Managers' interpretations of LCA: enlightenment and responsibility or confusion and denial?

Abstract

Environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) and 'life cycle thinking' are popular approaches to evaluate and manage the environmental aspects of products. While LCA has been propagated as a decision-making tool, the interest here is in LCA as a mental model, which managers may interpret and enact differently. If LCA and 'life cycle thinking' manage to infuse organizations with an extended sense of responsibility, this could counteract some of the 'organized irresponsibility' of modern markets. However, LCA use may also lead to confusion, doubt and denial. This article explores potential managerial interpretations of LCA with a small illustration from the wholesale trade, and through a conceptualization of the illustration in terms of Hatch's (1993) dynamic model of organizational culture. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.