Laptops at work

Abstract

Laptops in the current economy most often fall short of their potential useful lifetimes, regularly being replaced before their true end-of-life. Increasing laptop lifetimes can play an important role in improving circularity for high-impact ICT equipment. We expand on existing literature about consumer behavior toward laptop lifetimes by examining the role of individuals who use laptops that are instead owned by their company. A total of 20 semi-structured interviews with company-owned laptop users revealed distinct differences in laptop lifetime perspectives when the user is not the owner of the laptop relating to prioritization of performance over circularity, limited feelings of attachment, ownership, and responsibility for company-owned laptops, influences of company culture on circularity, influences of personal habits and perspectives, and limited consideration of circularity without prompts from the employer. Organizations and legislators can use these results to develop tools such as digital product passports that increase organizational circularity for ICT.