Title: Exchanges: physical, economic, but also institutional

Authors: Van V. Miller, Matthew W. Ford

Addresses: College of Business, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, USA. ' College of Business, Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, Kentucky 41099, USA

Abstract: Industrial ecology has devoted almost exclusive attention to the flows that connect industrial processes. Though understandable given its metaphorical roots in natural ecosystems, it has neglected the exchanges that necessarily accompany the flows found in human-designed systems. After reviewing the seminal literature of institutional theory for a better understanding of exchanges, several current examples involving industrial flows are used to illustrate the relevance of exchange to the enactment of systems in line with the norms of industrial ecology.

Keywords: industrial ecology; institutional theory; economic exchanges; industrial flows.

DOI: 10.1504/PIE.2007.015192

Progress in Industrial Ecology, An International Journal, 2007 Vol.4 No.3/4, pp.288 - 305

Published online: 21 Sep 2007 *

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