Could a "Functional Economy" offer an alternative to Planned Obsolescence?

Details

Supervisors

Gosseries, Axel

Faculty

Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master [120] en ingénieur de gestion

Abstract

This thesis analyses the concept of Functional Economy and whether or not it could be considered as an alternative economic model to reduce the use of Planned Obsolescence. As a first step, we assessed the concept of planned obsolescence, evaluated its impacts and determined which changes were necessary. As many were brought up, we decided to focus on the important environmental degradations that are fuelled by the current consumption-based economic model. In order to make consequent impacts, changes have to be applied at the source, which is the manufacturing of goods. In the second part of the thesis, we evaluated whether a shift from a linear economic model to a Functional Economy could induce these necessary changes. Finally, we challenged our initial conclusions by observing four companies that are following a Functional Economy.