Planned obsolescence: Difference between revisions
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The phrase "planned obsolescence" was coined in 1932 by Bernard London, who proposed mandatory product expiration to stimulate Depression-era economies. Brooks Stevens later popularized it in the 1950s, defining it as instilling a desire for newer products "sooner than necessary". | The phrase "planned obsolescence" was coined in 1932 by Bernard London, who proposed mandatory product expiration to stimulate Depression-era economies. Brooks Stevens later popularized it in the 1950s, defining it as instilling a desire for newer products "sooner than necessary". | ||
Types of Planned Obsolescence | <u>Types of Planned Obsolescence:</u> | ||
Contrived Durability: Designing products with inferior materials or components or non repairable parts. | * Contrived Durability: Designing products with inferior materials or components or non repairable parts. | ||
* Systemic Obsolescence: Technological incompatibility, such as software updates rendering older devices unusable. | |||
* Perceived Obsolescence: Marketing-driven trends that make functional items seem outdated. | |||
* Legal Obsolescence: Regulatory bans. | |||
Vance Packard’s 1960 The Waste Makers critiqued corporations for manipulating desires through style changes and a perception of being out of date. Modern fast fashion and tech industries continue this trend, fostering "throwaway" cultures. Fast fashion brands produce low-quality garments designed to wear out quickly. Smartphones exemplify systemic obsolescence, with batteries sealed to prevent replacement and software updates slowing older models. | |||
A foundational 1984 Stanford study theorized that monopolists intentionally reduce product durability to maximize profits by forcing repeat purchases. Oligopolists may collude to shorten product lifespans, though outcomes depend on market dynamics.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bulow |first=Jeremy |date=1984 |title=An Economic Theory of Planned Obsolescence |url=https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/working-papers/economic-theory-planned-obsolescence |journal=Stanford Graduate School of Business}}</ref> | A foundational 1984 Stanford study theorized that monopolists intentionally reduce product durability to maximize profits by forcing repeat purchases. Oligopolists may collude to shorten product lifespans, though outcomes depend on market dynamics.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bulow |first=Jeremy |date=1984 |title=An Economic Theory of Planned Obsolescence |url=https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/working-papers/economic-theory-planned-obsolescence |journal=Stanford Graduate School of Business}}</ref> | ||