The Importance of Understanding the Business Context when Planning Eco-design Activities

InImpact: The Journal of Innovation Impact
Publisher	Future Technology Press
Vol. 7 No. 2	KES Transactions on SDM I - Sustainable Design and Manufacturing 2014
Volume Editors	KES International
Journal ISSN	2051-6002

Article Title	The Importance of Understanding the Business Context when Planning Eco-design Activities
Primary Author	Molly Buckingham, The University of Bath
Other Author(s)	Elies Dekoninck
Pages	374 - 385
Article ID	sdm14-032
Publication Date	01-May-16
Abstract	The implementation of eco-design within any existing business requires change. This is a requirement because eco-design involves the introduction and integration of new design criteria within an existing product development system. To support meaningful change, it is important to understand the present situation, or business context. The eco-design case study detailed in this paper, failed to appreciate the importance of understanding the business context within which it was taking place. Through a retrospective analysis of this case study, a Company Characterisation Process (CCP) has been developed. The CCP is presented in this paper, and a theoretical application is provided to help exemplify its application. The CCP has been designed to support the development of effective and efficient eco-design projects. The tool is of particular use to academics and industrial eco-design practitioners, who are externally supporting company efforts.
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