The Care of Things: Ethics and Politics of Maintenance | Wiley

The book argues that maintenance is a strategic practice that most organizations ignore in favor of endless innovation. By putting the people who keep things running at the center, it shows how caring for objects is a political act that shapes power and responsibility.

Jérôme Denis and David Pontille trace the stories of maintenance workers across domains-coffee machines, bridges, smartphones, satellites-illustrating the ethical dilemmas they face and the tacit negotiations required to keep systems alive. Their accounts turn maintenance into a form of material diplomacy where wear is accepted and compromise becomes essential.

For technical leaders the message is clear: a focus on maintenance can curb waste, reduce hidden costs, and create more resilient teams. Treating upkeep as a core capability forces better prioritization, surfaces hidden technical debt, and aligns engineering effort with long-term value rather than short-term hype.

The authors also expose how neglecting maintenance reinforces planned obsolescence and hyper-consumerism. By reframing maintenance as a purposeful, ethical practice, leaders can build cultures that respect the lifecycle of their tools and infrastructure, ultimately delivering more sustainable outcomes.