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Development of circular economy- The case of a market for furniture
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, Department of Earth Sciences.
2023 (English)Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (Two Years)), 20 credits / 30 HE creditsStudent thesis
Abstract [en]

Consumption in its current state is unsustainable and continues to increase, negatively impacting the environment and society. Circular economy, CE, has been proposed as a tool for addressing unsustainable consumption and production by moving away from the linear take-make-waste model towards a closed-loop model. This will allow for reducing and eliminating both inputs in the form of virgin materials, as well as outputs in the form of pollution and waste. Within the literature circular economy is often seen as being driven by businesses from the supply side and many applications are related to business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C). When consumers are studied, two perspectives are found to dominate the discourse. The first places emphasis on the individual and is focused on creating changes in consumption through psychology and behavioural economics, and the second a structuralist approach targets organisations and institutions as a means of influencing and controlling consumption through social norms. This research adopts an alternative approach in the form of Social Practice Theory (SPT) which shifts the focus from the individual and social norms and places it onto practices themselves. The study was focused on consumers referred to as practitioners in SPT. The furniture market presents itself as an area with great circular potential that at present is underdeveloped, and as a consequence, understudied. A particular focus was on the engagement of students with the furniture circular economy, identifying the types of circular practices they engage in when it comes to obtaining and discarding furniture. The study aimed to explore circular practices by students within Uppsala, to identify the types of circular practices according to the R framework and to identify the elements that make up these practices. Social Practice theory was used to identify the elements that constitute furniture circular practices by students. A case study was conducted which included semi-structured interviews with 17 participants who had engaged in circular practices related to obtaining and discarding furniture. Observations were also conducted, and field notes were taken. Data were analysed with the help of Social Practice Theory and CE conceptual framework using thematic analysis. The results identified the most significant type of circular practice concerning the R framework. Several significant infrastructures and objects under the SPT element of materials, significant skills and knowledge (competences) and a range of different meanings given to practices of obtaining and discarding furniture by students (meanings) were also identified. The study concluded by identifying that circular practices of furniture were dominated by resell/reuse and this was a core part of the furniture market amongst student communities in Uppsala. However, this also highlights the need for a shift towards a greater focus on reducing, which the identified elements of the practice can help to inspire and inform future research and policy to develop and implement. 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2023. , p. 71
Series
Examensarbete vid Institutionen för geovetenskaper, ISSN 1650-6553 ; 2023/04
Keywords [en]
circular practices, social practice theory, sustainable consumption, sustainable development
National Category
Earth and Related Environmental Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-495890OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-495890DiVA, id: diva2:1733875
Subject / course
Sustainable development
Educational program
Master Programme in Sustainable Development
Presentation
2022-09-15, Geocentrum, Villavägen 16, Uppsala, Uppsala, 11:45 (English)
Supervisors
Examiners
Available from: 2023-02-08 Created: 2023-02-03 Last updated: 2025-02-07Bibliographically approved

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