Inge Oskam of AUAS for the fruitful discussions during modelling and writing the paper. We also thank the students of AUAS and TUD, who supported data collection. Finally, we sincerely thank the participants and contributors in our case studies. The case studies in the project ‘Re-Organise’ were funded by the RAAK-mkb subsidy of Stichting Innovatie Alliantie (SIA, project number 2015-03-03M), a Dutch national subsidy organisation for applied research. The case study in RAAK-mkb project ‘Re-StORe’ was funded by SIA as well (project number RAAK-MKB MKB 2017-7 SIA). This open access publication was financed by The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO, project number 023.009.037) and Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS). The authors would like to thank the editor and anonymous reviewers for their highly valuable comments on the previous versions of the article. In addition, we thank Janne van den Akker, Maarten Mulder, Yannick Schrik, Marco van Hees, Jan Willem Verloop, Erik Essen, Krispijn Faddegon, Simon de Rijke and Inge Oskam of AUAS for the fruitful discussions during modelling and writing the paper. We also thank the students of AUAS and TUD, who supported data collection. Finally, we sincerely thank the participants and contributors in our case stud-ies. The case studies in the project ?Re-Organise? were funded by the RAAK-mkb subsidy of Stichting Innovatie Alliantie (SIA, project number 2015-03-03M), a Dutch national subsidy organisation for applied research. The case study in RAAK-mkb project ?Re-StORe? was funded by SIA as well (project number RAAK-MKB MKB 2017-7 SIA). This open access publication was financed by The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO, project number 023.009.037) and Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS).

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1 Oral presentation

Towards a design research methodology: agent-based model development through stakeholder participation
Lange, K. (Speaker)
Jun 2017
Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation › Academic

Cite this

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title = "Actor Behaviour and Robustness of Industrial Symbiosis Networks: An Agent-Based Modelling Approach",

abstract = "Industrial Symbiosis Networks (ISNs) consist of firms that exchange residual materials and energy locally, in order to gain economic, environmental and/or social advantages. In practice, ISNs regularly fail when partners leave and the recovery of residual streams ends. Regarding the current societal need for a shift towards sustainability, it is undesirable that ISNs should fail. Failures of ISNs may be caused by actor behaviour that leads to unanticipated economic losses. In this paper, we explore the effect of these behaviours on ISN robustness by using an agent-based model (ABM). The constructed model is based on insights from both literature and participatory modelling in three real-world cases. It simulates the implementation of synergies for local waste exchange and compost production. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) was used to model agent behaviour in time-dependent bilateral negotiations and synergy evaluation processes. We explored model behaviour with and without TPB logic across a range of possible TPB input variables. The simulation results show how the modelled planned behaviour affects the cash flow outcomes of the social agents and the robustness of the network. The study contributes to the theoretical development of industrial symbiosis research by providing a quantitative model of all ISN implementation stages, in which various behavioural patterns of entrepreneurs are included. It also contributes to practice by offering insights on how network dynamics and robustness outcomes are not only related to context and ISN design, but also to actor behaviour. ",

keywords = "Circular Economy, Industrial Symbiosis, Cooperative Networks, Agent-Based Modelling, Theory of Planned Behaviour, Eco-Oriented Behaviour",

author = "Kasper Lange and Gijsbert Korevaar and Igor Nikolic and Paulien Herder",

note = "The publication refers to a software repository, which can be found here: Lange, K.P.H., Korevaar, G., Nikolic, I., Herder, P.M., 2021. Industrial Symbiosis Network implementation ABM v1.1.0. CoMSES Comput. Model Libr. https://doi.org/10.25937/dt95-xk35. ",

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N1 - The publication refers to a software repository, which can be found here: Lange, K.P.H., Korevaar, G., Nikolic, I., Herder, P.M., 2021. Industrial Symbiosis Network implementation ABM v1.1.0. CoMSES Comput. Model Libr. https://doi.org/10.25937/dt95-xk35.

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N2 - Industrial Symbiosis Networks (ISNs) consist of firms that exchange residual materials and energy locally, in order to gain economic, environmental and/or social advantages. In practice, ISNs regularly fail when partners leave and the recovery of residual streams ends. Regarding the current societal need for a shift towards sustainability, it is undesirable that ISNs should fail. Failures of ISNs may be caused by actor behaviour that leads to unanticipated economic losses. In this paper, we explore the effect of these behaviours on ISN robustness by using an agent-based model (ABM). The constructed model is based on insights from both literature and participatory modelling in three real-world cases. It simulates the implementation of synergies for local waste exchange and compost production. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) was used to model agent behaviour in time-dependent bilateral negotiations and synergy evaluation processes. We explored model behaviour with and without TPB logic across a range of possible TPB input variables. The simulation results show how the modelled planned behaviour affects the cash flow outcomes of the social agents and the robustness of the network. The study contributes to the theoretical development of industrial symbiosis research by providing a quantitative model of all ISN implementation stages, in which various behavioural patterns of entrepreneurs are included. It also contributes to practice by offering insights on how network dynamics and robustness outcomes are not only related to context and ISN design, but also to actor behaviour.

AB - Industrial Symbiosis Networks (ISNs) consist of firms that exchange residual materials and energy locally, in order to gain economic, environmental and/or social advantages. In practice, ISNs regularly fail when partners leave and the recovery of residual streams ends. Regarding the current societal need for a shift towards sustainability, it is undesirable that ISNs should fail. Failures of ISNs may be caused by actor behaviour that leads to unanticipated economic losses. In this paper, we explore the effect of these behaviours on ISN robustness by using an agent-based model (ABM). The constructed model is based on insights from both literature and participatory modelling in three real-world cases. It simulates the implementation of synergies for local waste exchange and compost production. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) was used to model agent behaviour in time-dependent bilateral negotiations and synergy evaluation processes. We explored model behaviour with and without TPB logic across a range of possible TPB input variables. The simulation results show how the modelled planned behaviour affects the cash flow outcomes of the social agents and the robustness of the network. The study contributes to the theoretical development of industrial symbiosis research by providing a quantitative model of all ISN implementation stages, in which various behavioural patterns of entrepreneurs are included. It also contributes to practice by offering insights on how network dynamics and robustness outcomes are not only related to context and ISN design, but also to actor behaviour.

KW - Circular Economy

KW - Industrial Symbiosis

KW - Cooperative Networks

KW - Agent-Based Modelling

KW - Theory of Planned Behaviour

KW - Eco-Oriented Behaviour

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DO - 10.18564/jasss.4635

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JO - JASSS

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IS - 3

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ER -

Actor Behaviour and Robustness of Industrial Symbiosis Networks: An Agent-Based Modelling Approach

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Towards a design research methodology: agent-based model development through stakeholder participation

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