Collaboration barriers in the implementation of design for environment, case studies from UK small and medium enterprises.

Abstract

This paper considers product development interaction and collaboration issues in the implementation of design for environment (DfE). The research used a multiple case study methodology to investigate collaboration and relationships within product development teams. Interviews within a multiple case study research were used to identify the links between poor adoption of DfE principles, communication, collaboration and knowledge management. The study was carried out across the product development teams of twenty British small and medium sized companies. The paper presents an overview of the preliminary findings drawn from an ongoing comparative analysis of these case studies to highlight the impacts of organisational factors on DfE implementation within product development teams. It is argued that further research should focus on how knowledge acquisition and transfer within small and medium enterprises can better support the necessary collaboration in DfE.