Enabling Closed Resource Loops in Electronics: Understanding Consumer Disposal Behaviour using insights from Diffusion models

Abstract

The paper explores consumer disposal behaviour, especially in the context of durable electronic products. The purpose of the research is to understand why, how and when consumers dispose of their durable products. The research aims to provide policy makers, waste managers and product marketers new insights on consumer disposal behaviour that will help improve policy, encourage better resource management and incentivise product designs that maximise environmental and social benefits.We apply knowledge from the extensive literature on diffusion modelling to develop and test our hypothesis regardi ng triggers and influencers of obsolescence and disposal of durable products. Our results show that failure is often not the reason that products are disposed, and consumers take disposal decisions based on perceived obsolescence of the product which in turn is driven by psychographic variables, the technology landscape as well as product market characteristics.