Application of Life Cycle Assessment and Similar Methodologies in Asset Management: A Multiple Case Study

Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) methodologies are increasingly adopted by Asset Management (AM) organizations to assess the sustainability impact of decisions in policy-making and strategic planning. Despite the adoption of these methodologies, in particular the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), operationalization of the outcomes seems to lack attention in industry and research. This research aims to explore and better understand the application of LCT outcomes in AM decision-making. An exploratory literature review shows that the current LCT research strongly focuses on LCT as a method and methodological improvement to advance the adoption of the method, while the application of the LCT outcomes receives less attention. Based on the literature review a number of postulates were formulated and tested in an exploratory multiple case study at various AM organizations in the Netherlands, in which LCT has been adopted. Comparing these postulates with empirical findings indicates fundamental differences between LCT theory and practice, which seem to limit the application of the LCT outcomes. The research reveals that more attention is needed on the assistance in the operationalization of LCT outcomes. Furthermore, practitioners should consider redirecting some efforts from improving the analysis itself towards the operationalization of the LCT outcomes.