The elimination of products is an inevitable, but daunting, task. With rapid technological development, companies are pressured to introduce new product to the market at an increased frequency to maintain a competitive advantage. As new products are being introduces more frequently, removing older generations of products becomes a powerful tool to maintain operational efficiency and concentration of management efforts. Despite this, the topic of product elimination has been neglected in theory and remains a struggle for practitioners. Implementing a product elimination decision requires coordination of multiple actors throughout the supply chain with the objective of removing a product with minimal losses, while retaining customer goodwill and acceptance. Thus, the purpose of this research was to evaluate current practices and challenges faced by large industrial organizations during the implementation of product elimination decisions. An in-depth case study was conducted to meet the purpose of this study, with a qualitative approach consisting of semi-structured interviews with departments that are central to the product elimination implementation process. The findings from the interviews were complemented with observations and data obtained from the ERP-system. The results indicate that having a planned phase out is preferred when implementing product elimination in a larger scale, i.e. eliminating a whole range as opposed to stand-alone products. Eliminating a range requires simultaneous management of multiple products that differ in volume and how they progress during the implementation. Changing material planning type was found to be a method for gradually reducing inventory levels and allowing a longer lead time on the products, giving customers incentive to purchase a more attractive replacement product. It was found that even within an individual organization, the procedures varies between product elimination cases, which makes them unique. Finally, inadequate internal communication channels and systems that supports the large scale implementation the case company faces, are major obstacles in the product elimination process. / Produkteliminering är en oundviklig, men skrämmande uppgift. Med snabb teknisk utveckling pressas företag att introducera nya produkter på marknaden med allt ökad frekvens för att upprätthålla konkurrensfördelar. När nya produkter introduceras oftare blir utfasning av äldre generationer av produkter ett kraftfullt verktyg för att upprätthålla driftseffektivitet och koncentration av ledningsinsatser. Trots detta har ämnet ignorerats i teorin och är fortfarande besvärligt i praktiken. Implementering av ett beslut om eliminering av produkter kräver samordning av flera aktörer i hela försörjningskedjan med målet att ta bort en produkt med minimala förluster samtidigt som kundens goodwill och acceptans behålls. Syftet med denna forskning var således att utvärdera nuvarande metoder och utmaningar som stora industriorganisationer möter under implementering av beslut om produkteliminering. En fördjupad fallstudie genomfördes för att uppfylla syftet med studien, med ett kvalitativt tillvägagångssätt som består av halvstrukturerade intervjuer med avdelningar som är centrala för produktelimineringsprocessen. Resultaten från intervjuerna kompletterades med observationer och data från ERP-systemet. Resultaten indikerar att en planerad utfasning är att föredra vid implementering av produkteliminering i större skala, d.v.s. att eliminera ett produktsortiment snarare än enskilda produkter. Att eliminera ett produktsortiment kräver hantering av flera produkter samtidigt som skiljer sig åt i volym och hur de utvecklas under genomförandet. Förändring av materialplaneringstyp visade sig vara en metod för gradvis att minska lagernivåerna och möjliggöra en längre ledtid på produkterna, vilket ger kunderna incitament att köpa en mer attraktiv ersättningsprodukt. Det visade sig att även inom en enskild organisation varierar förfarandena från fall till fall, vilket gör varje utfasning unik. Det visade sig att även inom en enskild organisation varierar förfarandena från fall till fall, vilket gör varje utfasning unik. Slutligen är otillräckliga interna kommunikationskanaler och system som stöder storskalig implementering, stora hinder i produktelimineringsprocessen.

When making decisions, consumers often do not follow principles of normative economic theories but those of behavioral ones. Framing effect – one of the most robust phenomena in behavioral research – has been found to influence consumers’ choices and judgment in purchase decisions. In price promotion practices, however, it is not well understood whether framing a product replacement purchase as a trade-in or an upgrade affects consumers’ purchase decision making process. This dissertation research aims to explore the trade-upgrade framing effect on product replacement purchase decisions and to examine the mechanisms through which such effect manifests itself. The results have demonstrated that consumers prefer a price promotion framed as upgrade to a financially equivalent one framed as trade-in, especially when the upgrade promotion is presented after the trade-in one. Furthermore, the framing effect and order effect are mediated by affect and influenced by cognitive focus, semantic cues, and systematic processing. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed at the end. / Business Administration/Marketing

This study, that is a research and product development process, is based on sustainable development and the negative impacts of the growing consumption, and wear-and-tear habits of today’s society. The way we handle our resources, from mine to landfill cause devastating effects on the climate. LAST, is a multi-functional table made from wooden waste materials, that represents product design that allows the user to build a strong, long-lasting relationship with the product. The table is versatile, allows easy dismantling and incorporates qualities that create an incentive for the user to build an attachment to it to increase its lifetime. This has been done through applying different strategies within emotional design, product attachment and design for sustainability as well as applying knowledge within timeless design, aesthetic nourishment. The Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi has acted as inspiration to help navigate the projects design proposal that could allow for the user to appreciate their product for longer and indorse product longevity. The research question for the study is as follows: How can you promote product longevity by means of product design for sustainable development?

Syftet med studien har varit att ta reda på vad det är som gör att vissa möbler och inredning finns kvar hos oss en längre tid. Hur designers kan skapa hållbara produkter som konsumenten vill behålla en längre tid. På så sätt förlängs produktens livslängd och bidrar till en hållbarare konsumtion. Teorier som användes i studienvar produktanknytning, produktlivslängd, produktutbyte, tidlös design, estetik, form och material med ett övergripande fokus på hållbar design. Genom teorierna, möbelanalyser, intervjuer, skiss och prototypande har exempel för att designa för en lång livslängd tagits fram. Resultatet av studien blev en färgglad bordslampa med de typiska karaktäristiska dragen av en lampa och samtidigt en unik och skulptural design. / The purpose of the study has been to find out what it is that makes certain furniture and furnishings remain with us for a long time. How designers can create sustainable products that the consumer wants to keep for a longer period of time. In this way, the product lifetime is extended and contributes to more sustainable consumption. Theories used in the study have been product attachment, product longevity, product replacement, timeless design, aesthetics, form and materials with an overall focus on sustainable design. Through the theories and furniture analyzes, interviews, sketches and prototyping, examples for designing for an extended product life have been found. The result of the study was a colorfull table lamp with the typical characteristic features of a lamp and at the same time with a unique and sculptural design.