Life-cycle design (LCD), the application of life-cycle concepts to the design phase of product development, is emerging as a valuable tool for incorporating environmental impacts and trade-offs as a criterion in product/process design. Because LCD is used as an internal decision-support tool and customized to meet firm-specific needs, its strengths, successes, and limitations remain largely undocumented. An examination of LCD practices at three firms-IBM, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Armstrong World Industries-provides insights into how these methods evolve as well as a glimpse into the dynamics of organizational innovation in relation to corporate environmental management. Four ingredients are essential to initiating or sustaining a successful LCD program: (1) a pragmatic, flexible approach that avoids "analysis paralysis;" (2) program buy-in from multiple levels in the company; (3) supplier involvement to inform material and/or process decisions; and (4) including staff from various business functions to ensure that LCD is not merely another environmental initiative.
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机译:生命周期设计(LCD)是生命周期概念在产品开发设计阶段中的应用,它正在成为一种有价值的工具,可以将环境影响和权衡作为产品/过程设计的标准。由于LCD用作内部决策支持工具并经过定制以满足公司的特定需求,因此LCD的优势,成功之处和局限性在很大程度上没有记载。对IBM,Bristol-Myers Squibb和Armstrong World Industries等三家公司的LCD做法进行检查,可以洞悉这些方法的发展方式,并可以了解与企业环境管理相关的组织创新的动态。四个要素对于启动或维持成功的LCD程序至关重要:(1)一种务实,灵活的方法,可以避免“分析瘫痪”; (2)公司多层次的计划购买; (3)供应商参与以告知材料和/或工艺决策; (4)包括来自各个业务部门的员工,以确保LCD不仅是另一项环保举措。
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