The manufacturing industry faces increasing pressure for innovation and efficiency, driving interest in immersive technologies (VR, AR, MR) within the Industrial Metaverse. However, concrete, practically relevant applications and associated implementation challenges for large, global manufacturing enterprises remain underexplored. This study addresses this gap through a three-phase mixed-methods approach. Initially, a systematic literature review identifies potential use cases, which are then validated and quantitatively assessed for attractiveness via expert interviews with IT, production, and Metaverse specialists from a leading global manufacturing company. Qualitative insights further detail benefits and hurdles, categorized by the UTAUT model. Findings reveal high attractiveness for use cases in remote maintenance (I2P), immersive step-by-step training (M2S), and digital production optimization (M2S). Critical technological barriers, including network infrastructure and hardware maturity, are identified alongside organizational challenges such as user acceptance and legal concerns. To operationalize these findings and overcome "pilot purgatory," the study maps the identified criteria onto a standardized PRINCE2 Project Brief, serving as a "boundary object" to provide a structured basis for management decisions. This research bridges theoretical concepts with practical applicability, offering a valuable decision-making guidance for the digital transformation of complex manufacturing environments.

Nowadays circular strategies are increasingly adopted by manufacturing SMEs, yet decision-making often lacks a structured integration of environmental and economic assessments. This paper proposes a decision-oriented framework combining Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and cost-benefit analysis to support the evaluation of alternative circular strategies, including refurbishment, second hand resale, and product-service systems. The framework is applied to a real industrial case study in the metal office furniture sector. Results highlight significant environmental benefits associated with circular strategies compared to the traditional linear model, particularly in terms of reduced material consumption and emissions. However, trade-offs emerge when considering economic performance and operational complexity. The findings demonstrate the value of integrating LCA into early-stage decision-making for circular business model innovation, providing actionable insights for SMEs.