Abstract
This paper explores measurement of product performance with respect to circular economy principles. Potential indicators are assessed, with special attention given to questions such as: the variables that should be measured; how these variables should be assessed; and in which format they should be presented. The resulting considerations are used to develop a prototype whose design is informed through feedback from Circular Economy experts. The prototype uses a points-based questionnaire which converges into a simple final result with minimum and maximum limits. The selected approach is critically appraised, and its utility for decision-making discussed. The strengths include: ease of use; simplicity; speed; and an effective metaphor for the diffusion of circular economy principles. The limitations include: the opaque and potentially misleading nature of a single metric; superficial engagement with decision making; and the reliance on context specific assumptions. Future developments could include refining the approach to encourage deeper reflection, and generalization of the approach to different industry sectors or sustainability frameworks.
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Griffiths, P., Cayzer, S. (2016). Design of Indicators for Measuring Product Performance in the Circular Economy. In: Setchi, R., Howlett, R., Liu, Y., Theobald, P. (eds) Sustainable Design and Manufacturing 2016. SDM 2016. Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, vol 52. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32098-4_27
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32098-4_27
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