A Practical Approach to Companies’ Transformation toward Product Longevity: A Best-Case Study

Peter Byrial Jensen,Louise Møller Haase,Linda Nhu Laursen

doi:10.3390/su132313312

Abstract

Product longevity is a key to improving the sustainability of production and consumption patterns. However, at many companies, extending product longevity requires overcoming several complex barriers. Identifying how to begin this process can be difficult; moreover, the available solutions may seem too complex or radical and, therefore, may be ignored as viable options. The purpose of this paper is to study the approaches and decision patterns that enable best-practice companies to produce high-longevity products. We aim to map approaches to implementing product longevity through a multiple-case study of 18 best-practice companies that systematically work to ensure product longevity. Through interviews with developers, CFOs and CEOs at companies that strive to design and produce long-lasting products, we identify three key types of approaches to implementing product longevity: performance-driven, behavioural change-driven and vision-driven approaches. This study reveals several types of approaches to implementing product longevity successfully. This contribution advances our understanding of how companies can engage with and foster product longevity at different stages of the development process.

Highlights

As increased product consumption and surging e-waste, waste and energy consumption become increasingly global concerns [1], product longevity presents itself among a range of tools that can decrease the flow of materials
Previous findings have revealed that this decrease is likely due to a large number of barriers that hinder both businesses and consumers in maintaining or increasing product longevity [3]
We investigate approaches to product longevity through an examination of tactics used among 18 best-practice companies that are either considered industry leaders or are seen to function as exemplars for other companies within their respective industries

Summary

Introduction

As increased product consumption and surging e-waste, waste and energy consumption become increasingly global concerns [1], product longevity presents itself among a range of tools that can decrease the flow of materials. Extending the period that a product remains in active use lowers total consumption. Previous findings have revealed that this decrease is likely due to a large number of barriers that hinder both businesses and consumers in maintaining or increasing product longevity [3]. Some companies have succeeded in branding themselves as able to produce long-lasting products and positioning themselves as producers of ‘high-quality products’ [4], mainly due to their continually overcoming such barriers. We define longlasting products as ‘products that are durable and considered to be useful and desirable by users for a long period of time, while simultaneously providing a viable business’ [3]

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Conclusion