More Than Legislation: The Strategic Benefits and Incentives for Companies to Implement the Digital Product Passport
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55845/CAXG2280Keywords:
Digital Product Passport, Product Longevity, Strategic Durability, Circular Economy, Value Proposition, Strategic FitAbstract
Digital Product Passports (DPP) are recognised as a crucial component in advancing the circular economy as well as the EU’s strategic autonomy and supply chain security. DPP aims to provide all stakeholders with extensive information about a product’s makeup and environmental footprint during its production, usage, and end-of-life stages, encouraging sustainable product design, reusability, repairability, and waste reduction. However, we argue that exploring the incentives for businesses, particularly the strategic advantages that could motivate businesses to adopt DPP, beyond mere compliance is necessary.
This study develops the concept of DPP as a strategic capability by contributing with a framework for developing new DPP services that 1) strengthen companies’ relationships with their customers, 2) sustain and accentuate the companies’ values and competencies, and 3) generate new competitive advantage in the market. The framework for developing new DDP services is tested in the furniture company Fritz Hansen A/S to illustrate the strategic advantages and incentives to adopt DPP, that these services generate. The study indicates that developing DPP services could be a way to speed up the implementation process.
References
Adisorn, T., Tholen, L., & Götz, T. (2021). Towards a digital product passport fit for contributing to a circular economy. Energies (Basel), 14(8), 2289. https://10.3390/en14082289 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/en14082289
Ajdinović, S., Strljic, M., Lechler, A. & Riedel, O. (2024). Interoperable Digital Product Passports: An Event-Based Approach to Aggregate Production Data to Improve Sustainability and Transparency in the Manufacturing Industry. IEEE/SICE International Symposium on System Integration 729-734. 10.1109/SII58957.2024.10417487. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/SII58957.2024.10417487
Aguiar, A., Vonk, R. & Kamp, F. (2019) BIM and Circular Design IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science, 225, p. 12068. DOI: 10.1088/1755-1315/225/1/012068 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/225/1/012068
Atta, I., Bakhoum, E.S. & Marzouk, M.M., (2021). Digitising material passport for sustainable construction projects using BIM, Journal of Building Engineering 43, p. 103233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2021.103233 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2021.103233
Baldassarre, B., Buesa Olavarrieta, A., Albizzati, P.F., Jakimow-Canton, M., Saveyn, H. and Carrara, S. (2023) Analysis of Circular Economy Research and Innovation (RandI) intensity for critical products in the supply chains of strategic technologies, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, doi:10.2760/582527, JRC134253.
Barbaritano M, Bravi L, Savelli E. (2019) Sustainability and Quality Management in the Italian Luxury Furniture Sector: A Circular Economy Perspective. Sustainability, 11(11):3089. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113089 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113089
Berger, K., Schöggl, J.-P. & Baumgartner, R.J. (2022) Digital battery passports to enable circular and sustainable value chains: Conceptualization and use cases Journal of Cleaner Production 353, p. 131492. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.131492 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.131492
Berger K., Baumgartner R. J., Weinzerl M., Bachlern J., Schöggl J., (2023) Factors of digital product passport adoption to enable circular information flows along the battery value chain, Procedia CIRP, 116, 528-533, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2023.02.089. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2023.02.089
Bianchini A.; Rossi J. & Pellegrini M., Sustainability 2019, 11 (23), 6614. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11236614 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11236614
Buijs, J. (2012) The Delft Innovation Method: A Design Thinker’s Guide to Innovation Eleven International Publishing.
Cai, G. & Waldmann, D., (2019) A material and component bank to facilitate material recycling and component reuse for sustainable construction: concept and preliminary study Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, 10, 21 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-019-01758-1
Capelleveen, G. van, Vegter, D., Olthaar, M., & van Hillegersberg, J. (2023). The anatomy of a passport for the circular economy: a conceptual definition, vision and structured literature review. Resources, Conservation & Recycling Advances, 200131. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcradv.2023.200131
Canciani, A., Felicioli, C., Severino, F., & Tortola, D. (2024, March). Enhancing Supply Chain Transparency through Blockchain Product Passports. In 2024 IEEE International Conference on Pervasive Computing and Communications (pp. 751-756). IEEE. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/PerComWorkshops59983.2024.10502429
Chandra, L., Seidel, S., & Gregor, S. (2015). Prescriptive knowledge in IS research: Conceptualizing design principles in terms of materiality, action, and boundary conditions. In 2015 48th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (pp. 4039-4048). IEEE. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/HICSS.2015.485
Collins, J.C. & Porras J.I. (1996) “Building Your Company’s Vision.” Harvard Business Review 74 (5).
Curedale, R. (2013) Design Thinking: Process and Methods Manual, Design Community College Inc.
Collatto, D.C., Dresch, A., Lacerda, D.P. (2018) Is Action Design Research Indeed Necessary? Analysis and Synergies Between Action Research and Design Science Research. Syst Pract Action Res, 31, 239–267. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11213-017-9424-9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11213-017-9424-9
Diddi, S., Yan, R.N., 2019. Consumer perceptions related to clothing repair and community mending events: a circular economy perspective. Sustainability 11 (19), 5306. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11195306. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11195306
Eppinger, E., Jain, A., Vimalnath, P., Gurtoo, A., Tietze, F., & Hernandez Chea, R. (2021). Sustainability transitions in manufacturing: The role of intellectual property. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 49, 118-126. https://10.1016/j.cosust.2021.03.018 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2021.03.018
European Commission. (2019). The European Green Deal. COM (2019) 640 final. Brussels, Belgium: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52019DC0640
European Commission. (2020). Circular economy action plan. For a cleaner and more competitive Europe. (). Brussels, Belgium
European Commission. (2022) Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) https://commission.europa.eu/energy-climate-change-environment/standards-tools-and-labels/products-labelling-rules-and-requirements/sustainable-products/ecodesign-sustainable-products-regulation_en#the-new-digital-product-passport
European Parliament (2022) EU strategic autonomy 2013-2023: From concept to capacityhttps://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI%282022%29733589
European Commission. (2023). Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials and amending Regulations (EU) 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, 2018/1724 and (EU) 2019/1020. Publications Office of the European Union.
European Parliament (2023) Regulation 2023/1542 of the European Parliament concerning batteries and waste batteries, amending Directive 2008/98/EC and Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 and repealing Directive 2006/66/EC
European Solar PV industry alliance (2024) EUROPEAN SOLAR PV INDUSTRY ALLIANCE PV PASSPORT JOURNEY I: Paving the way Understanding Solar PV as a Preliminary Step Toward Implementing a PV Module Passport.https://solaralliance.eu/wpcontent/uploads/2024/06/ESIA-PV-Passport_13062024.pdf
Fischer, C., & Gregor, S. (2011). Forms of reasoning in the design science research process. In Service-Oriented Perspectives in Design Science Research: 6th International Conference, DESRIST 2011, Milwaukee, WI, USA, May 5-6, 2011. Proceedings 6 (pp. 17-31). Springer, Berlin Heidelberg.
Gehrke, T. (2022). EU open strategic autonomy and the trappings of geoeconomics. European Foreign Affairs Review, 27(Special). DOI: 10.54648/EERR2022012 DOI: https://doi.org/10.54648/EERR2022012
Grover, V., & Lyytinen, K. (2015). New state of play in information systems research. MIS Quarterly, 39(2), 271-296. DOI: 10.25300/MISQ/2015/39.2.03 DOI: https://doi.org/10.25300/MISQ/2015/39.2.01
Haase, L. M., & Laursen, L. N. (2019). Meaning Frames: The structure of problem and solution frames. Design Issues, 35(3), 20-35. DOI: 10.1162/desi_a_00547 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1162/desi_a_00547
Haase, L. M., & Laursen, L. N. (2022). Designing for longevity. Expert strategies for creating long-Lasting products. Routledge. DOI: 10.4324/9781003296959 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003296959
Haase, L. M., & Lythje, L. S. (2022). User Strategies for Prolonging Product Lifetimes: A New Starting Point for Circular Conceptual Design. Sustainability, 14(22), 15133. DOI: 10.3390/su142215133 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su142215133
Haase, L. M., Lythje, L. S., & Jensen, P. B. (2023). Designed to Last: Reframing Strategies for Designing Value Propositions that Support Product Longevity in 17 Best Practice Companies. Circular Economy and Sustainability, 1-27. DOI: 10.1007/s43615-022-00244-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-022-00244-z
Haase L. M., Mugge R. , Mosgaard M.A., Bocken N., Jaeger-Erben M., Pizzol M., Jørgensen M. S. (2024) Who are the value transformers, value co-operators and value gatekeepers? New routes to value preservation in a sufficiency-based circular economy, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 204, 107502, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.107502. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.107502
Hevner, A. R., March, S. T., Park, J., & Ram, S. (2004). Design Science in Information Systems Research. MIS Quarterly, 28(1), 75–105. DOI: 10.2307/25148625 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/25148625
den Hollander, M. C., Bakker, C. A., & Hultink, E. J. (2017). Product design in a circular economy: Development of a typology of key concepts and terms. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 21(3), 517-525. DOI: 10.1111/jiec.12610 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.12610
Honic, M., Kovacic, I., & Rechberger, H. (2019). Improving the recycling potential of buildings through Material Passports (MP): An Austrian case study. Journal of Cleaner Production, 217, 787-797. DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.01.212 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.01.212
Hooley, G., Nicolaus B., Rudd J., & Lee N. (2020). Marketing Strategy and Competitive Positioning. 7th ed. Pearson. DOI: 10.1292276541
Jansen, M., et al. (2023). Stop Guessing in the Dark: Identified Requirements for Digital Product Passport Systems. Systems, 11(3), 123. DOI: 10.3390/systems11030123 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/systems11030123
Jensen, P. B., Haase, L. M., & Laursen, L. N. (2021). A practical approach to companies’ transformation towards product longevity; A best-case study. Sustainability, 13(23), 13312. DOI: 10.3390/su132313312 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313312
Jensen, P. B., Haase, L. M., Cooper, T., Marsh, P., & Laursen, L. N. (2023). The Last Tool – The longevity and sustainable transition tool. Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering, 757-771. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-28839-5_85 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-28839-5_85
King, M. R., Timms, P. D., & Mountney, S. (2023). A proposed universal definition of a Digital Product Passport Ecosystem (DPPE): Worldviews, discrete capabilities, stakeholder requirements and concerns. Journal of Cleaner Production, 384, 135538. DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.135538 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.135538
Koppelaar, R. H., Pamidi, S., Hajósi, E., Herreras, L., Leroy, P., Jung, H. Y., … & Fontana, A. (2023). A Digital Product Passport for Critical Raw Materials Reuse and Recycling. Sustainability, 15(2), 1405. DOI: 10.3390/su15021405 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021405
Knudsen, L. S., & Haase, L. M. (2019). The construction of meaning in design-driven projects: a paradox-initiated process. International Journal of Design Creativity and Innovation, 7(3), 129-143. DOI: 10.1080/21650349.2018.1555617 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/21650349.2018.1501281
Laurel, B. (2003). Design Research: Methods and Perspectives. MIT Press. DOI: 10.7551/mitpress/3437.001.0001
Lofthouse V.A. & Prendeville S. (2017) Considering the user in the circular economy, Research in Design, 9 (PLATE: Product Lifetimes and The Environment), 213 – 216, DOI: 10.3233/978-1-61499-820-4-213 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3233/978-1-61499-820-4-213
Luscuere, L.M. (2017) Materials Passports: Optimising value recovery from materials, Waste and resource management 170(1), p. 25. https://doi.org/10.1680/jwarm.16.00016 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1680/jwarm.16.00016
Merholz, P., Wilkens T., Schauer B, and Verba D. (2008). Subject to Change: Creating Great Products and Services for an Uncertain World-Adaptive Path on Design; O’Reilly Media, Inc.
Möller F, Schoormann T., Strobel G. & Hansen, M.R.P (2022) Unveiling the Cloak: Kernel Theory Use in Design Science Research, Forty-Third International Conference on Information Systems, Copenhagen.
Nazli, T. (2021) Repair motivation and barriers model: investigating user perspectives related to product repair towards a circular economy. Journal of Cleaner Production 289, 125644 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125644. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125644
Nielsen, K. A., & Svensson, L. (Eds.) (2006). Action Research and Interactive Research: Beyond practice and theory. (1. ed.) Shaker Publishing.
Nunamaker Jr, J. F., Chen, M., & Purdin, T. D. (1990). Systems development in information systems research. Journal of Management Information Systems, 7(3), 89-106. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07421222.1990.11517898
Panza, L. et al. (2023). Integrating Absolute Sustainability and Social Sustainability in the Digital Product Passport to Promote Industry 5.0. Sustainability, 15(12552) https://doi.org/10.3390/su151612552 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su151612552
Philp, M., Nepomuceno, M.V. (2020) When the frugal become wasteful: an examination into how impression management can initiate the end-stages of consumption for frugal consumers. Psychol. Market. 37 (2), 326–339. https://doi.org/10.1002/ Mar. 21303. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21303
Plociennik, C., Pourjafarian, M., Saleh, S., Hagedorn, T., Do, A., Lopes, C. P., Vogelgesang, M., Baehr, J., Kellerer, B., Jansen, M., Berg, H., Ruskowski, M., Schebek, L., & Ciroth, A. (2022). Requirements for a digital product passport to boost the circular economy. Informatik. https://10.18420/inf2022_127 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2022.02.021
Peffers, K., Tuunanen, T., Rothenberger, M. A., & Chatterjee, S. (2007). A design science research methodology for information systems research. Journal of Management Information Systems, 24(3), 45-77. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2753/MIS0742-1222240302
Porter, M. (1980) Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors. New York: Free Press.
Pourjafarian M. et al. (2023) A Multi-Stakeholder Digital Product Passport Based on the Asset Administration Shell, IEEE 28th International Conference on Emerging Technologies and Factory Automation, Romania, 2023, pp. 1-8, doi: 10.1109/ETFA54631.2023.10275715. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/ETFA54631.2023.10275715
Psarommatis, F. (2024). Digital Product Passport: A Pathway to Circularity and Sustainability in Modern Manufacturing. Sustainability, 16 (396) https://doi.org/10.3390/su16010396 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su16010396
Rame, R., Purwanto, P., & Sudarno, S. (2023). Transforming The Furniture Industry in The Digital Age. Jurnal Riset Teknologi Pencegahan Pencemaran Industri, 14(3), 53–69. https://doi.org/10.21771/jrtppi.2023.v14.no3.p53-69 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21771/jrtppi.2023.v14.no3.p53-69
Reich, R. H., Ayan, J., Alaerts, L., & Van Acker, K. (2023). Defining the goals of Product Passports by circular product strategies. Procedia CIRP, 116, 257-262. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2023.02.044
Römph, T.J. & Cramer, J.M., 2020. How to improve the EU legal framework in view of the circular economy Journal of Cleaner Production 412(2), 245, DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.137176 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02646811.2020.1770961
Rizos, V., & Urban, P. (2024). Implementing the EU Digital Battery Passport. Centre for European Policy Studies. Retrieved from https://www.ceps.eu/ceps-publications/implementing-the-eu-digital-battery-passport/
Sanders, L. & Stappers (2012) Convivial Design Toolbox: Generative research for front-end design, BIS publishers, Amsterdam
Sung, K. (2017) Sustainable Production and Consumption by Upcycling (Doctoral dissertation). Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom.
Swann, C. (2002). Action Research and the Practice of Design. Design Issues, 18(1), 49–61. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1512029 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1162/07479360252756287
Takeda, H., Veerkamp, P., & Yoshikawa, H. (1990). Modelling design process. AI magazine, 11(4), 37-37.
Ulwick, A. (2005) What Customers Want: Using Outcome-Driven Innovation to Create Breakthrough Products and Services McGraw-Hill.
Walden, J., Steinbrecher, A., & Marinkovic, M. (2021). Digital Product Passports as Enablers of the Circular Economy. Chemie ingenieur technik, 93(11), 1717-1727. doi:10.1002/cite.202100121 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cite.202100121
Walls, J.G. & G., Joseph & Widmeyer, & R., George & Sawy, Omar & A., Omar. (1992). Building an Information System Design Theory for Vigilant EIS. Information Systems Research. 3, 36-. 10.1287/isre.3.1.36. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.3.1.36
