The German Research Foundation (DFG) has awarded funding for a new three-year research project at the Chair of Marketing Management, led by Dr. Victoria Kramer. The project investigates how circular offerings create value in business-to-business (B2B) markets and aims to advance our understanding of how firms can successfully transition toward more sustainable and resource-efficient business models.

Circular offerings are products, services, or integrated product-service solutions designed to support circular economy principles by extending product lifetimes, reducing resource consumption, and keeping materials, components, and products in use for as long as possible. They include, for example, remanufactured or refurbished products, repair and maintenance services, product-service systems, take-back programs, reuse models, and recycling-based solutions. By enabling companies to slow, close, or narrow material and resource loops, circular offerings can contribute to both environmental sustainability and business value creation.

Despite their growing relevance, many companies still struggle to clearly articulate, communicate, and quantify the value that circular offerings generate for customers, partners, and other stakeholders. This project addresses this challenge by examining circular value creation in complex B2B environments across three interconnected levels: organizational buying decisions, value communication strategies, and financial market responses to circular initiatives. Combining qualitative research, experimental methods, and financial market data, the project aims to generate actionable insights for both academic research and managerial practice.

The project will be conducted in close collaboration with two leading international researchers: Associate Professor Dr. Anna Salonen from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, an expert in qualitative B2B research and organizational buying behavior, and Associate Professor Dr. Néomie Raassens from Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands, a specialist in circular economy, servitization, and quantitative financial market analysis. Their expertise and international networks will contribute to the project’s scientific rigor and broad empirical reach across European industrial contexts.

To support this work, we are expanding our research team and are currently recruiting a highly motivated researcher for a PhD position within the project. The position offers the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research at the intersection of sustainability, marketing, and B2B value creation in a DFG-funded research environment. It includes a full focus on research, no teaching obligations, and close mentorship by the project lead. The corresponding job posting can be found here. Applications are welcome until July 17, 2026.

If you are interested in joining the project or would like to learn more, please feel free to contact Dr. Victoria Kramer.