Ecological Desing a strategie for a business pratice Dissertation

Ecological Desing a strategie for a business pratice - Dissertation Example Therefore it is but natural that the present product apart from displaying its host of unique features would also project the ecological design aspect of the product as an USP. Development of an eco design through research and subsequently incorporating the same in a business operation is the challenge faced by most companies. This general factors influencing eco design, the areas of change where eco design is applicable, the methods adopted by companies in introducing products and the manner in which an eco design is integrated with business operations form a part of this dissertation. Contents 1. Abstract 2 2. Contents 3 3. List of Illustrations 4 4. Introduction 5 5. Chapter 1-Factors Influencing Eco design adoption 6 6. Chapter 2- Applicability of Eco-design 8 7. Chapter 3- The Basic Methods and systems developed 10 by companies to produce Eco-Designed Products. 8. Chapter 4- Different Eco-Design Strategies adopted by 14 Business organizations as form of marketing Strategy 9. Cha pter 5- Effectiveness of Ecological design- a survey 15 10. Chapter 6- Analysis of an Eco Design manual 18 11. Chapter 7- Examples of Eco-Design adopted by Multinational Companies and Smaller Organizations 22 12. Conclusion 25 List of Illustrations 1. Fig 1- A holistic design foe eco-design focused tools. 7 2. Fig 2- The role of eco-design 8 3. Fig 3- Checklist for eco design in advanced estimation company 11 4. Fig 4- Levels of environment product innovation 13 5. Fig 5- Energy consumption growth index compared to GDP 23 6. Fig 6- Importance in buying green as perceived by customers worldwide 25 Introduction Eco-Design is the design and development of products that are both environment friendly and economically viable. The word derives its origins from the concept of a synergy between design, economy and ecology. (Miriam Borchardt, Leonel A.C.Poltosi, Miguel A Sellito and Gianfraco M.Pereira, 2009) A design which is able to satisfy all three requirements in an effective manner is s aid to be a successful eco-designed product. With the world globalising at a fast rate there has been a rapid increase in the both the demand and consumption of goods. New players emerging and competing in the global market, has put a severe strain on the available natural resources and the idea of creating a environment friendly product has been relegated to the background. The three basic issues that an eco-design addresses are (1) Reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources (Fuller Buckminster, 2002) (2) Manage the existing renewable resources more effectively (3) Design products that are environment friendly and do not pollute the environment in any manner. (Eco-Design: European State of the Art, 2007) Chapter 1 Forces Influencing Eco-Design Adoption The forces influencing Eco-Design adoption by companies are categorized into external factors and internal factors. The external factors are as follows (1) The new age customer is getting more information regarding the dangers of environment pollution. He is thus getting more informed regarding the choices he can make while selecting a product. Thus he is able to demand products that are safe and environment friendly which leads to a direct pressure on companies to come up with innovative and eco-friendly solutions to their products.( Murphy J et al, 2007) (2) A government that is sensitive to the concerns of the environment shall bring out laws, stipulations and guidelines within which a product needs to function. Adherence to

Balanced Budget Controversies Republican vs Democrat Solutions Essay

Balanced Budget Controversies Republican vs Democrat Solutions - Essay Example Recent developments which have resulted from the effects of the Economic Recession have led to an increase in the controversy surrounding the amendment to include provisions of a balanced budget into the US constitution. The divide has been particularly pronounced between the Democrats and the Republicans. These debates while launched from allegedly economic perspectives have undertones of political policies which these parties are trying to protect. There are three main arguments in the balanced budget debate; the traditionalist approach; the Ricardian view; and the view that a balanced budget does not represent an accurate measurement of fiscal policy. The traditionalist view argues that budget deficits at present will lead to a weakening of the economy in future lading to lower investment, higher domestic interest rates which affect exports and ultimately a reduction in longer term economic growth. The Ricardian perspective takes a trade in perspective on the balanced budget issue . The logic of the Ricardian view is that budget deficits today represent higher future taxes. The perspective assumes that since citizens acknowledge future higher taxes they adjust their savings and spending accordingly leading to little effect on long term growth. The third position believes that while the government may influence spending saving and investment, the effect of the budget deficit is not the only measure of the fiscal policy effect on these variables (Joyce 122). While the two main sides in the debate accrue to the various fiscal debates, the truth is more rooted in political considerations. Both the two parties are interested in winning over or retaining their voting districts through the offering of tax breaks, and incentives. The issue of the budget deficit has different interpretations by think tanks and political Parties. The Republican Party is the most vocal in calling for an amendment that would put forth a constitutional cap on federal spending in order to match expenditure. The suggested amendment put forth by the Republicans is to restrict government expenditure to 18% of income (Jansson 268). The view of the Republican Party takes the traditionalist view in assuming that higher taxes have a negative effect on longer term economic growth by reducing national savings, investment and exports. The main thrust of the Republican Party argument is mainly on the effect of the increase of a budget deficit on future generations. The thrust of the argument is that since a budget deficit reduces investment, it results to a decrease in future productivity impacting long term economic growth (Joyce 139-141). Republicans are thus for the scaling down of social programs or their total abolition as they deem them unnecessary burdens on the economy. The Democratic Party on the other hand adopts both the Ricardian and fringe approaches regarding a balanced budget. The argument of the Democratic Party is that citizens acknowledge the effects of a budg et deficit and hence save and spend accordingly. The Democratic Party also does not believe that the budget deficit is the only variable in fiscal policy outcomes. The Democrats are for cuts in the budget which are distributed over a span of ten years as opposed to the fixed cap (Jansson, 21-219). The perspective believes in the crowding in effect whereby the expenditure by government leads to output demand leading to capital investment. While the Republicans argue that