A Configurational Macro-Framework Linking Circular Materialization and Internationalization Outcomes

Abstract

This paper proposes a macro-comparative framework for examining how circular materialization relates to internationalization outcomes under conditions of uneven indicator availability and limited case numbers. To preserve level consistency, internationalization outcomes are approached through international economic positioning, understood as a macro-level expression of a country’s external economic profile. The framework distinguishes between an economy’s internal structural profile - institutional setting, innovation capacity, and circular materialization - and its external economic profile, captured through international economic positioning. Two conceptual boundaries are clarified: between circularity as a broader systemic horizon and circular materialization as a narrower construct focused on observable aggregate material outcomes, and between firm-level internationalization behaviour and macro-level international economic positioning. Methodologically, the paper introduces a two-tier indicator architecture, combining a parsimonious comparative core with validating indicators for contextual interpretation, supported by transparent procedures for standardization, aggregation, and stability checks. An illustrative application using a reduced indicator set for Germany, Bulgaria, and Romania demonstrates how comparative profiles can reveal patterns of alignment and divergence across countries, even under constrained data conditions. Designed for small-N analysis, the framework functions as a diagnostic comparative template rather than a causal model, while remaining open to later empirical application and theoretical elaboration. UDC: 339.92:502.131.1(4); JEL: C43; F63; Q56