Proposing a multi-level perspective of the influencing factors of repair behaviours of household electrical appliances

Abstract

Within the framework of the circular economy, extending the lifespan of electrical products through repairing them is a promising approach, particularly against the backdrop of growing e-waste levels. Consumers play a key role in facilitating repair and multiple studies have suggested their behaviour is influenced by combinations of different internal (e.g. attitudes, knowledge and motivation) and external factors (e.g. product design, market conditions and service availability). Despite this, in empirical research, there is still preference for psychological theories that foreground the individual. Thus, the present study moves beyond these theories and is underpinned by a multi-level perspective – an approach that can systematically organise factors to internal and external contexts. Through qualitative interviews with consumers we identify and then organise the factors that influence repair behaviours of household electrical appliances to a multi-level perspective including micro (individual), meso (household) and macro (repair ecosystems and beyond) levels. The main finding from the interviews and framework development was the identification of 18 influencing factors across four nested levels. The primary contribution is the resulting framework that makes explicit the different internal and external contexts that influence repair behaviours. In particular, the framework highlights the important role of the household-level and makes visible how factors and levels interact to influence repair behaviours. Hence, the framework supports program managers and policymakers to design multi-level interventions. We also offer several opportunities for future research to explore the role of household routines and structure and continue to build an understanding of the interactions between levels and factors.