Green corporate initiatives: a case study of goods and service design

Abstract

Undoubtedly, as product life cycles are becoming shorter, fuelled by technological progress and increasing consumer demands for new products and product features, improved sustainable product and service designs are needed. A case study of three large and global firms, under competitive pressures, documents how management tries to balance the needs of the consumer and the costs/benefits of implementing green strategies in product and service designs at the strategic level. Management must simultaneously deal with shortened product life cycles while addressing manufacturing issues and reducing environmental impact. The implementation of eco-friendly strategies and tactics in production and product design are balanced with factors associated with customer demands, government mandates, and company philosophies.