This research investigates the influence of Right to Repair pressures upon business model design and strategy within consumer electronics. Right to Repair advocates for the consumer’s ability to repair their own devices without manufacturers restrictions. This includes access to necessary tools, parts, and repair information. The movement challenges design choices that make repair difficult, and the unavailability of replacement parts, and calls for the liberalisation of secondary repair markets. Right to Repair laws have been introduced at the supranational level, alongside domestic government policies, and have also been supported by advocates, and consumer interest groups that seek to lobby and educate for improved repair practices. By promoting easier and more affordable repairs, these movements aim to reduce electronic waste, extended product lifespans, and support a more sustainable economy.
The data collection has so far looked toward semi-structured interviews with stakeholders within the Right to Repair movement, including managers and executives of electronics manufacturers, but also of advocates and NGOs involved with the movement. The researcher has sought to understand how these pressures coalesce through an institutional lens, understanding how Right to Repair configures coercive, normative, and mimetic pressures for greater action. This research will thus seek to understand how such pressures influence business model design and strategy at the firm level. One particular area of interest is that of service-design, which should circumnavigate many firm-level challenges with Right to Repair, by encouraging a closer relationship between the consumer and manufacturer.
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