Title: AI-Based Decision Support Systems for Sustainable Business Management Under Circular Economy Resource URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-024-06347-0 Publication Date: 2024-10-23 Format Type: Article Reading Time: 8 minutes Contributors: Weiping Ding;Dursun Delen;Muhammet Deveci; Source: Springer Nature Link Keywords: [Artificial Intelligence, Sustainability, Circular Economy, Decision Support Systems, Business Management] Job Profiles: Data Scientist;Supply Chain Analyst;Artificial Intelligence Engineer;Sustainability Manager;Operations Manager; Synopsis: In this article, researchers Muhammet Deveci, Dursun Delen, and Weiping Ding discuss how AI-based decision support systems (DSS) enhance sustainable business management within the framework of a circular economy, improving resource efficiency and decision-making. Takeaways: [AI-driven decision support systems optimize sustainable business management by enhancing resource allocation and innovation efficiency., Circular economy principles aim to reduce excessive consumption, and AI-based tools facilitate their implementation through predictive analytics., Businesses leveraging AI for sustainability can make informed decisions that balance economic, environmental, and cost considerations., AI-based DSS can forecast emerging trends, proactively enabling organizations to adapt to sustainability challenges., Integrating AI into business management enhances competitive advantage by promoting sustainable practices and long-term resource efficiency.] Summary: The article explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in decision support systems to enhance sustainable business management within the framework of a circular economy. It highlights the role of AI in identifying trends, informing investment decisions, and optimizing resource use to achieve sustainability. The authors emphasize the necessity of sustainable practices across industries and the potential of AI to transform business operations by offering competitive and sustainable products and services. The article also discusses the overwhelming response to a special issue call, resulting in the acceptance of 29 articles on AI-based decision support systems. Content: ## Preface **Published online:** 23 October 2024 **© The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2024** This special issue of *Annals of Operations Research* explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into decision support systems (DSS) for achieving sustainable business management within a circular economy framework. Contributions were received from a diverse group of researchers representing institutions across Europe, North America, and Asia. Each submission underwent a rigorous multi-round review by at least three domain experts, ensuring high scholarly standards. --- ## 1. Technological Advances and Innovation Management Recent developments in AI, fueled by the availability of big data, have empowered organizations to tackle complex cognitive tasks and enhance decision-making processes in innovation management. Contemporary AI techniques are instrumental in: - Identifying emergent technologies and market trends (e.g., Mühlroth & Grottke, 2020) - Informing and optimizing investment decisions (e.g., Blohm et al., 2020) By uncovering the interactions between innovation and sustainability, AI supports more informed strategies in both business management and engineering applications (Di Vaio et al., 2020). --- ## 2. Sustainability and the Circular Economy Global consumerism has intensified pressure on natural resources, making sustainability a strategic imperative across industries. The circular economy paradigm offers a viable solution by promoting resource reutilization and waste minimization (Velenturf & Purnell, 2021). Key considerations include: - Efficient utilization of environmental resources - Development of economic models that decouple growth from raw-material consumption - Mitigation of excessive resource usage through closed-loop processes These aims align with broader sustainable development goals, underscoring that sustainable business management is now a necessity rather than an option. --- ## 3. AI-Enabled Decision Support Systems for Sustainability AI-based DSS—often referred to as knowledge-based systems, expert systems, intelligent DSS, or joint cognitive systems—play a critical role in assessing and guiding sustainable practices. Capabilities include: 1. **Sustainability Assessment:** Evaluating environmental, economic, and operational dimensions to identify optimal business practices. 2. **Trend Forecasting:** Predicting emerging topics and future challenges to inform strategic planning. 3. **Resource Optimization:** Balancing cost-efficiency with environmental impact in a circular economy context. Modern AI tools have matured sufficiently for real-world deployment, influencing decision making in supply chain design (Govindan et al., 2019), color design (Li et al., 2020), and privacy-aware modeling (Zhdanov et al., 2022). --- ## 4. Contributions to This Special Issue We received an overwhelming response to our call for papers, culminating in the acceptance of 29 high-quality articles. These contributions span topics such as: - AI-driven innovation analytics and trend spotting - Sustainable supply chain networks integrated with advanced metaheuristics - Frameworks for AI-augmented R&D investment decisions - Systematic reviews of AI’s role in achieving sustainable development goals We extend our gratitude to the Editor-in-Chief and all reviewers whose expertise and dedication made this issue possible. --- **Publisher’s Note:** Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.