Open total quality management in the circular economy age: a social enterprise perspective through the case of Patagonia

To better implement sustainability initiatives in the Circular Economy (CE) age, benefiting of Total Quality Management (TQM) principles, the category of Social Enterprises (SE) manifests an enormous potential. Nonetheless, the above views have been lightly researched, providing research gaps in at least three areas: (1) TQM as an open model, expanded, and boundaryless that involves stakeholders in the value chain through value co-creation processes; (2) TQM and CE and (3) TQM and SE. Through this paper, we reconceptualize TQM with the lens of viable systems approach, CE and SE, while concluding with an illustrative case study and COVID-19 implications. Methodologically, we apply the inductive approach through the illustrative case of Patagonia by emphasizing also how COVID-19 influenced quality management and company-level circularity. This study revealed that the common denominator of TQM, CE and SE is the Triple Bottom Line (i.e. economic, social and environmental sustainability). Also, the concept of ‘value’ was another unifying notion, especially the value co-creation, social value and shared value. ESG implications showed that companies like Patagonia went through profit shrinking to safeguard societal and environmental welfare, with supply chain implications that involved factory workers and partners.