Figure 2
The vertical flow diagram presents six sequential stages labeled “Step 1” to “Step 6”, each shown as a numbered circle on the left connected by downward arrows. To the right of each step, a rectangular box contains the stage title, and a larger adjacent box contains detailed descriptive text. “Step 1” is labeled “Problem Identification”. A horizontal line connects it to a rectangular box containing the text: “This study addresses the lack of empirical research on Circular Supply Chains (C S C s) in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (S M E s) in Ghana, focusing on identifying key variable configurations that enhance C S C s”. “Step 2” labeled “Review of Relevant Literature” connects to a box reading: “A comprehensive review of existing literature is conducted to formulate propositions about the factors influencing high and low C S C levels among S M E s, filling the identified research gap”. “Step 3” labeled “Research Design” connects to a box stating: “A structured questionnaire is developed for S M E s involved in circular economy practices and have existed for more than 3 years in the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions. A convenience sample of S M E s is selected based on their accessibility and willingness to participate”. “Step 4” labeled “Data Collection” connects to a box reading: “Of the 350 S M E owners initially contacted via email and face-to-face meetings, 290 expressed interest in participating. Questionnaires were then sent to these 290 S M E s, resulting in 255 completed responses”. “Step 5” labeled “Data Cleaning and Preparation” connects to a box stating: “After cleaning, 237 valid responses are analyzed, representing diverse sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, and services”. “Step 6” labeled “Data Analysis” connects to a box reading: “Confirmatory Factor Analysis (C F A) is conducted to validate constructs. Subsequently, fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (f s Q C A) is employed to examine the configurations of predictors impacting high or low C S C levels in S M E s”.Research design