Circular Practices in Action: A Practice-Based View of Collaboration in Singapore’s Seafood Ecosystem

Research context & significance

Research questions & objectives

• Explore how collaborative practices support the implementation of circular economy practices within Singapore’s seafood ecosystem.

Research approach

1. A · Input / Context

   Singapore seafood ecosystem: regulators/certification bodies, aquaculture, import/trade/distribution, logistics, food service, and technology/resource recovery.

2. B · Method / Process

   Interpretivist qualitative single embedded case study using semi-structured interviews and documentary evidence.

3. C · Evaluation / Validation

   Thematic analysis informed primarily by PBV; cross-actor comparison of practices, contextual conditions and tensions. Paradox concepts are used only where supported by the data.

Expected outcome

An empirically grounded explanation of how collaborative circular practices are enacted, enabled, constrained and adapted across the seafood ecosystem.

Progress since last update

• Primary data collection completed: 40 semi-structured interviews across six ecosystem actor groups.
• Dataset and documentary evidence assembled for systematic coding, triangulation and cross-actor analysis.
• Research framing consolidated around PBV; project now transitions from fieldwork to analysis and theorisation.

Tangible outputs & evidence

• Completed empirical dataset: 40 interviews across 6 actor groups

Key result

Completed interview evidence base — 40 interviews across six ecosystem actor groups

• Regulators / certification / supporting bodies — 6
• Aquaculture & primary production — 5
• Importers / traders / distributors — 10
• Logistics & cold chain — 3
• Hospitality & food service — 9
• Technology & resource recovery — 7

Next steps

1. 1

   Complete transcript familiarisation and systematic first-cycle coding across the full dataset.

   Q4 2026

2. 2

   Conduct cross-actor thematic analysis of collaborative practices, contextual conditions and tensions.

   H1 2027

3. 3

   Develop higher-order themes, PBV-informed explanation and analysis materials.

   H1 2027

Success by next forum: Thematic structure + PBV-informed explanation advanced

Risks & blockers

• Analytical complexity across 40 interviews and six heterogeneous actor groups.
• Risk of remaining descriptive rather than developing a clear explanatory and theoretical account.
• Mitigation: systematic coding, cross-actor comparison, transparent analytic memoing, and regular supervisor review of emerging themes.

Support needed

• Analysis & Theoretical Development: Feedback on coding, higher-order themes and how the findings can extend PBV across organisational boundaries.
• Academic Conference Funding: Guidance on Campus, School, Faculty or competitive funding pathways for presenting accepted research at relevant conferences (AAOM Special Conference @ Colombo, Sri Lanka, June 19-23, 2027 Co-chaired by Curtin University, Perth, Australia & Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Support Outcome (Proposed)

• Strengthen analysis through scholarly feedback
• Present emerging findings at relevant conferences
• Build dissemination and publication opportunities