What we’re thinking
Value-in-exchange thinking – our traditional way – pulls us into a world of take-make-waste. We’re too busy focusing on the next exchange to worry about what happens afterwards. In the best case, our product requires the customer to buy another one soon to maximise our exchanges and value to us!
The progress ecnomy’s alternative view of value – of it emerging through progress – removes the point of exchange. Instead we’re enabled to focus on what seekers are trying to progress with.
Its the answer to the Ellen MacArthur foundation’s challenge.
…one of the biggest challenges…to transition from linear to circular is that it requires…revisiting the very notion of value creation
Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2023) “From ambition to action: an adaptive strategy for circular design”
…assuming sufficient seekers are seeking circularity (or an externality is requiring it).
Let’s see why and how.
editing below here
fashion – a case where non-functional progress outweighs functional? Good paper: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainability/articles/10.3389/frsus.2025.1499273/full
Parallels between goods economy embed-exchange-destroy and linear economy take-make-waste.
The progress economy:
- takes our mindset beyond focussing on a point of exchange
- encourages helpers to
- encapsulate skills and knowledge of reuse, recycle etc into any goods elements of their resource mix along with functional skills and knowledge
- explore shifting the resource mix away from including goods
- update their ways of working
- see the potential for extended propositions
Our offerings can then reimagine the resource mix to reduce the reliance on goods. For example, physical resources can be transformed into physical resources inna platform as a service, or their lifespan can be extended by leveraging digital twin technology. It’s also possible to explore alternative resource types that eliminate the need for goods altogether in the offering.
Additionally, helpers can play a role in guiding seekers on how to recycle, reuse, or repurpose goods. Once that becomes part of progress sought then helpers will see how to fulfil it. Goods then freeze both skills and knowledge for their functional role. As well as skills and knowledge of how to recycle, reuse etc. Helpers will also be tempted to expand their offering to include those circular activities, or link with other helpers who can.
However, let’s not overlook an important aspect that we casually skipped over. To drive circular progress, there must be a sufficient number of seekers actively seeking this progress. It’s not enough for individuals to simply express their interest; they must be willing to engage in equitable service exchanges.
Let’s progress together through discussion…