The dynamic signification of product qualities: on the possibility of “greening” markets

Abstract

This article addresses the “greening” of markets by inquiring into how different versions of environmental friendliness of a product are constructed and how they are placed in an order of significance in relation to each other and to other product qualities. The study extends constructivist market studies by elaborating on the dynamic signification of product qualities. The case analysis of the development and commercialization of a “polyvinylchloride-free” and “environmentally friendly” urinary drainage bag in the medical devices market shows these qualities to be temporal and fragile outcomes. It is concluded that, besides a supporting socio-technical market arrangement around the product, the ability of the product to take different matters of concern into account is crucial for the possibility of “greening” markets.

Keywords:

• market
• constructivism
• product qualification
• signification
• environmental friendliness

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank two blind reviewers and the editors of this Special Issue for their much appreciated comments. We are also indebted to Liliana Doganova and our commentators and other participants in EGOS 2011, the 1st Interdisciplinary Marketing Studies Workshop and IOA Winter Games.

Notes

The term signification is not limited to a sign and what it signifies. Instead, we use the term “signification” in a heterogeneous and dynamic sense, inspired by Akrich and Latour's (1992) notion of a “semiotics of machines [the key aspect being] its ability to move from signs to things and back” (259).

The relationship between consumption and natural degradation is also advocated by scholars interested in anti-consumption phenomena, which is often seen as resistance to a capitalist consumer culture (see e.g. Hollenbeck and Zinkhan 2010, 326). Within this strand of literature, however, the capitalist market system is not necessarily explicated as the root of the problems caused by consumption, and political consumption and anti-consumption are considered as ways to counter-act the adverse environmental effects of consumption (see e.g. Connolly and Prothero 2003; Moraes, Szmigin, and Carrigan 2010, 275–76 on consumer emancipation).

See Kjellberg (2008, 153–4) for more on the criticism of reducing environmental value to market value through the means of environmental economics.

The plausibility and efficiency of such mechanisms to solve the environmental problems related to capitalism has been criticized for example by Pennington (2001). However, combinations of these two more moderate approaches exist (e.g. White 2002).

The distinction between “matter of concern” and “matter of fact” has been developed by Latour (2004) who eloquently summarizes this turn to describe “issues that we strongly believe in” as matters of concern rather than facts, along with the need to be able to describe the rich gatherings of reality that construct them (Latour 2004, 232). The “matter of fact” distinction between Nature and Market exemplifies the point.

In general, constructivist market studies have emphasized the role played by socio-technical arrangements, such as calculative devices and inscription devices (Callon and Muniesa 2005; Callon, Millo and Muniesa 2007; Cochoy 2008, 2009) and theories (Callon 1998; MacKenzie and Millo 2003; MacKenzie, Muniesa, and Siu 2007) in constructing calculative actors and evaluating goods.

Callon, Meadel and Rabeharisoa's distinction between a product and a good owes a great deal to the processual understanding of commodity put forward by Appadurai (1986). Appadurai makes a distinction between different phases of things where “the commodity situation in the social life of any “thing” be defined as a situation in which its exchangeability (past, present and future) for some other thing is its socially relevant feature” (Appadurai 1986, 13).

This makes our case similar to previous studies of the connection between science and society (e.g. Callon 1980, 1986; Latour 1987).

Scientific publications made visible the dioxin emissions from PVC when incinerated (e.g. Miljøstyrelsen 1984, 6), amongst other problematic issues such as phthalate emissions linked to hormone disturbances in the human body, and in particular, the reduction of the reproductive capacity, to cancer and possible adverse effects on fish and other living organisms. However, these results were far from agreed upon within the scientific community; contradictory results on the toxicity of PVC were also made public and the amount of dioxin emissions from waste incineration was challenged (e.g. Miljøstyrelsen 1989).

Including standards from Handicap Institute (HI, the Institute for Disabled) and ISO.

Interview Lise, Product manager at Coloplast, 17 May 2006.

Interview Johan, Product development engineer at Coloplast, 29 March 2006.

In this case, users had already been involved in the product development and had thus participated directly in configuring the user into the product.

The final result was a bag primarily made of PE, which could easily be recycled and broken down by sunlight and certain bacteria. PE is non-toxic in use and also the most used plastic in the world, which in turn has created public concerns about its presence as garbage in nature and in the built environment (Wikipedia, last accessed 23 March 2011).

For example, since 21 March 2010, the Danish authorities have, along with the establishment of new European regulation, made it mandatory to brand all plastic products within the medical device market that includes phthalates (DEHP among others) with the sign “PTH” to signify its presence and health related hazards (http://www.coloplast.dk/Kontinens/Bruger/publikationer/DinViden/SenesteNummerAfDinViden/Documents/Din%20Viden%202-2009%20Milj%C3%B8_4%20sider%20om%20milj%C3%B8.pdf).

Interview with Leo/Esther, 15 October 2006.

Interview with Einar, 13 June 2006.

Interview with Mimi, 13 June 2006.

http://www.coloplast.dk/OmColoplastDanmark/Miljoe/Documents/Marts%2010.%20Milj%C3%B8brochure.pdf (last accessed 11 April 2011).

Should we approach the sales numbers from the angle of a different version of environmental friendliness, say the carbon footprint of the product, this successful greening might look very different.

http://www.coloplast.dk/Kontinens/Bruger/publikationer/DinViden/SenesteNummerAfDinViden/Documents/Din%20Viden%202-2009%20Milj%C3%B8_4%20sider%20om%20milj%C3%B8.pdf (last accessed 11 April 2011).

The symbol as proposed by Eucomed can be seen in http://www.eucomed.org/uploads/Press%20Releases/Eucomed%20Recommendation%20on%20labelling%20of%20medical%20devices%20containing%20phthalates.pdf (last accessed 11 April 2011).