Title: Innovative approaches to optimising design and use of durable consumer goods

Authors: Oksana Mont

Addresses: IIIEE, Lund University, Sweden and Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, P.O. Box 196, 22100 Lund, Sweden

Abstract: The classical market economy provided basis for emergence of a throwaway society that is based on economies of scale, planned obsolescence and growing demand for new products. This society is clearly unsustainable. An alternative model is the so-called circular economy based on optimised product life span, extended services and remanufacturing activities. The aim of this paper is to understand the complexity of the product durability discourse from environmental and economic perspectives and from the viewpoint of different stakeholders and to discuss innovative strategies for achieving product durability by maximising utilisation rate and improving value of durable products for users.

Keywords: durable products; planned obsolescence; ecodesign; utilisation rate; use optimisation; service economy; circular economy; optimal design; consumer goods; extended services; remanufacturing; product durability; product design; produce development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPD.2008.020395

International Journal of Product Development, 2008 Vol.6 No.3/4, pp.227 - 250

Published online: 21 Sep 2008 *

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