Durability Choice Research Articles

Trend-Chasing Versus Minimalism: Selling Fewer, Better Products to Fashion-Sensitive Customers

Fashion sellers are sometimes critiqued for selling low durability products, resulting in waste. Blame is also directed at consumers, who purchase new fashions despite having accumulated a closet full of prior fashions. The “slow fashion” movement encourages sellers to produce higher durable products, thus supporting less frequent purchases by consumers. Using an infinite-time model and considering strategic consumer behavior, including their ability to accumulate a “closet” of varieties over time, we analyze the seller’s profit-maximizing price and product-durability decisions. We initially assume a static price but later analyze the potential profit gains from dynamic pricing. When analyzing a heterogeneous consumer market, we initially allow customers to vary (distributed uniformly) in their sensitivity to fashion. Subsequently, we explore alternative distributions for consumers’ fashion sensitivity and the correlation between their fashion sensitivities and product valuations. Using this framework, we show how the seller’s optimal price and durability decisions yield distinct shopping segments, which we refer to as the minimalist versus trend-chasers. We find that if the degree of fashion uncertainty is moderate, the seller’s optimal choice of product durability will support the emergence of both behaviors. As the variety uncertainty expands, if the seller’s costs are sufficiently low, it will support a throwaway culture via disposable products. Otherwise, given high costs, the seller optimally targets a slow fashion-type outcome, with consumers targeting reuse (with durability) rather than variety. Our findings shed light on consumers’ optimal purchasing behaviors in relation to both market parameters and the firm’s pricing and durability decisions.

Prospective Analysis of Aluminum Metal for Energy Applications

With the increasing global demand for sustainable energy, metal aluminum has shown tremendous potential and advantages as an important energy material. This article focuses on exploring the application prospects of metal aluminum in renewable energy, energy storage, and energy efficiency. In the field of renewable energy, metal aluminum can be used in the manufacturing of solar cell components and auxiliary equipment. Its properties make it a suitable material for these applications. In terms of energy storage, metal aluminum exhibits high performance and a long lifespan in hydrogen storage and energy storage devices. It shows promise as an efficient and durable choice for these applications. In the field of energy efficiency, metal aluminum plays a significant role as a lightweight material in the automotive industry and in thermal management technologies. It can contribute to improving energy utilization efficiency and reducing energy consumption in various applications. However, the application of metal aluminum still faces some challenges, including cost and sustainability issues. Therefore, further research, development, and collaboration are needed to promote the application and development of metal aluminum in the energy sector, contributing to the achievement of sustainable energy goals.

Use, Durability, and Risks for Discontinuation of Initial and Subsequent Biologics in a Large Pediatric-Onset IBD Cohort.

Biologic medications are recommended for treatment of moderately-to-severely active Crohn disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) in children. However, many patients require sequential biologic treatment because of nonresponse or loss of response to the initial biologic. We analyzed pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) data from the ImproveCareNow Network registry between May 2006 and September 2016, including time to biologic initiation, choice of first subsequent biologics, biologic durability, and reasons for discontinuation. Of 17,649 patients with IBD [CD: 12,410 (70%); UC: 5239 (30%)], 7585 (43%) were treated with a biologic agent before age 18 (CD: 50%; UC: 25%). Biologic treatment was more likely for CD than UC (odds ratio, 3.0; 95% CI: 2.8-3.2; P < 0.0001). First biologic agents for all patients were anti-tumor necrosis factor agents (88% infliximab, 12% adalimumab). Probability of remaining on the first biologic was significantly higher in CD than UC ( P < 0.0001). First biologics were discontinued because of loss of response (39%), intolerance (23%), and nonresponse (19%). In univariate analysis, factors associated with discontinuation of first and/or second biologics in CD include colonic-only disease, corticosteroid use, upper gastrointestinal tract involvement, and clinical and biochemical markers of severe disease. Biologic durability improved with later induction date. Treatment with biologic medications is common in pediatric IBD. Patients with CD are more likely to receive biologics, receive biologics earlier in disease course, and remain on the first biologic longer than patients with UC. Multiple factors may predict biologic durability in children with IBD.

Vv 071 Citation: Paglia C (2022) The protection of reinforced concrete structures: Active and passive systems. J Civil Eng Environ Sci 8(2): 071-075. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.17352/2455-488X.000054 https://dx.doi.org/10.17352/jceesDOI:2455-488XISSN: E N G I N E E R I N G G R O U P Abstract The conservation state, maintenance, repair, and complete restoration of reinforced concrete structures are recurring actions necessary to

The conservation state, maintenance, repair, and complete restoration of reinforced concrete structures are recurring actions necessary to preserve the built infrastructure. A big issue related to enormous costs aimed at extending the service life of construction systems and addressed to sustainability. In the investigated cases of buildings and civil engineering structures, active and passive protection methods are presented. Both exhibit advantages and disadvantages that need to be accurately studied in order to make a correct and durable choice. Generally, active systems are often used in harsh environmental conditions, where more forms of localized corrosion take place, while passive methods are often utilized where the degradation and the structures are less adversely affected by intense degradation phenomena.

Sulfur-doped carbon nanofibers as support for tantalum oxides bifunctional catalysts for the oxygen reduction and evolution reactions

Highly efficient, low-cost and stable bifunctional catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are highly desirable for the development of green electrochemical energy storage and conversion devices. Here, we report the synthesis of sulfur-doped carbon nanofibers (CNF) as support for tantalum oxide nanoparticles. Carbon nanofibers and tantalum oxides represent a durable choice for oxygen electrocatalysis, but an improvement of catalytic activity is required. Upon doping, sulfur is found to be mainly bonded to carbon as C–S–C species (more than 80%). The results show that the effective incorporation of sulfur in the support has a clear positive effect on the electroactivity of the tantalum oxide catalysts. It causes a decrease of OER/ORR overpotential of 80 mV with respect to the undoped counterpart, with special improvement in the ORR. The new catalysts have shown an interesting bifunctional behavior for the OER and ORR, as well as a good stability through time.

Advance disposal fee vs. disposal fee: A monopolistic producer’s durability choice model

This study examines how the timing of waste disposal fee collection affects the producer’s choice of built-in product durability and social welfare in a durable-goods monopoly model. We categorize the waste disposal fee policies into two: advance disposal fee (ADF) policy and disposal fee (DF) policy. We show that a DF policy has two opposing effects on durability. Firstly, a DF policy gives the producer an incentive to increase durability in order to delay the households’ waste disposal and to discount future payments of the disposal fee (the payment-discounting effect). Secondly, a DF policy creates an incentive for consumers to dump waste illegally in order to mitigate the payment of the disposal fee, and gives the producer an incentive to reduce durability in order to avoid market saturation and the associated future price cuts (the illegal-dumping effect). When the disposal fee is low, the payment-discounting effect dominates the illegal-dumping effect under a DF policy, leading to the enhancement of durability. In this case, from a social welfare viewpoint, a DF policy may be more desirable than an ADF policy if the environmental damage associated with illegal dumping is not serious. However, when the disposal fee is high, a DF policy induces more illegal dumping, reduces durability, and inflicts more environmental damage. Therefore, an ADF policy is more socially desirable than a DF policy when the disposal fee is high. Moreover, we consider an oligopoly case and find that an ADF policy is more socially desirable in an industry with smaller market power.

Aortic valve-sparing procedure\u2014a durable choice in liver transplantation recipient

A 44-year old man with aortic regurgitation and aneurysm of the ascending aorta underwent an aortic valve-sparing procedure as a durable treatment before liver transplantation. Since patients with chronic liver failure are at high risk of hemorrhagic complications at time of major surgery, while management of warfarin administration may still represent a concern, the choice of a cardiac procedure which avoids any anticoagulant treatment appeared justified.

Revisiting the phenomenon of "going green to be seen" with actual consumption

Purpose&lt;br/&gt; This research empirically reanalyses lab findings by Griskevicius, Tybur and Van den Bergh (2010) that activating status motives evokes increased desire for green products.&lt;br/&gt; Design/methodology/approach&lt;br/&gt; The researchers conduct an online and a field experiment with actual consumption. They compare the results of intended versus actual green consumption.&lt;br/&gt; Findings&lt;br/&gt; The results reveal a significantly reduced preference for green products in public settings that require actual consumption, compared with privately stated choice intentions.&lt;br/&gt; Limitations&lt;br/&gt; This study is limited to ice cream as a typical hedonic product. Future studies should investigate for further product categories (e. g., utilitarian, more expensive products) whether the difference between hypothetical and actual behaviour can also be confirmed there.&lt;br/&gt; Implications&lt;br/&gt; Marketers can use the insights of this study to define their strategy to approach potential customers who may have a true desire for green consumption or sustainability, but also those who mainly seek social status, because they can link sustainability to status.&lt;br/&gt; Contribution This study extends the original study by investigating actual instead of hypothetical consumption decisions, as well as addressing food instead of durable product choices. These studies take place about ten years later and in a different country than the original study.

Is Servicization a Win-Win Strategy? Profitability and Environmental Implications of Servicization

Problem definition: Servicization is a business strategy to sell the functionality of a product rather than the product itself. It has been touted as an environmentally friendly strategy as it encourages manufacturers to take more responsibility for their products. We study when servicization results in a win-win outcome where it can simultaneously increase a firm’s profits and decrease its environmental impact compared with selling products. Academic/practical relevance: Whereas policy planners are interested in strategies that reduce environmental impact, firms are unlikely to embrace them if they are not profitable. Hence, understanding when servicization results in a win-win outcome is critical both for firms and for policy makers. Methodology: We construct a stylized game-theoretic model that takes into account several key dynamics not accounted for in prior literature. In particular, we allow the servicizing firm to tailor the service to consumers’ needs, endogenize product durability choice, and also use an environmental impact metric that captures the low discretionary use nature of products. Results: For products that have a low use impact relative to their production and disposal impacts, servicization can be a win-win strategy only if the firm has sufficiently high operating efficiency. By contrast, for products that have a high use impact relative to their production and disposal impacts, servicization can be a win-win strategy only if the firm has sufficiently low operating efficiency and the consumer segments are adequately similar. Furthermore, servicization can improve consumer welfare and simultaneously improve profitability and environmental impact only for products with a low relative use impact. Managerial implications: Whether servicization leads to a win-win outcome cannot simply be determined by changes in product durability, as often argued. It critically depends on the firm’s relative operating efficiency, environmental impact of product in its use phase relative to the production and disposal phases, and the similarity of consumer segments. Our results explicitly characterize these relations.

Implications of Channel Structure and Operational Mode Upon a Manufacturer's Durability Choice

We explore the interactions between channel structure and mode of operations (leasing versus selling) and their implications for a manufacturer's willingness to invest in making her product more durable. Using a centralized manufacturer who leases her product as a point of reference, we find that an isolated change in either the channel structure (centralized to decentralized), or the operational mode (leasing to selling) can decrease the manufacturer's willingness to provide durability. However, if combined, these two changes together may strengthen the manufacturer's willingness to invest in durability. Consequently, a manufacturer who sells through an intermediary may invest more in durability than one who leases directly to end consumers. This result challenges the conventional wisdom in two different paradigms. First, from the perspective that durability is a dimension of quality, it challenges the conventional view that decentralization will decrease a manufacturer's incentive to provide a high quality product. Second, from the perspective of the externality that is created when a firm sells a durable product to strategic consumers who anticipate declining prices, it challenges the conventional view that a manufacturer who leases will provide more durability than one who sells.

Optimal Waste Disposal Fees When Product Durability is Endogenous: Accounting for Planned Obsolescence

Considering the Coase conjecture (J Law Econ 15:143–149, 1972), we explore the optimal disposal fee of solid waste through the choice of product durability by a producer. We find that introducing a disposal fee curbs planned obsolescence and increases product durability. This increased durability decreases the social cost of waste and increases the service flow from the durable product. Therefore, the optimal disposal fee is higher than the Pigouvian level in the closed-loop.

Durability-reinforced electrochromic device based on surface-confined Ti-doped V2O5 and solution-phase viologen

A novel durability-reinforced electrochromic device (ECD) is described, in which the electrochromic materials remain in different physical form. Solution-phase ethyl viologen is used as the working electrochromic material, and modified Ti-doped V2O5 is utilized as counter electrochromic material. Electrochromic and spectral performances of the device are recorded here. The ECD shows good electrochromic performances in the visible and utraviolet region. Particularly, it’s worth mentioning that the ECD could work for 250,000 cycles at 60°C, with transmittance of 70% and 8% between bleached and colored states at the wavelength of 600nm, which shows remarkable long term stability. The excellent durability are mainly attributed to the reasonable choice of matching states and durability reinforced Ti-V2O5 film: the color change, charge capacity and switching speed of the viologen solution could be controlled through adjusting the concentration, and the addition of Ti provides excellent stability due to the distorted V2O5 layer structure.

Toward a new spacecraft optimal design lifetime? Impact of marginal cost of durability and reduced launch price

The average design lifetime of satellites continues to increase, in part due to the expectation that the satellite cost per operational day decreases monotonically with increased design lifetime. In this work, we challenge this expectation by revisiting the durability choice problem for spacecraft in the face of reduced launch price and under various cost of durability models. We first provide a brief overview of the economic thought on durability and highlight its limitations as they pertain to our problem (e.g., the assumption of zero marginal cost of durability). We then investigate the merging influence of spacecraft cost of durability and launch price, and we identify conditions that give rise cost-optimal design lifetimes that are shorter than the longest lifetime technically achievable. For example, we find that high costs of durability favor short design lifetimes, and that under these conditions the optimal choice is relatively robust to reduction in launch prices. By contrast, lower costs of durability favor longer design lifetimes, and the optimal choice is highly sensitive to reduction in launch price. In both cases, reduction in launch prices translates into reduction of the optimal design lifetime. Our results identify a number of situations for which satellite operators would be better served by spacecraft with shorter design lifetimes. Beyond cost issues and repeat purchases, other implications of long design lifetime include the increased risk of technological slowdown given the lower frequency of purchases and technology refresh, and the increased risk for satellite operators that the spacecraft will be technologically obsolete before the end of its life (with the corollary of loss of value and competitive advantage). We conclude with the recommendation that, should pressure to extend spacecraft design lifetime continue, satellite manufacturers should explore opportunities to lease their spacecraft to operators, or to take a stake in the ownership of the asset on orbit.

The Limits of Planned Obsolescence for Conspicuous Durable Goods

An extensive body of literature argues for the benefits of planned obsolescence, the strategy of designing products with low durability to induce repeat purchases from the consumers and allow the firm to sell a larger volume. Yet, several firms avoid planned obsolescence and instead offer products with high durability. In this paper, we offer a demand-side rationale for a high-durability product design strategy: the exclusivity-seeking consumer behavior associated with conspicuous consumption. In the presence of consumers who value exclusivity, we find that firms benefit from designing products with higher durability in conjunction with a high-price, low-volume introduction strategy. A higher durability in such a context leads to greater resale value, allowing the firm to charge a higher price and lower the sales volume to achieve the product exclusivity valued by the consumers. This contrasts with the planned obsolescence strategy that capitalizes on the high sales volume achieved by setting a low new product price. We also show that offering higher durability and charging a higher price are complementary levers to respond to consumers who value exclusivity. Our analysis unearths insights regarding the effect of exclusivity-seeking behavior on a firm’s demand and pricing. We show that firms’ durability choice may explain the joint increase in price and demand for conspicuous goods.

Implications of Channel Structure and Operational Mode Upon a Manufacturer's Durability Choice

Motivated by the observation that durability ratings of automobile manufacturers are not necessarily linked to the proportion of leasing but tend to decrease with the density of their dealer networks, we explore the interactions between channel structure (direct interaction with consumers vs. through an intermediary(ies)) and mode of operations (leasing vs. selling) and their implications for a manufacturer's willingness to invest in making her product more durable. Using a manufacturer who leases her product directly to consumers as a point of reference, we find that an isolated change in either the channel structure (selling through an intermediary), or the operational mode (leasing to selling) can decrease the manufacturer's willingness to provide durability. However, if combined, these two changes together may strengthen the manufacturer's willingness to invest in durability. Specifically, the traditional result that a manufacturer who leases provides more durability than one who sells, can be reversed in a decentralized channel.

A generalized endogenous grid method for non-smooth and non-concave problems

This paper extends Carroll's (2006) endogenous grid method and its combination with value function iteration by Barillas and Fernández-Villaverde (2007) to a class of dynamic programming problems, such as problems with both discrete and continuous choices, in which the value function is non-smooth and non-concave.The method is illustrated using a consumer problem in which the consumer chooses both durable and non-durable consumption subject to a borrowing constraint. The durable choice is discrete and subject to non-convex adjustment costs.The algorithm yields substantial gains in accuracy and computational time relative to value function iteration, the standard solution choice for problems in which the value function is non-smooth or non-concave.

New Product Introduction Strategies for Conspicuous Durable Goods

An extensive body of literature argues for the benefits of planned obsolescence, the strategy of designing products with low durability to induce repeat purchases from the consumers, and allow the firm to sell a larger volume. Yet, several firms avoid planned obsolescence and instead offer products with high durability. In this paper, we offer a demand-side rationale for a high-durability product design strategy: the exclusivity-seeking consumer behavior associated with conspicuous consumption. In the presence of consumers who value exclusivity, we find that firms benefit from designing products with higher durability in conjunction with a high-price, low-volume introduction strategy. A higher durability in such a context leads to greater resale value, allowing the firm to charge a higher price and lower the sales volume to achieve the product exclusivity valued by the consumers. This contrasts with the planned obsolescence strategy that capitalizes on the high sales volume achieved by setting a low new product price. We also show that offering higher durability and charging a higher price are complementary levers to respond to consumers who value exclusivity. Our analysis unearths insights regarding the effect of exclusivity-seeking behavior on a firm's demand and pricing. We show that firms' durability choice may explain the joint increase in price and demand for conspicuous goods.

A Generalized Endogenous Grid Method for Non-Concave Problems

This paper extends Carroll’s (2006) endogenous grid method and its combination with value function iteration by Barillas and Fern andez-Villaverde (2007) to nonconcave problems. The method is illustrated using a consumer problem in which consumers choose both durable and non-durable consumption. The durable choice is discrete and subject to non-convex adjustment costs. The algorithm yields substantial gains in accuracy and computational time relative to value function iteration, the standard solution choice for non-concave problems.

Distribution Channel Decentralization and Strategic Durability Choice

In a simple two‐period setting we examine a decentralized distribution (marketing) channel consisting of an up‐stream durable‐goods manufacturer and down‐stream retailer. The manufacturer sets the wholesale price and the product’s durability while the retailer selects an output level. We show that in this setting, the profit‐maximizing manufacturer unambiguously selects a higher durability than the socially efficient (cost‐minimizing) level in both uncommitted sales and rental markets. We show this ‘reversed planned obsolescence’ result is due to the strategic benefit of durability in this double‐marginalization (double monopoly mark‐up) setting. This is in stark contrast to the usual integrated channel result where the profit‐maximizing manufacturer will select an efficient level of durability in rental markets and an inefficiently low durability in uncommitted sales markets (due to the selling firm’s commitment problem with potential buyers). Intuitively, with a decentralized distribution channel, the manufacturer faces potential commitment problems with both current buyers and its down‐stream retailer. We show, only in cases where both sources of commitment issues are removed (i.e. the manufacturer can credibly commit to both potential buyers and its retailer), will the profit‐maximizing durability choice be socially efficient.

Sequencing of Therapy to Avoid Resistance and the Need for New Antiretroviral Drugs in the Treatment of HIV Disease

HIV-1 drug regimens now offer more potent, less toxic and more durable choices. However, strategies addressing convenient sequential use of active antiretroviral combinations are rarely presented in the literature. Studies have seldom directly addressed this issue, despite it being a matter of daily use in clinical practice. This is, in part, because of the complexity of HIV-1 resistance information. Nevertheless, several principles can effectively assist the planning of antiretroviral drug sequencing. The introduction of tenofovir, abacavir and emtricitabine into current nucleoside backbone options, with each of them selecting for an individual pattern of resistance mutations, now permits sequencing in the context of previously popular thymidine analogs (zidovudine and stavudine). Similarly, newer ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitors could be potentially sequenced in a manner that uses the least cross-resistance prone PI at the start of therapy while leaving the most cross-resistance prone drugs for later, as long as there is rationale to employ such a compound because of its utility against commonly observed drug-resistant forms of the virus. The ability to sequence new therapies will be enhanced by availability of new antiretroviral drugs.