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Title Circular Economy Similarities in a Group of Eastern European Countries: Orienting towards Sustainable Development
ID_Doc 14
Authors Stoenoiu, CE; Jäntschi, L
Published Sustainability, 16, 4
Structure Here are the sections of the article with two sentences each:

1. Introduction

The article discusses the similarities in the implementation of circular economy principles among Eastern European countries, with a focus on sustainable development. The study aims to analyze indicators that measure the results of the implementation of circular economy through five study directions.

2. Materials and Methods

The study analyzed data from 11 indicators extracted from the Eurostat database for monitoring circular economies in the period 2012-2020, covering eight Eastern European countries. The data was collected from Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.

3. Data Analysis—Missing Values

A replacement formula for missing values was used to estimate the values, which were calculated according to the formula for Ei,j, where Ei,j is the expected value calculated for r rows and c columns. The formula was applied to raw values, not percentages, to ensure that the significance from the chi-square test was not limited to the standard sample size of a percentage calculation.

4. Data Analysis—Relative Proportions Scale

The data was transformed into a relative scale using Equation (3), where the new values (ratios, Ri,j) were obtained by dividing the observed frequency values by the sum of observed frequency values for each year and country. Estimation calculations were made for the RecyRatePk indicator, where in 2020 there were no data for Bulgaria and Poland.

5. Analysis of the Variability of Each Indicator and the Variability among the Indicators

The average of the values of the years studied was calculated according to Equation (4), where Averk,j are the average values of the previous years (2012-2019) corresponding to each indicator in each country. The difference between the value for 2020 and the recorded average was calculated for each country at the level of each indicator according to Equation (5).

6. Results and Discussion

The results of the analysis showed that the production and consumption of recycled materials were a continuous concern at the level of CE countries, and the use of secondary materials to replace primary raw materials was a continuous process. The study also found that waste management was a continuous process, with the largest increase in SK and PL, and constant values in EE and CZ.

7. Conclusions

The study verified the three hypotheses, which were to test whether the production and consumption of recycled materials were a continuous concern, whether waste management allowed for selection and direct contribution to CE, and whether the global result obtained by each country through the CE indicators allowed for the classification and grouping of countries according to common characteristics. The results showed that the production and consumption of recycled materials and waste management were continuous processes, and the global result obtained by each country allowed for the classification and grouping of countries according to common characteristics.

8. Author Contributions

The authors contributed to the study in various ways, including conceptualization, methodology, software, validation, formal analysis, investigation, resources, data curation, writing, and visualization. The authors also read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

9. Funding

The research received no external funding.

10. Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

11. Informed Consent Statement

Not applicable.

12. Data Availability Statement

The data presented in the study are available on request from the corresponding author.

13. Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

14. Abbreviations

The article lists several abbreviations, including SRM, SDG, CE, CBM, PSS, PIR, PCR, and EeC, which represent various concepts related to circular economy and sustainable development.

15. References

The article lists several references, including publications from various authors and journals, which provide further information on the topics discussed in the article.

16. Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note

The publisher’s note states that the statements, opinions, and data contained in the article are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s).
Summary The article analyzes the implementation of the circular economy (CE) in eight Eastern European countries (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia) from 2012 to 2020. The study used 11 indicators to measure the CE indicators, which were obtained from the Eurostat database. The study aimed to verify three hypotheses: (1) the production and consumption of recycled materials are a continuous concern in CE countries, (2) waste management allows for selection and direct contribution to CE, and (3) the global result obtained by each country through CE indicators allows for classification and grouping of countries according to common characteristics. The results of the study showed that hypothesis (1) is verified, as the values of the production and consumption of recycled materials are maintained or increased in all countries. Hypothesis (2) is also verified, as the values of waste management are selected and direct contributions to CE are observed in all countries. The results of the study showed that hypothesis (3) is verified, as the composite index and cluster analysis revealed similarities and common characteristics among the countries. The study also found that the countries with the highest composite index values were EE, PL, and LT, followed by CZ, HU, BG, and SK. The study concluded that the circular economy has been implemented in the studied countries, and the results of the study can be used as a reference for managerial decision-makers. The study also identified limitations, such as the lack of association between differences in values between countries and socio-economic or political conditions. The study suggests that further research is needed to investigate how countries have progressed in each direction of the circular economy.
Scientific Methods The research methods used in this article are:

1.
Descriptive statistics
: The authors use descriptive statistics to analyze the data, including calculating means, medians, and standard deviations for each indicator.
2.
Comparative analysis
: The authors compare the data from 2012 to 2020 for each country to analyze the trend and evolution of circular economy indicators.
3.
Cluster analysis
: The authors use cluster analysis to group countries based on their circular economy performance.
4.
Student's t-test
: The authors use Student's t-test to determine if the differences between the values of each indicator and the average value for each country are statistically significant.
5.
Pearson's correlation coefficient
: The authors use Pearson's correlation coefficient to measure the linear association between two normally distributed variables.
6.
Regression analysis
: The authors do not mention using regression analysis in the article.
7.
Data visualization
: The authors use data visualization techniques, such as plots and diagrams, to illustrate the results and facilitate understanding.
8.
Multivariate analysis
: The authors use multivariate analysis to analyze the relationships between multiple indicators and their impact on the circular economy.
9.
Data normalization
: The authors use data normalization techniques to standardize the data and facilitate analysis.
10.
Statistical modeling
: The authors do not mention using statistical modeling in the article, but they do use statistical methods to analyze the data.

The research methods used in this article are primarily based on descriptive statistics and comparative analysis, with some use of cluster analysis, Student's t-test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient. The authors also use data visualization and multivariate analysis to facilitate understanding and interpretation of the results.

It is worth noting that the article does not provide a clear description of the research design, sampling strategy, or data collection methods, which are important aspects of research. Additionally, the article does not mention any potential biases or limitations of the study, which are also important considerations in research.
Article contribution The article "Circular Economy Similarities in a Group of Eastern European Countries: Orienting towards Sustainable Development" by Carmen Elena Stoenoiu and Lorentz Jäntschi presents an analysis of the implementation of circular economy (CE) in eight Eastern European countries: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. The study examines the performance of these countries in terms of CE indicators, such as production and consumption of recycled materials, waste management, secondary raw materials, competitiveness and innovation, and global sustainability and resilience.

The study's contribution to regenerative economics and sustainability can be summarized as follows:

1.
Validation of hypotheses
: The study verifies three hypotheses: (1) the production and consumption of recycled materials are a continuous concern at the level of CE countries; (2) waste management allows for selection and direct contribution to CE; and (3) the global result obtained by each country through CE indicators allows for the classification and grouping of countries according to common characteristics.
2.
Classification and grouping of countries
: The study uses a composite index and cluster analysis to classify and group the countries according to their CE performance. The results show that the countries can be grouped into several clusters based on their CE performance.
3.
Analysis of CE indicators
: The study analyzes the performance of the countries in terms of CE indicators, such as production and consumption of recycled materials, waste management, secondary raw materials, competitiveness and innovation, and global sustainability and resilience.
4.
Identification of best-performing countries
: The study identifies the countries that have performed best in terms of CE indicators, such as Estonia, Poland, and Lithuania.

The study's findings have implications for policymakers, business leaders, and individuals who want to promote sustainable development and regenerative economics in Eastern Europe. The study suggests that:

1.
CE can be a key driver of sustainable development
: The study shows that CE can be a key driver of sustainable development in Eastern Europe, and that countries that have implemented CE practices have performed better in terms of environmental sustainability and economic development.
2.
CE can be a competitive advantage
: The study suggests that CE can be a competitive advantage for businesses that implement CE practices, as it can help them to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and increase innovation.
3.
CE can be a tool for climate change mitigation
: The study shows that CE can be a tool for climate change mitigation, as it can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainable consumption patterns.

Overall, the study provides valuable insights into the performance of Eastern European countries in terms of CE indicators and suggests that CE can be a key driver of sustainable development and regenerative economics in the region.

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