Integrating service robotics in the circular economy: a pathway to sustainable industrial practices

Integrating service robotics into business-to-business (B2B) industries offers significant potential to enhance productivity, sustainability, and customer satisfaction, particularly in the manufacturing sector. However, successful adoption requires a structured approach that considers technological, organisational, and environmental factors. This study builds on the technology-organisation- environment (TOE) framework and reinterprets it by introducing Perceived Interaction as a moderating construct reflecting trust, ethics, and transparency in adoption processes. Through a systematic literature review, thematic analysis, and fractionalisation-based cluster analysis, the study identifies three integration phases: initiation, implementation, and perceived interaction. Initiation includes strategic investment, early adoption, and alignment with circular economy (CE) goals. Implementation emphasises scaled deployment, predictive maintenance, and AI-driven automation. Perceived Interaction moderates these through stakeholder engagement, compliance, and human-robot collaboration. Findings highlight barriers, especially trust and regulatory concerns, that moderate adoption. The study proposes an integrated conceptual framework aligning service robotics with CE objectives in B2B contexts, converting interaction-related barriers into enablers.