Capacity building for ecodesign in Wales – an innovation systems approach?

Simon O’Rafferty

why ecodesign?SMEs “don’t do” ecodesignshould governments intervene?can we learn from Innovation Systems?

Ecodesign Centre Wales

funded by Welsh Assembly Government

our role build capacity and capabilities in industry, public sector organisations and higher education so that effective ecodesign can happen in Wales

big challenge / small team!

why ecodesign?• potential to drive innovation• enhance resource efficiency• clean process that is low-cost as % of overall investment• direct and indirect benefits (competitiveness and ‘public good’)• meeting expectations of global consumer class• potential to improve communications (branding, CSR, procurement

etc)• potential to influence consumer behaviour (SCP context)

SMEs “don’t do” ecodesignmanagerial, process and system barriers e.g.

• lack of managerial and operational resources • lack of awareness, training, and motivation of employees• failure of managers to harness the strategic considerations• actors “can’t or won’t act” - i.e. uncertainty / poor appropriability • competing policy rationales (e.g. environment and innovation)

BUT they have a large cumulative environmental impact and are significant contributors to national economies

previous interventionsinspiring case examples but;low long-term retention or diffusion of ecodesign activities

emphasis on managerial systems operational issues• information services• demonstration projects• R&D financing• grants• ‘brokering’ services

linear models of innovation?• based on linear models of innovation – rooted in neo-classical theory• no difference between capabilities, knowledge and information

innovation systems

“policy is no longer only about correcting imperfect incentives for private agents but rather about facilitating the emergence

of new opportunities by building innovation infrastructure”(Norgen, L. Hauknes, J. 2000)

• policy and policy mechanisms should design institutional structures that stimulate and support sustainable innovation

• lessons for to intervention

innovation systems

“the network and interplay of public and private institutions in which production, distribution and

use of new knowledge and technology take place”(Vinnova, 2006)

interactive, non-linear and diffuse

design is an interactive process

image source: engine group

practical actions for capacity building?

1. identification of focus areas for intervention – from a life cycle perspective (mapping exercise)

2. market analysis - key growth businesses 3. creation of platforms for the open sharing of knowledge and

experiences4. capacity building in existing business support infrastructure5. embedding ecodesign in higher education (mainstream design

degrees)6. capacity building in the indigenous design sector7. establishing commercial support partners (creating linkages within

industry)

benefits of IS approach?

• bridge trade-off between (urgent) environmental goals and aiming at building up a (long term) eco-innovative capacity

• align competing policy rationales

• enhance interventions by taking into account the richness and complexity of innovation processes

• role for stakeholders and ‘enablers’ to advance sustainable innovation throughout the policy-making and implementation process