Consumer Identity and Emotional Attachment Hinder Adoption of Product-Service Systems
Category: Sustainability · Effect: Strong effect · Year: 2017
Deep emotional connections and self-identity tied to product ownership, as seen with iconic brands, create significant barriers to the adoption of product-service systems (PSS) that offer shared or non-ownership models.
Design Takeaway
To promote sustainable consumption through PSS, designers must move beyond purely functional or environmental benefits and consider how to integrate PSS into consumers' existing identities or create new, compelling emotional connections.
Why It Matters
Understanding the socio-cultural dimensions of consumption is crucial for designing and implementing sustainable solutions. When consumers derive identity and community from owning products, PSS that remove ownership may face resistance, impacting their potential for driving sustainable material and energy flows.
Key Finding
Consumers who strongly identify with their possessions, like Harley Davidson riders, are less likely to embrace product-service systems that involve sharing or lack of ownership, viewing them as less personally meaningful or even undesirable.
Key Findings
- Harley Davidson owners develop strong brand community ties and self-identity through product ownership and customization.
- Zip Car users resist brand community engagement and view car sharing as a temporary, impersonal solution, showing aversion to shared use.
Research Evidence
Aim: How does consumer identity and emotional attachment to product ownership influence the acceptance and diffusion of Product-Service Systems (PSS) as sustainable consumption solutions?
Method: Comparative Case Study Analysis
Procedure: The research analyzed two contrasting consumption models: Harley Davidson motorcycle ownership and Zip Car car-sharing. Ethnographic analysis and Consumer Culture Theory were employed to examine the socio-cultural, symbolic, and ideological aspects, particularly focusing on the role of product ownership in consumer identity formation and brand community engagement.
Context: Consumer markets, Product-Service Systems (PSS), Sustainable Consumption
Design Principle
Design for identity integration: Sustainable solutions should acknowledge and, where possible, leverage or adapt to existing consumer identities and emotional attachments to products.
How to Apply
When designing a PSS, conduct thorough user research to understand the role of ownership and brand affiliation in the target market. Explore how the PSS can offer alternative forms of identity expression or community building.
Limitations
The study's findings are based on specific case studies and may not be universally applicable to all PSS or all consumer groups. The 'contamination' fear in car sharing might be specific to certain product types or user demographics.
Student Guide (IB Design Technology)
Simple Explanation: People really like owning things, especially if it makes them feel like part of a cool group or expresses who they are. This makes it hard for new 'sharing' services to catch on, even if they're better for the planet.
Why This Matters: This research highlights that simply offering a more sustainable option isn't enough. Designers need to understand the deep psychological reasons why people choose certain products to successfully introduce new, sustainable systems.
Critical Thinking: To what extent can PSS be designed to fulfill the identity-forming needs that traditional product ownership currently satisfies?
IA-Ready Paragraph: Research indicates that consumer identity and emotional attachment to product ownership can significantly impede the adoption of Product-Service Systems (PSS) aimed at promoting sustainability. For instance, studies comparing iconic owned products with shared services reveal that the strong sense of self and community derived from ownership creates a barrier that PSS must actively address to gain traction.
Project Tips
- Investigate the emotional connection users have with existing products in your design area.
- Consider how your PSS can offer alternative ways for users to express their identity or belong to a community.
How to Use in IA
- Reference this study when discussing user adoption challenges for sustainable design solutions, particularly those involving a shift away from traditional ownership models.
Examiner Tips
- Demonstrate an understanding of the socio-cultural barriers to sustainable innovation, not just the technical ones.
Independent Variable: Product ownership vs. Product-Service System (PSS) model
Dependent Variable: Consumer adoption/acceptance of the consumption model, perceived identity contribution, brand community engagement
Controlled Variables: Type of product (e.g., transportation), consumer demographics (implicitly controlled through case selection)
Strengths
- Provides a socio-cultural lens on PSS adoption, moving beyond purely functional or environmental arguments.
- Uses contrasting case studies to highlight key differences in consumer engagement.
Critical Questions
- How can PSS designers foster a sense of personal connection and identity without relying on traditional ownership?
- Are there specific product categories where PSS are inherently more or less likely to face identity-related barriers?
Extended Essay Application
- Investigate the potential for a PSS in a specific market by analyzing existing consumer identities and emotional attachments to related products, and propose design strategies to overcome potential adoption barriers.
Source
Product Service Systems Users and Harley Davidson Riders: the importance of consumer identity in the diffusion of sustainable consumption solutions · 'Wiley' · 2017 · 10.1111/(issn)1530-9290