Product Development Process Research Articles

Circular product development strategies for sustainable production and consumption based on waste valorization

PurposeThis study aims to propose guidelines for developing circular products based on waste recovery that are aligned with sustainable production and consumption.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review and case studies on circular product development were conducted. In total, 15 companies with products based on waste recovery and aligned with sustainable production and consumption goal were studied.FindingsThe results show the decisions and strategies applied at each stage of the new product development process, including the design for recycling, the use of waste as a raw material for products and the concern for reducing pollution and recovering end-of-life products.Practical implicationsThe cases studied meet the goals of efficient use of natural resources and waste reduction by preventing, reducing, recycling and reusing waste. For practitioners, a set of guidelines is proposed to help companies develop circular products based on waste recovery.Originality/valuePrevious studies have not evaluated the new product development process and circularity from the institutional theory and waste valorization perspectives.

Pengembangan Asesmen Pembelajaran Berbasis Game pada Mata Pelajaran IPA Kelas VII SMP

This study aims to develop a game-based learning assessment in science subjects in grade VII junior high school that is valid and practical. This type of research is Research and Development (R&D). The model used in this development research is a 4D model. The 4D model contains 4 (four) stages of development, including define, design, develop, and disseminate. The research data was obtained through questionnaires and validation sheets, then analyzed in a quantitative descriptive manner. The development process of this game-based learning assessment product has involved a validation stage by material and media experts. A science teacher in grade VII of SMP Negeri 5 Linggo Sari Baganti acted as a material expert, while two lecturers from the Department of Curriculum and Educational Technology of Padang State University acted as media experts. The validation results show that this product is considered very valid, both in terms of material content and design. Furthermore, the trial on 18 grade VII students also produced very positive data, with an average score of 4.71 for the practicality category. Based on these results, it can be concluded that this game-based learning assessment product has gone through a good development stage and is ready to be implemented in the learning process

A combined approach of design for Six Sigma, generic product development process and ergonomics-safety philosophy to reduce musculoskeletal disorder problems

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to decrease musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) problems using a combined approach including design for Six Sigma, generic product development process, and ergonomic-safety philosophies. Design/methodology/approach A total of 550 students voluntarily participated in this study. Kolmogorov–Smirnov and t-tests were used to analyze the collected anthropometry. A cause-and-effect diagram, Pareto’s chart, a brainstorming session, and a priority matrix were also used to extract the 22 design parameters of the product. Moreover, Cronbach’s alpha values were determined to verify the validity of qualitative and quantitative data. Findings Results showed that students are at a high risk of developing MSD issues. The most serious MSD problems among the students were neck pain (74%), back pain (73%), muscle and joint pain (67%), knee pain (57%), leg pain (54%), etc. Besides, all anthropometrics of males are higher than females except Hip Breadth. Among 12 anthropometries, two measurements and one measurement showed statistical significance at p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively. Six design parameters of the mounted desktop (Seat Height, Desk Height, Seat to Desk Clearance, Seat Width, Seat Depth, and Backrest Height) are the most crucial design parameters to design and develop the product. Practical implications The proposed design of the mounted desktop can be used in different tertiary educational institutes to reduce MSDs among students. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt that introduces a combined approach to reduce MSD issues by applying Six Sigma, a generic product development process, and ergonomics-safety philosophy to design and measurement of 22 design parameters of mounted desktop for university students.

Roles of Individual Institutions in Achieving Pharmaceutical Sovereignty as Exemplified by the Medical Technology Transfer Centre of the Scientific Centre for Expert Evaluation of Medicinal Products

INTRODUCTION. The strengthening of the health system and the improvement of access to medicines directly depend on the development and marketing authorisation of national innovative medicinal products. Technology transfer is a key tool in bringing medicinal products to market.AIM. This study aimed to evaluate the role of the Medical Technology Transfer Centre of the Federal State Budgetary Institution ‘Scientific Centre for Expert Evaluation of Medicinal Products’ of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (FSBI ‘SCEEMP’) in facilitating the implementation of federal projects in medical science and in achieving of pharmaceutical sovereignty.DISCUSSION. This article is an overview of the main trends in and features of the development of the pharmaceutical industry in the Russian Federation and around the world. The article highlights significant federal decisions made to attain pharmaceutical sovereignty and improve access to medicines for the population. The authors consider documents regulating the work of the Medical Technology Transfer Centre and outline its roles and responsibilities. Additionally, the authors analyse the ability of the Medical Technology Transfer Centre to provide project support throughout the medicinal product development process and to address issues pertaining to efficient pharmaceutical development, patent law, and product commercialisation. The article assesses the role of the Medical Technology Transfer Centre in the development of the pharmaceutical industry in the Russian Federation.CONCLUSIONS. The Medical Technology Transfer Centre supports projects as part of efforts to implement federal projects in human medical science. The Medical Technology Transfer Centre can be considered a driver of effective innovative development in the national pharmaceutical industry.

Kinetics of hydrothermal reactions of n-butanol over Pt/Al2O3 catalyst for biopropane fuel gas production

Energy defossilisation using drop-in biofuels is an important step towards Net Zero. Producing low-carbon clean-burning propane fuel from biomass provides such additional sustainability benefits. In this work, kinetics of hydrothermal reactions of n-butanol, a biomass-derived feedstock, to produce propane over 5 wt% Pt/Al2O3 catalyst have been studied from 523- 573 K. Experimental data revealed negligible internal and external mass transfer effects and, when fitted to an integral power-rate law equation, gave activation energy of 70 kJ mol−1 (n-butanol reaction order = 1). Furthermore, an appropriate Langmuir-Hinshelwood model was developed, which predicted similar activation energy 62 kJ mol−1. Low adsorption enthalpies for n-butanol (–33.51 kJ mol−1) and water (−18.16 kJ mol−1) indicated weak interactions on the catalyst surface. These agreed with the fast reaction rate of ≈1.0 x 10-5 mol gcat-1 s−1 obtained at ≥ 548 K. As a new research area, generation of such accurate kinetics data will contribute to process development for large-scale biopropane production.

Comparing Virtual and Real-Life Rapid Prototyping Methods for User Testing Smart City Interfaces: A Case Study

In the development of complex embedded interactive systems, a tension arises between, on the one hand, ever shorter and highly iterative design processes, and, on the other hand, the need for user testing with early prototypes to validate systems from a user-centred design perspective. This study focuses on the integration of Virtual Reality (VR) into prototyping embedded interactive systems, examining its potential to bridge the gap between rapid prototyping and user-centered design validation. Adopting a comparative research approach, we analyze a case study: the development of a cultural smart city experience. It juxtaposes in situ, low-fidelity prototype testing with VR-based testing, evaluating their realism, interactivity, functionality, presence and task difficulty. This mixed-method research design incorporates both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, engaging 27 design students in a comparative study, conducting participatory research and 8 expert interviews. These findings reveal divergent roles in field testing and VR in the new product development process, highlighting VR’s strengths in visualizing procedures and facilitating discussion. This study identifies the limitations of VR in mimicking realistic interactions and incorporating social context yet underscores its superiority over paper prototypes in its realism and interactivity. Where field testing can hold broader contextual insights, the VR prototype gives more concrete and applied insights. The main advantage of VR testing is its visualisation of procedures and its final materialisation according to the participants interviewed. According to the experts interviewed, VR can be used as a useful tool within the development process especially for visualisation and testing user flows of complex interfaces.

The Role of Urban Community Leaders in Local Product Development Using Intellectual Capital: A Case Study of Bangkok, Thailand

This research investigates the role of urban community leaders in leveraging local intellectual capital for the design and development of community products. It examines how these leaders contributed to creating products that fostered self-sufficiency within their communities. Data were collected from 43 communities across 5 sub-districts in Dusit District, Bangkok, involving a total of 453 participants. The study employed a combination of explanatory and interdisciplinary research methods. The findings revealed that community leaders significantly contributed to accumulating intellectual capital for product development. Especially, the highest engagement observed in collective brainstorming sessions. The most actively engaged leaders were female, aged 40 years. In contrast, self-reliant leaders, who typically held bachelor’s degrees, exhibited cautious spending habits and a commitment to community rules and self-reliance without government support. Community leaders collaboratively designed the Dusit Brand logo and proposed a seven-stage process for urban community product development. This process includes incorporating local wisdom, reflecting community identity, fostering public participation, developing local knowledge, exhibiting products, building community reputation and recognition, and achieving community standards. The research highlights that sustainable community products are created through a process of understanding, accessing, and developing the local economy and society, with a focus on enhancing social quality for sustainability.

Stability Studies of a Tetraethyl Orthosilicate-Based Thixotropic Drug Delivery System

Background/Objectives: This study assessed the effects of formulation components on the long-term stability of a previously described tetraethyl orthosilicate-based drug delivery system. Early stability studies of a product concept are crucial not only to provide information on the overall system stability and individual components’ contributions to it, but also to identify opportunities for dosage form optimization and to define its use case. Methods: We assessed the time-dependent thixogel properties—specifically, mechanical strength, thixotropy, release of model drug, and dry substance—in both real-time and accelerated shelf-life determination set-ups. Results: Our findings indicate that the concentration and molecular weight of hyaluronic acid, one of the main constituents of the investigated thixotropic systems, are key determinants of formulation stability. We further showed that changes in both of these parameters reflect on the drug release properties and stiffness of the formulation and could inform subsequent product development based on several use cases. Conclusions: Overall, this study provides an understanding of some key factors that would need to be considered prior to and in the final product development process of thixogels in preparation for commercialization.

Techno-economic and sustainability assessment of the power to MeOH processes: The present and future perspective

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of a Power-to-Methanol (PtM) process, which converts CO2 and H2 derived from electrolysis of water into methanol (MeOH) using renewable energy sources. The process is analyzed for its technical, economic, and environmental aspects, focusing on production costs and the minimum selling price of MeOH. The simulation results show an energy efficiency of 56 % in the optimal state, with a CO2 consumption of 1.4 kg-CO2/kg-MeOH. Economic evaluations for 2023 indicate production costs of US$ 631 and 643 for PtM processes equipped with membrane and amine absorption technologies, respectively. The study also predicts the cost of production and minimum selling price of MeOH from 2023 to 2030 based on the trends of electrolyzer capital investment and renewable resource prices. The results provide valuable insights for the development and evaluation of sustainable MeOH production processes.

Designing orthopaedic seat cushion made of rattan using quality function deployment approach

Using ergonomic orthopaedic chairs can address spinal issues, particularly HNP, due to their flexible and elastic properties. By achieving optimal ergonomic design, various positive aspects can be achieved, such as increasing work quality productivity and reducing the cost of injuries or accidents. This research demonstrates diverse product design approaches to enhance posture health ergonomics, address specific musculoskeletal disorder issues, and consider local needs and available materials. Rattan is a tropical vine widely used in the furniture industry and predominantly found in wooded areas such as Indonesia. This research combines market research, morphology, ergonomic study, concept selection, QFD, HoQ, stiffness test, and prototype review. The QFD method was chosen in this study due to its excellence in connecting consumer desires with the product development process. Data of respondents consist of 51 % of respondents were male, 49 % were female, 88 % were aged between 18 and 34 years old, and 10 % were aged between 35 and 54 years old. The approach of 6 stages of product design as the primary framework for developing our product such as: planning, concept development (concept screening, product morphology, concept selection), system-level design, detailed design, testing, refinement and launching. Based on the calculations using the HOQ, it is identified that the primary focus in designing the rattan-based orthopaedic seating, lies in the orthopaedic design that provides maximum comfort for the spine. The comparison results indicate that the stiffness level of rattan weaving is nearly like latex, with a similarity percentage of 89 %. Data analysis using the QFD method indicates that the primary priority aspect is the orthopaedic design, followed by the selection of quality materials, cost-effectiveness, versatility, and appealing design aspects. Rattan's superior air circulation provides comfort by preventing excessive heat accumulation, excellence in strength and durability, ensuring ease of lightweight modelling, and providing more sustainable material.

Influence of Entrepreneur Social Network on New Product Development Performance of Enterprises Under Intelligent Big Data

In the complex market environment, it is difficult for enterprises to innovate only by their own internal product resources. In order to improve the performance level of new product development, this paper puts forward the influence of entrepreneur social network on the performance of new product development under smart big data. The process of new product development is modeled, and the influence of entrepreneur social network on enterprise new product development performance is analyzed from two aspects: vertical network quality and horizontal network quality. According to the analysis results, build an intelligent big data platform, and use this platform to realize the mining and analysis of enterprise-related data; On this basis, EM algorithm is used to mine the performance data of enterprise new product development, DEA/AHP model is used to evaluate the performance level of enterprise new product development, and the evaluation results are combined with the influence model of entrepreneur social network on enterprise new product development performance to realize the influence analysis of entrepreneur social network on enterprise new product development performance. The experimental results show that the method is highly recognized by experts, which shows that the analysis results are reliable, and the correlation between entrepreneur social network and enterprise new product development performance can be obtained, which provides reference for enterprise new product development.

A conceptualization and empirical investigation of strategic sourcing approaches for engineer-to-order manufacturers

Since supplier capabilities often are essential for the success of a new product, previous studies suggest manufacturers to integrate strategic sourcing into the early stages of their new product development (NPD) processes. However, the literature on this topic offers only limited guidance for manufacturers in the engineer-to-order (ETO) context, where late strategic sourcing can be inevitable due to, for example, uncertainty or changing customer requirements. To address this gap in the literature, this article first draws on the literature to conceptualize five distinct strategic sourcing approaches that ETO manufacturers can employ. The approaches differ in terms of the timing of three strategic sourcing activities during the NPD process: make-or-buy analysis, supplier selection and supplier collaboration. To investigate the approaches, we conducted an embedded single case study involving a large turbine manufacturer. The study supports the existence of all the strategic sourcing approaches and identifies distinct conditions associated with each of them. Thereby, this article extends the literature with additional clarity about strategic sourcing in the ETO context, as well as when different approaches occur.

Characterization of the Anisotropic Electrical Properties of Additively Manufactured Structures Made from Electrically Conductive Composites by Material Extrusion.

Additive manufacturing (AM) of components using material extrusion (MEX) offers the potential for the integration of functions through the use of multi-material design, such as sensors, actuators, energy storage, and electrical connections. However, there is a significant gap in the availability of electrical composite properties, which is essential for informed design of electrical functional structures in the product development process. This study addresses this gap by systematically evaluating the resistivity (DC, direct current) of 14 commercially available filaments as unprocessed filament feedstock, extruded fibers, and fabricated MEX-structures. The analysis of the MEX-structures considers the influence of anisotropic electrical properties induced by the selective material deposition inherent to MEX. The results demonstrate that composites containing fillers with a high aspect ratio, such as carbon nanotubes (CNT) and graphene, significantly enhance conductivity and improve the reproducibility of MEX structures. Notably, the extrusion of filaments into MEX structures generally leads to an increase in resistivity; however, composites with CNT or graphene exhibit less reduction in conductivity and lower variability compared to those containing only carbon black (CB) or graphite. These findings underscore the importance of filler selection and composition in optimizing the electrical performance of MEX structures.

Eco-friendly synthesis of curcumin-loaded ZnO nanoparticles encapsulated in Pluronic F-127: Implications for bacterial and breast cancer therapies

The development of a nanomaterials production process that is both economical and environmentally friendly is a result of the growing importance placed on people’s health. The Zinc oxide (ZnO)-Pluronic F127 (PF127)-Curcumin (CUR) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized through a green method using Senna auriculata flower extracts. These NPs were characterized using a variety of techniques, such as ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). From the XRD studies, synthesized ZnO-PF127-CUR NPs exhibit a wurtzite hexagonal crystal structure. The antimicrobial activity of ZnO-PF127-CUR NPs and Amoxicillin was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Shigella dysenteriae, Staphylococcus pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis, proteus vulgaris, and candida albicans, respectively. The anticancer activity of ZnO-PF127-CUR NPs was tested against human breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-237), and ZnO-PF127-CUR exhibits potential anticancer activity. These results support using ZnO-PF127-CUR NPs in healthcare manufacturing environments to improve human health.

Factors Influencing Smart Phone Buying Behavior of Consumers: Implications for Building a Marketing Strategy

This research investigated the nature of factors that influence the smartphone buying decision in Arar province in Saudia Arabia. The research is based on a survey which targets individuals who own smartphones. A total of 384 smartphone owners were questioned. The five items that correspond to the study’s independent variables (personal factors, external factors) underwent reliability analysis. The results allowed confirming the reliability of the questionnaire items. The statistical package analysis program SPSS was used to examine the study data. The ACP-method, regression model, was used to evaluate our hypothesis. The ACP resulted in dividing the influencing factors into 3 groups: personal factors, external factors, and gender. Regression model analysis revealed that personal factors, external factors and gender accounted for 41.7% of the variance in buying decisions and were statistically significant. It has also been confirmed that these variables have an impact on smartphone buying behavior. The results of the analysis revealed that internal and external factors, as well as gender, influence the decision to purchase a smartphone. Personal traits have a greater impact on the decision to purchase a smartphone. The findings are important for smartphone marketers to better analyze consumer behavior and segment the market based on the customer’s particular qualities. The same results can be applied to these firms’ product development processes.

Process development and environmental impact assessment of sustainable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) separation and purification via Paraburkholderia sacchari cell lysis using crude enzymes

Downstream separation and purification of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) has been developed via combined crude enzyme bacterial cell lysis followed by solvent extraction and circular utilisation of bacterial lysate as nutrient supplement for PHB production. Enzymatic lysis of Paraburkholderia sacchari cells was initially evaluated using crude enzymes produced via solid state fermentation of Aspergillus oryzae. The optimum protease activity (156 U per g cell dry weight) resulted in 66.9% lysis of residual cell weight. PHB purification with 1,3-dioxolane, dimethyl carbonate, anisole, ammonium laurate and chloroform were evaluated at different processing parameters (extraction duration, temperature) using wet and dry bacterial cells as well as enzymatically lysed wet bacterial cells. The highest recovery yield (94.5%) and purity (98.1%) were obtained with 1,3-dioxolane at 80°C and 6h processing time using enzymatically disrupted bacterial cells. The bacterial cell lysate was used as nutrient supplement for circular PHB production in fed-batch P. sacchari bioreactor cultures leading to the production of 78.7 gPHB/L, 56.9% (w/w) PHB content and 2.3g/(Lꞏh) productivity. Low global warming potential (1.3 CO2-eq/kgPHB) and abiotic depletion fossil (14.4 MJ/kgPHB) were estimated for PHB purification via enzymatic cell lysis and PHB extraction with 1,3-dioxolane demonstrating the development of a sustainable and circular process for PHB production.

Disruptive innovation capability in resource-constrained environments: The role of strategic posture and human capital

The disruptive innovation framework has been suggested to enhance new venture sustainability in resource-constrained contexts. This paper explores the role of human capital and strategic posture on disruptive innovation capability in low-income and resource-constrained environments. Using a generic qualitative inquiry strategy, we develop propositions tested by 20 in-depth interviews with entrepreneurs and industry role players in the South African startup incubation sector. Data from the interviews were analyzed through thematic analysis with constant comparison. The findings suggest that adopting an emerging market orientation and taking strategic risks assists in identifying the right consumer target market. Innovativeness is linked to effective product development processes, and a learning orientation contributes to the development of the skills and capabilities required for successful innovation in resource-constrained environments. Additionally, the findings emphasize prior founder knowledge and industry experience in shaping the strategic posture of entrepreneurs. Resource-constrained contexts vary significantly across regions. Our study contributes to the body of knowledge on disruptive innovations and small business sustainability in resource-constrained environments by investigating entrepreneurial dynamics in South Africa.

Generative AI, Innovation, and Trust

Our paper explores the integration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) into organizations’ innovation and new product development processes, focusing on when and how to trust AI-generated outcomes in this context. We propose a framework to assess the level of trust required based on task-specific needs and the distinction between general and expert AI models. While inaccuracies in GenAI outputs can foster creativity during ideation, higher accuracy, and trust are essential for tasks requiring domain-specific expertise. The paper concludes by discussing the necessary human capabilities and organizational strategies for effectively deploying GenAI in innovation management.

Implementation of STEAM and Thematic Learning Models Assisted by STEMATIK Learning Media in Elementary School

Learning is not only about giving theories, but instilling concepts is more important to teach to students. One of the concepts instilled in mathematics, namely the arithmetic material of addition and subtraction for elementary school. STEMATIK learning media supports students' understanding in introducing the arithmetic concepts of addition and subtraction for lower elementary school classes. This research aimed to explain the component analysis of integrating STEAM and thematic learning using STEMATIK learning media, to describe the importance of using learning media in enhancing students’ independence and motivation to learn, and to present the results of using STEMATIK learning media as a tool for learning mathematics. The research method employed was a quasi-experiment. Quantitative data analysis was conducted to analyze the data collected from the research instrument, including validation instruments by two experts in the form of learning media feasibility instruments and pretest and posttest assessment results on 31 elementary school students on the control group and the experimental group. The validity test used T-test by SPSS application. The product development process was based on the ADDIE model, a systematic approach that includes five stages: analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. The method used in this research was the descriptive, qualitative and quantitative method. The research results show that for the validity test the increase in knowledge scores significantly using the T test with the SPSS application produces two sides of less than 0.001. The level of student learning independence is good, achieving a score of 68,14, which according to the category is considered good. The percentage for the student learning motivation category falls into the high criterion. The result of these indicators shows a score of 83, which is categorized as high.

Design of a Human Muscle-Powered Flying Machine

This study explores the design and development of a human-powered aircraft (HPA), leveraging modern engineering techniques, materials science, and advanced CAD/CAM tools. The project addresses key aspects of aircraft design, including the geometry of wings and tail, control and power transmission mechanisms, propeller selection, and material identification to achieve ultra-lightweight construction. The 3DExperience platform facilitated comprehensive model creation, simulation, and production process development, while XFLR5 was employed for aerodynamic profile analysis using the vortex lattice and panel methods. JavaProp aided in evaluating propeller thrust and power requirements. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations using the SST k-ω turbulence model provided critical insights into flow behavior. The design was found to be theoretically capable of flight, although challenges arose in selecting appropriate software for aerodynamic analysis, leading to the use of XFLR5 for early-stage design and the more advanced 3DExperience platform for final evaluations. Although structural strength analyses were not performed due to the complexity of composite materials, future work in this area could enhance the precision of component selection and aircraft mass estimation.