Final answer:
Company-defined standards like minimum legal environmental impact often do not meet customer expectations for sustainability or efficiency. Poor design decisions and planned obsolescence also lead to products that fail to fully satisfy customers' needs and desires for long-lasting, eco-friendly options.
Step-by-step explanation:
One company-defined standard that often does not meet customer expectations is the environmental impact of products. Command-and-control regulations create a baseline for legality rather than quality or efficiency, offering no incentive for industries to surpass environmental standards once they achieve the minimum. Therefore, businesses tend to develop and manufacture products that are just sufficient to meet these standards, but this does not necessarily align with the growing consumer demand for sustainable and eco-friendly products.
Additionally, the design process is complex and must consider various stakeholders including regulators, suppliers, and the assembly workforce. Often, the result is a product that does not fully satisfy customers' needs or expectations. Poor design decisions made early can significantly limit the quality of the final product, leading to customer dissatisfaction.
It is also important to note that manufacturers might intentionally build products with short life spans, known as planned obsolescence. This practice might keep consumers returning more frequently to purchase new products, but it contributes to environmental issues and can frustrate customers who are increasingly mindful of sustainability and value from their purchases.