Designed to break: planned obsolescence as corporate environmental crime

Abstract

Planned obsolescence is the practice of deliberately designing products to limit their life span to encourage replacement. It is a common business strategy for consumer goods, with far-reaching ecological and social consequences. Here, we examine the definition, causes and consequences of planned obsolescence by using insights from corporate crime literature, integrated with environmental philosophy, management sciences, technology studies and law. Focusing on cases of planned obsolescence in consumer electronics, we show that the concept and procedure carries conceptual ambiguity and moral ambivalence, bearing diffuse harms, benefitting short-term corporate profit but undermining consumer confidence, and posing a major barrier to environmental sustainability. We discuss the system lock-ins driving companies to engage in planned obsolescence, and reframe the practice as a form of corporate environmental crime.

Implementation of Pancasila Philosophy on Construction Services in Realizing a Fair and Prosperous Society

“…The spirit of management of the construction sector must be based on the principles of honesty and justice, benefits, equality, harmony, balance, independence, openness, partnership, security and safety, freedom, sustainable development, and environmental sustainability. 37 That the concept of sustainable development contains important principles, namely first, development must meet the needs of the present without sacrificing the rights of future generations. Second, development must continue to pay attention to the existing ecosystem, in accordance with the carrying capacity, so that it is maintained and sustainable.…”

“…Pancasila as a system contains universal values that develop in the human person according to their nature both as individuals and social beings. 3 In accordance with the meaning of values, namely ideals that become motivation in all attitudes, behaviors and actions of humans who support them, Pancasila contains an attraction for humans to be realized and must be implemented. That as the basic ideology of the State of Indonesia, Pancasila has a major influence in the legal system and order of life.…”

Durability as a techno-socio-economic concept

“…Furthermore, obsolescence is now often linked to software functionality rather than the hardware, leading to the shorter durability. In certain conditions, designed obsolescence is regarded as unacceptable, even referred to as "corporate environmental crime" (Bisschop et al, 2022). This conceptual paper draws from the extensive experience of the authors in complementary industrial fields and proposes a comprehensive argument that durability should be considered as a construct with technical, social and economic dimensions, which requires a holistic consideration in order to enable effective approaches to enhance the sustainability of the products by design and through life.…”

Planned Obsolescence: A Hidden Threat to Environmental Security and the Recent Eu Policy

“…The fight against deceptive and unfair practices that have both negative impacts on society and environment, continues to be a substantial challenge for policymakers to tackle, where stricter regulations are necessary (Moreno, 2018). Bisschop et al (2022) even argue to reframe these practices as a form of corporate environmental crime. Parliaments, governments, public institutions, civil society organizations and supervisory and surveillance authorities at the national levels should have a key role in this fight, while audit is a vital tool to detect these practices (Sapmaz Veral, 2022).…”