Environment and Profitability in the Reprocessing of Paper in Norway: Contradictory Research Reports in the Context of Circulation Economics Stig Ingebrigtsen and Ove D. Jakobsen* Bodø Graduate School of Business, Norway ABSTRACT In this article we study three Norwegian reports concerning the environmental prob- lems connected to use of natural resources and production of waste. The reports are responding to political initiatives in White Paper 58 (1996–97) and White Paper 8 (1999–2000). The reports describe, analyse and give reasons for various resolution strategies with regard to excessive consumption of virgin natural resources, inefficient economic processes and irresponsible waste management. The purpose of this article is threefold. First, we present a theoretical framework that enables an integrated analy- sis of economic problems. We have termed the theoretical context for our analysis circulation economics. Second, we illustrate the complexity of the problems through a discussion of the three different reports concerning waste management. Third, in the context of circulation economics the different reports elucidate various aspects of the phenomenon area and the new perspective can be used to synthesize the partial findings. In addition to this, we suggest where further work has to be done in the future. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. Received 24 March 2004; revised 15 December 2004; accepted 21 January 2005 Keywords: circulation economics; waste management; recycling; co-operation; resprocessing; life-cycle analysis; waste hierarchy; instrumental value; intrinsic value Introduction T ODAY WE CAN SEE AN INCREASING GROWTH IN THE CONSUMPTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES combined with a corresponding ferocious growth in the volume of waste. Thus, the economy to an increasing extent invades and influences nature in a negative way. We can also see numer- ous examples of limits in reproduction and absorption – as part of eco-systems – being exceeded. The results are often seen as serious environmental disturbances along with negative local, regional and global consequences (Hopfenbeck, 1993; Welford, 1993, 2000; Porter and van der Linde, 1995). Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment *Correspondence to: Ove Jakobsen, Bodø Graduate School of Business, 8049 Bodø, Norway. E-mail: Ove.Jakobsen@hibo.no Business Strategy and the Environment Bus. Strat. Env. 15, 389–401 (2006) Published online 22 March 2006 in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com) DOI: 10.1002/bse.455