Technology-Enabled Supplier Collaboration for Circular Economy Adoption in UAE Healthcare Supply Chains: An Industry 5.0 Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66635/1kvqgb96Keywords:
circular economy, supplier collaboration, healthcare supply chain, Industry 5.0, UAE, technology, sustainability, digital traceability, firm performanceAbstract
Healthcare supply chains are under increasing pressure to become more sustainable, resilient and transparent. This pressure is especially strong in the United Arab Emirates, where healthcare development, digital transformation and sustainability are closely connected to national policy priorities. Although circular economy thinking has become common in manufacturing and general supply chain research, its application in healthcare remains more complex because hospitals and clinics must balance waste reduction with patient safety, sterility, infection control, regulatory compliance and continuity of care. This paper examines technology-enabled supplier collaboration as a practical route for circular economy adoption in UAE healthcare supply chains from an Industry 5.0 perspective. Drawing on circular economy theory, sustainable supply chain management, the resource-based view, institutional theory and socio-technical systems thinking, the paper argues that circular transformation in healthcare is not achieved by technology alone or by isolated waste management practices. Instead, it emerges when healthcare providers and suppliers share information, redesign materials and packaging, coordinate take-back and reverse logistics arrangements, and use digital systems to make circular practices visible and manageable. The paper uses the empirical logic and findings of a UAE healthcare supply chain study in which supplier collaboration, procurement, logistics, regulatory norms and technology were found to positively influence circular economy adoption, while circular economy adoption and technology improved firm performance. Supplier collaboration appeared as the strongest driver of circular economy adoption, making it the central focus of this paper. The study contributes by developing a human-centered Industry 5.0 framework that links supplier collaboration, digital capability, circular economy adoption and organizational performance. It also offers practical guidance for healthcare managers, suppliers and policymakers seeking to move from sustainability intention to measurable circular action.
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