Extending Product Lifecycles Through Distributed Circular Service Systems
Author
Zeba, Sayeda Fahmida Faiza
Term
4. Term
Education
Publication year
2026
Abstract
This thesis addresses a key gap in the furniture sector’s transition to a circular economy: the fragmented management of post-sale product lifecycles, including repair, refurbishment, reuse, take-back, and resale. It investigates how a distributed circular service system can coordinate and activate value retention loops to extend product lifetimes. The analysis and design are guided by a circular economy system perspective, value retention loops, Product-Service Systems (PSS), and Actor-Network Theory (ANT). The research combines a literature review, semi-structured interviews with professionals from companies such as Normann Copenhagen, Fritz Hansen, Muuto, and Bolia, a participatory design game workshop, and prototype development with iterative data analysis. Interviews and the workshop surface coordination gaps and challenges with product data and reverse logistics in the post-sale phase, informing requirements for an intervention. The thesis introduces a Product Lifecycle Activation Tool (PLAT), a digitally mediated coordination mechanism that leverages product data to connect distributed actors and make post-sale activities more visible and actionable; it outlines how the tool works, its potential contributions, and its limitations and implementation challenges. The work concludes with reflections, limitations, and a future roadmap.
Afhandlingen adresserer et centralt hul i møbelbranchens omstilling til cirkulær økonomi: den fragmenterede håndtering af produkters efter-salgsfase, herunder reparation, renovering, genbrug, take-back og gensalg. Formålet er at undersøge, hvordan et distribueret cirkulært servicesystem kan koordinere og aktivere værdibevarende loops for at forlænge produkters livscyklus. Analysen og designet bygger på et systemisk perspektiv på cirkulær økonomi, Value Retention Loops, Product-Service Systems (PSS) og Actor-Network Theory (ANT). Metodisk kombineres litteraturstudie, semistrukturerede interviews med fagpersoner fra blandt andre Normann Copenhagen, Fritz Hansen, Muuto og Bolia, en participatorisk designspilsworkshop samt prototypeudvikling med iterativ dataanalyse. Interviewene og workshoppen peger på koordineringsmangler og udfordringer med produktdata og reverse logistics i efter-salgsfasen, hvilket informerer krav til en løsning. Afhandlingen præsenterer derfor Product Lifecycle Activation Tool (PLAT), et digitalt medieret koordineringsværktøj, der anvender produktdata til at forbinde distribuerede aktører og gøre efter-salgsaktiviteter mere synlige og handlbare; der redegøres for, hvordan værktøjet fungerer, dets potentielle bidrag, samt begrænsninger og implementeringsudfordringer. Afslutningsvis samles indsigterne i konklusion, refleksioner, begrænsninger og en fremtidig roadmap.
[This apstract has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project full text]