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Planned obsolescence refers to the situation where a company has too high an incentive to create a new product that renders the old durable goods non-compatible or obsolete. Does this incentive persist when the firm can choose what quality level the new product has, instead of simply introducing a new product of a given improved quality? Assuming the outcome of innovation is quality increase in next periods, this dissertation focuses on the effect of planned obsolescence in relation to a monopolist’s R&D investment and quality choices. The monopolist is not choosing whether or not to introduce a new product, but rather how much quality the new product should have, or in other words, how long the continuous R&D investment should last. When a minor evolution (i.e. lower quality improvement) and a major revolution (i.e. higher quality improvement) of durable goods are mutually exclusive, for a certain range of R&D investment cost, a monopolist is found to have too low an incentive to introduce the major revolution. This situation is defined as planned obsolescence of quality. The reason for such a behavior is time inconsistency, i.e. a monopolist’s failure to commit to its original profit-maximizing quality strategy once it enters the latter stage of the game. However if evaluated from a social planner’s perspective, planned obsolescence of quality, or the lack of commitment, turns out to be beneficial in alleviating the problem of socially excessive quality at least partially. Once it can be perceived that the monopolist will not commit to its original optimal quality choice, a new discrepancy would emerge between the monopolist and a social planner. It is still beneficial for a social planner to intervene for certain ranges of R&D investment cost. Under such circumstances, R&D subsidies may be considered to induce the monopolist to move out of the range of discrepancy, provided that the gain in social welfare is larger than the cost of subsidy. This cost is smaller when the monopolist’s marginal production cost is smaller. / acase@tulane.edu

Planned obsolescence is a worldwide phenomenon which includes the fact that companies deliberately shorten the life-span of products through updates, poor quality and design. As environmental and sustainability issues have received more and more focus in recent decades it is believed that planned obsolescence has an important role to fill in order to achieve a more sustainable consumer society. There is an uncertainty about the extent of planned obsolescence within different industries and how aware consumers are regarding this. This study contains research surrounding planned obsolescence through a consumer perspective with people from three different countries: Sweden, South Korea and The United States. The study focuses on consumers' awareness of planned obsolescence and their attitude towards it. In addition to this, the focus is also on finding out to what extent planned obsolescence is used today and what direction it might take in the future, as well as its effect on the environment and sustainability. Research data has been gathered through a combination of quantitative and qualitative studies, including an internet-based survey and semistructured interviews with consumers and experts in planned obsolescence and sustainability. The results have shown that the term “planned obsolescence” is less familiar than the phenomenon itself, which is well known among consumers. The attitude towards planned obsolescence has mainly been negative due to financial, ethical and environmental reasons. The study shows that planned obsolescence is being used to quite a large degree today but is believed to decrease due to increased policies. Although this will require that the right policies are instituted so that consumers and companies will change their behavior. Otherwise, it can be assumed that the use of planned obsolescence will remain unchanged. / Planerat åldrande är ett världsomfattande fenomen som handlar om att företag medvetet förkortar produkters livslängd genom uppdateringar, bristfällig kvalité och design. Då miljö- och hållbarhetsfrågor har fått mer och mer fokus under de senaste årtionden fyller planerat åldrande en viktig funktion i att uppnå ett mer hållbart konsumtionssamhälle. Det råder idag en osäkerhet kring utsträckningen av planerat åldrande inom olika industrier samt hur medvetna konsumenterna är gällande detta. I den här studien undersöks planerat åldrande ur konsumentperspektiv från tre olika länder, Sverige, Sydkorea och USA. I undersökningen ligger fokus på konsumenters medvetenhet om planerat åldrande samt deras attityd. Utöver detta studeras även i vilken omfattning planerat åldrande används idag och i vilken riktning denna väntas ta i framtiden samt dess hållbarhets- och miljöpåverkan.  För insamlingen av empiri har en triangulering använts i form utav en kvantitativ enkätundersökning samt kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer med konsumenter i respektive undersökningsland och experter inom områdena planerat åldrande och hållbarhet.  Resultaten har visat på att begreppet “planerat åldrande” är mindre bekant för konsumenterna men att medvetenheten kring fenomenet är relativt omfattande. Attityden gällande planerat åldrande har i huvudsak varit negativ, mycket på grund av ekonomiska och etiska skäl samt den hållbarhet- och miljöpåverkan som planerat åldrande innebär. Studien visar på att planerat åldrande idag används i relativt stor grad men att det tros vara på väg att minska till följd av ökade styrmedel. Detta kräver dock att rätt styrmedel införs så att konsumenter och producenter ändrar sitt beteende, annars kan antagandet göras att planerat åldrande fortsätter i liknande grad som idag.

This thesis takes a deeper look into customer behaviours when it comes to buying new mobile phones. We take a look at four main types of planned obsolescence we’ve found, which include: economic obsolescence, obsolescence of function, obsolescence of desirability and obsolescence of quality. With a questionnaire and focus group study we try to find out the underlying reasons why users buy new phones while their old ones are still functional. Since this is not a new subject, we try to map the problems we encounter in our study to the four already defined forms described above, and we try to see if there are other forms that are not yet defined. What we found out was that these four categories hold up very well, but are not as separate as one would have thought when reading. While we find out many reasons why people change their phones we do not offer a solution. But we do offer a better understanding of the problem and hope the consumer will take part of the knowledge.

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?

Planned Obsolescence is a threat to sustainability and is a practice that has increased in recent years. Manufacturers and companies are often blamed, but recent research has shown that consumers play a significant role and thus hold considerable responsibility for Planned Obsolescence practices. This thesis explores the effect that Planned Obsolescence in smartphones has on sustainable consumers who reside in Sweden. Focus groups and individual interviews were carried out with sixteen participants who were identified as sustainable consumers. The results were diverse and related to different situational, social, and psychological aspects classified into four categories: social elements, implied premature upgrading, psychological elements, and misalignment in sustainable values and behaviour. The study concludes that Planned Obsolescence in smartphones creates a social barrier that does not allow sustainable consumers to maintain their sustainable consuming habits within this sector and provokes negative feelings within them, which interlink with social circumstances. Moreover, this phenomenon affects consumers by implying that they constantly should replace their devices even though they are rather satisfied with their current ones. Finally, Planned Obsolescence in smartphones broadens the gap between consumers’ sustainable values and behaviours, and this inconsistency seems to be more significant for smartphones than in other sectors.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This study is based on the Law 12.305/2010 (National politics on Solid Waste), which has progressed in in the field of sustainability, by transmitting a strong educational and awareness value. However, the increasing demand and offer of new technologies has caused in the population a big and increasing desire for consumption. In this sense, the objective of the research came to life, through the Law nº 12.305/2010, from the extension of the instrument in the reverse logistics of the consumer electronics in face of the consuming society and the capitalism market, both agents that use the planned obsolescence and perceived in spite of environmental balance. The central question proposed to be answered is presented in the following form: aware the ecological caos created/caused by the consuming society and the capitalist market, which incorporate the practice of planned obsolescence and perceived, it is asked if the reverse logistics instrument, brought by the Law that set up the National politics on Solid Waste, is it enough to strike/reduce the excess of consumer electronics surplus? Bringing to the real case, what is the situation of the consumer electronics waste in the city of Santa Maria/RS? The approach method utilized was the dialect. The theoretical framework presents itself from a base critical theory Zigmunt Baumam and Enrique Leff. The procedure method adopted was the case study, and the metodological instrument to data collection was the interview guidelines technic. It was studied, iniatialy, the consuming society and the capitalist market, emphasizing the planned obsolescence strategies programmed and perceived, and the cultural aspect tied to the consum; later, it was made a counterpoint in face of the National politics on Solid Waste and their main directives, explaining the collectors of recyclable material situation, the post-consumer responsibility and the shared liability, and contextualizing the reverse logistics instrument regarding the consumer electronics waste and, finaly, it was presented the counterpoint through the situation of the consumer electronics waste in the city of Santa Maria/RS. In the end, it was observed that the reverse logistics of the consumer electronics waste was not enough to strike or reduce the exceeding of consumer electronics waste, only contributes to the reducing the generation of these waste, in a minor percentage, because the planned obsolescence strategies and perceived practice by the market prevail in spite of the environment preservation and protection. There is a long road to go in the city of Santa Maria to reduce the distance between text (of law) and context (environmental reality) and to reach the desired minimum in the environmental related questions, with respect to consumer electronics waste. / Este trabalho apresenta-se a partir da Lei 12.305/2010 (Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos), a qual avançou muito no campo da sustentabilidade, transmitindo um forte caráter educativo e conscientizador. Entretanto, a crescente demanda e a oferta de novas tecnologias têm provocado na população um grande e crescente desejo de consumo. Nesse sentido, o objetivo da pesquisa emergiu, à luz da Lei nº 12.305/2010, da extensão do instrumento da logística reversa de eletroeletrônicos diante da sociedade do consumo e do mercado capitalista, bem como da realidade sobre os resíduos eletroeletrônicos na cidade de Santa Maria/RS. A pergunta central que se propõe a responder apresentou-se da seguinte forma: tendo em vista a desordem ecológica causada/gerada pela sociedade do consumo e pelo mercado capitalista, que incorporam a prática da obsolescência programada e percebida, indaga-se se o instrumento da logística reversa, trazido pela Lei que instituiu a Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos, é suficiente para combater/diminuir o excesso de resíduos eletroeletrônicos? E, trazendo para o caso concreto, qual a situação dos resíduos eletroeletrônicos na cidade de Santa Maria/RS? O método de abordagem utilizado foi o dialético. O marco teórico apresenta-se a partir de uma teoria de base crítica, fundada em Zigmunt Baumam e Enrique Leff. O método de procedimento adotado foi o estudo de caso, e o instrumento metodológico para coleta de dados foi a técnica da entrevista por pautas. Trabalhou-se, inicialmente, com a sociedade do consumo e a lógica do mercado capitalista, destacando as estratégias da obsolescência programada e percebida, e o aspecto cultural atrelado ao consumo; num segundo momento, fez-se o contraponto diante da Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos e suas diretrizes principais, esclarecendo a situação dos catadores de materiais recicláveis, a responsabilidade pós-consumo e a responsabilidade compartilhada, e contextualizando o instrumento da logística reversa em relação aos resíduos eletroeletrônicos; e, finalmente, apresentou-se o resultando do contraponto através da situação dos resíduos eletroeletrônicos na cidade de Santa Maria/RS. Ao final, constatou-se que a logística reversa de resíduos eletroeletrônicos não é suficiente para combater ou diminuir o excesso de resíduos eletroeletrônicos, apenas contribui para a redução da geração desses resíduos, em percentual muito pequeno, porque as estratégicas da obsolescência programada e percebida praticadas pelo mercado predominam em detrimento da preservação e proteção do meio ambiente. E que há um longo caminho a ser percorrido na cidade Santa Maria para diminuir a distância entre texto (da lei) e contexto (realidade socioambiental) e para alcançar o mínimo desejado em relação às questões ambientais, especialmente, no que tange aos resíduos eletroeletrônicos.

Planned obsolescence is the term used to describe incentives of companies to make durable goods faster obsolete. The aim of the study is to make a big picture and real situation about planned obsolescence practising and consumer disposal behaviour. First part addresses the theoretical background and provides comprehensive overview through different aspects of the good's durability issue and planned obsolescence characteristics and influences. Second part in further reference to the information provided in theoretical part examines the situation of specific durable products - laptops. From survey's results on consumer attitudes towards durability of laptops and real case study on Apple Inc. and its reliance to planned obsolescence, recommendations to the more sustainable consumption of consumer electronics are presented.

Nowadays vehicle design paradigm influences not only the effectiveness of the different means of transport, but also the environment and economy in a critical way. The assessment of the consequences that design choices have on society at large are necessary to understand the limits of the methods and techniques currently employed. One of the mechanisms set in motion is the planned obsolescence of products and services. This has affected vehicle design paradigm in such a way that the variety in the market has shadowed the primary function of vehicle systems: the transport of persons and goods. Amongst the consequences of the expansion of such market is the exponential rise on combustion emissions to the atmosphere, which has become a great hindrance for humans health and survival of ecosystems. The development of evaluation tools for such consequences and their piloting mechanisms is needed so as to implement an ECO2  (Ecological and Economical) vehicle design paradigm. Moreover, the multifunctional design paradigm that drives aeronautical and vehicle engineering is an ever-growing demand of smart materials and structures, able to fulfil multiple requirements in an effective way. The understanding of certain phenomena intrinsic to the introduction of novel materials has found certain limits due to the complexity of the models needed. This work presents as a first step an assessment of the causes and consequences of the vehicle exponential market growth based on the analysis of the planned obsolescence within. Furthermore, a method for the acoustic response analysis of multilayered structures including anisotropic poroelastic materials is introduced. The methodology consists in a plane wave approach as a base for introducing the complex mechanic and acoustic equations governing anisotropic homogeneous media, e.g. open-celled foams, into an alternative mathematical tool manipulating physical wave amplitudes propagation within the studied media. In addition, this method is coupled to a power partitioning and energetic assessment tool so as to understand the phenomena present in complex multilayered designs. / <p>QC 20150323</p>

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