Product development with a focus on attractive product expression: an analysis of case studies

Creating outstanding products is vital for a company's endurance in competitive markets. A mix of functionality, ergonomics, aesthetics, symbols and price aspects all play a role in making a product desirable.Some products carry a personal meaning for its user. Others communicate its user's identity or the company's brand image. This study concentrates on communicative and meaningful aspects in a product's design. It examines how the creation of a communicative design occurs during the new product development process. The present research has an exploratory nature. For the field research, the case study method was chosen and a guideline for semi-directed interviews developed. This interview guideline was used to analyse multiple product development projects in two distinct companies. In two projects, specific attention was given to communicative aspects in the product‘s design. These two projects are examined in this paper.In the two selected projects, the product development teams carefully studied the users' preferences for aesthetics and product messages. A user-centred approach was used in both development processes. The choice to purposely improve the communicative value of the product's design was on the one hand influenced by the limited possibilities to create other advantages, such as improving the product's functionality or reducing its cost price. A weakness in the competitor's design strategy allowed the successful improvement of the product's communication on the other hand.User-centred Product ; Design Management Process ; New Product Development Process ; Development Product Expression ; Product Meaning ; Product Language ; Product Value

Business School-Industry Cooperation: Lessons from Case Studies

There is evidence to suggest that firms wish to work with universities to gain access to new technologies, to knowledge of future technologies and their possible impact and to thechnical problem-solving capability. There is much less evidence to support the proposition that firms work with business models and new processes. The barriers identified include those concerning management and leadership.Following an overview of relevant literature, the research here reported is the outcome of investigations carried out by a network of academics and practitioners from the automotive industry. Though the examination of a number of case studiesof joint efforts, a model for cooperation is developed. Critical success factors for sustainable networks, relating to the different modes of collaboration, are put forward. Finally, areas for further research are identified

Business School-Industry Cooperation: Lessons from Case Studies

There is evidence to suggest that firms wish to work with universities to gain access to new technologies, to knowledge of future technologies and their possible impact and to thechnical problem-solving capability. There is much less evidence to support the proposition that firms work with business models and new processes. The barriers identified include those concerning management and leadership.Following an overview of relevant literature, the research here reported is the outcome of investigations carried out by a network of academics and practitioners from the automotive industry. Though the examination of a number of case studiesof joint efforts, a model for cooperation is developed. Critical success factors for sustainable networks, relating to the different modes of collaboration, are put forward. Finally, areas for further research are identified.business-school ; universities ; cooperation ; knowledge transfer ; automotive industry ; case studies ; key success factors

Challenging the commodification of human rights: the case of the right to housing

The profitability of commodified housing is driving extreme levels of corporate investment. To boost profits investors are exploiting “undervalued” low-income housing, evicting vulnerable individuals, hoarding land and charging exploitative fees. This is causing severe harm to individuals’ right to housing across the globe, including, inter alia, rapidly increasing prices and debt, increasing evictions, homelessness, and increased recourse to substandard accommodation. The harm is endemic, but the human rights response has been tepid. This paper argues that both state obligations and the content of the right to housing under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) can usefully address the problem. However, in communications with State Parties the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) addresses issues of commodification and affordability in vague terms that fail to generate meaningful obligations. The paper grounds the CESCR’s approach in theories of enforceability which argue that enforcement is more practicable when “clear violations” can be established. The CESCR offers clear statements of breach only when identifying explicitly wrongful practices, such as discriminatory laws. This approach, however, almost entirely occludes harm caused by the marketization of human rights. It skeletonizes the “protect” limb of state obligations, permits the long-term retrogression of affordability and enables the serious subsequent effects. The paper proposes that “clear violations” can be constructed from the results of, and laws constituting, harmful marketization. A three-stage process of identification of breach, standard-setting, and policy suggestions is recommended that can turn the long-term retrogression of access to housing into specific, measurable statements of violations and recommendations. This same approach is advocated for business responsibilities under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, with the content of these responsibilities also evaluated

Product development with a focus on attractive product expression: an analysis of case studies

International audienceCreating outstanding products is vital for a company's endurance in competitive markets. A mix of functionality, ergonomics, aesthetics, symbols and price aspects all play a role in making a product desirable.Some products carry a personal meaning for its user. Others communicate its user's identity or the company's brand image. This study concentrates on communicative and meaningful aspects in a product's design. It examines how the creation of a communicative design occurs during the new product development process. The present research has an exploratory nature. For the field research, the case study method was chosen and a guideline for semi-directed interviews developed. This interview guideline was used to analyse multiple product development projects in two distinct companies. In two projects, specific attention was given to communicative aspects in the product‘s design. These two projects are examined in this paper.In the two selected projects, the product development teams carefully studied the users' preferences for aesthetics and product messages. A user-centred approach was used in both development processes. The choice to purposely improve the communicative value of the product's design was on the one hand influenced by the limited possibilities to create other advantages, such as improving the product's functionality or reducing its cost price. A weakness in the competitor's design strategy allowed the successful improvement of the product's communication on the other hand

Challenging the commodification of human rights: the case of the right to housing

The profitability of commodified housing is driving extreme levels of corporate investment. To boost profits investors are exploiting “undervalued” low-income housing, evicting vulnerable individuals, hoarding land and charging exploitative fees. This is causing severe harm to individuals’ right to housing across the globe, including, inter alia, rapidly increasing prices and debt, increasing evictions, homelessness, and increased recourse to substandard accommodation. The harm is endemic, but the human rights response has been tepid. This paper argues that both state obligations and the content of the right to housing under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) can usefully address the problem. However, in communications with State Parties the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) addresses issues of commodification and affordability in vague terms that fail to generate meaningful obligations. The paper grounds the CESCR’s approach in theories of enforceability which argue that enforcement is more practicable when “clear violations” can be established. The CESCR offers clear statements of breach only when identifying explicitly wrongful practices, such as discriminatory laws. This approach, however, almost entirely occludes harm caused by the marketization of human rights. It skeletonizes the “protect” limb of state obligations, permits the long-term retrogression of affordability and enables the serious subsequent effects. The paper proposes that “clear violations” can be constructed from the results of, and laws constituting, harmful marketization. A three-stage process of identification of breach, standard-setting, and policy suggestions is recommended that can turn the long-term retrogression of access to housing into specific, measurable statements of violations and recommendations. This same approach is advocated for business responsibilities under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, with the content of these responsibilities also evaluated

Anti-confocal versus confocal assessment of the middle ear simulated by Monte Carlo methods

The ability to monitor the inflammatory state of the middle ear mucosa would provide clinical utility. To enable spectral measurements on the mucosa whilst rejecting background signal from the eardrum an anti-confocal system is investigated. In contrast to the central pinhole in a confocal system the anti-confocal system uses a central stop to reject light from the in-focus plane, the eardrum, with all other light detected. Monte Carlo simulations of this system show an increase in detected signal and improved signal-to-background ratio compared to a conventional confocal set-up used to image the middle ear mucosa. System parameters are varied in the simulation and their influence on the level of background rejection are presented

Host macrophage response to injectable hydrogels derived from ECM and α-helical peptides

Tissue engineering materials play a key role in how closely the complex architectural and functional characteristics of native healthy tissue can be replicated. Traditional natural and synthetic materials are superseded by bespoke materials that cross the boundary between these two categories. Here we present hydrogels that are derived from decellularised extracellular matrix and those that are synthesised from de novo α-helical peptides. We assess in vitro activation of murine macrophages to our hydrogels and whether these gels induce an M1-like or M2-like phenotype. This was followed by the in vivo immune macrophage response to hydrogels injected into rat partial-thickness abdominal wall defects. Over 28 days we observe an increase in mononuclear cell infiltration at the hydrogel-tissue interface without promoting a foreign body reaction and see no evidence of hydrogel encapsulation or formation of multinucleate giant cells. We also note an upregulation of myogenic differentiation markers and the expression of anti-inflammatory markers Arginase1, IL-10, and CD206, indicating pro-remodelling for all injected hydrogels. Furthermore, all hydrogels promote an anti-inflammatory environment after an initial spike in the pro-inflammatory phenotype. No difference between the injected site and the healthy tissue is seen after 28 days, indicating full integration. These materials offer great potential for future applications in regenerative medicine and towards unmet clinical needs

A quantitative, multi-national and multi-stakeholder assessment of barriers to the adoption of cell therapies

Cellular therapies, such as stem cell–based treatments, have been widely researched and numerous products and treatments have been developed. Despite this, there has been relatively limited use of these technologies in the healthcare sector. This study sought to investigate the perceived barriers to this more widespread adoption. An anonymous online questionnaire was developed, based on the findings of a pilot study. This was distributed to an audience of clinicians, researchers and commercial experts in 13 countries. The results were analysed for all respondents, and also sub-grouped by geographical region, and by profession of respondents. The results of the study showed that the most significant barrier was manufacturing, with other factors such as efficacy, regulation and cost-effectiveness being identified by the different groups. This study further demonstrates the need for these important issues to be addressed during the development of cellular therapies to enable more widespread adoption of these treatments