Creating business opportunity via environmental product design strategy

This research develops a data-driven, market-oriented approach to product design strategy that integrates business and sustainability goals. This research then empirically tests the approach in the lawn care industry. By learning from the people impacted by a product system, as "voices of the environment," the design strategy approach identifies pathways of greening that will be favorably received in the marketplace. The approach relates the needs of target customers to sustainability concerns associated with a product, to develop product attributes with green benefits that may or may not be obvious to customers. Product attributes, thus derived, provide a platform for developing improved product options. The approach then assesses potential product improvements by examining market perception of environmental attributes, and of related key performance features. Finally, the design strategy approach develops design strategy options that reflect market perceptions.; Empirical findings from a survey of homeowners in Madison, Wisconsin indicate that the design strategy approach can be used to develop green product strategies that appeal to a broad market. This research developed some environmental attributes for lawn care that appeal to more than ninety percent of homeowners, the target market. The dissertation also uncovered attributes that limit green product adoption, and attributes that appeal to new and underserved markets. Results suggest that environmental product attributes, including some not necessarily associated with the environment, can precipitate both market and green benefits. The findings further suggest that industry participants differ in their capacity to profitably incorporate environmental attributes. Specifically, the design strategy approach, when applied to different businesses emphasizes different attributes, and suggests distinct environmental strategies.; This research builds on recent advances in Industrial Ecology, including Voice of the Environment methods, and novel applications to marketing strategy of Kano's two-factor model of customer satisfaction. The design strategy approach, referred to as Value Creation for Sustainability (VCS), also incorporates The Natural Step and the Ecological Footprint to assess sustainability concerns associated with a product.