About

Hello and welcome to my blog,

I am a part-time PhD student registered at the University of Wales in Cardiff in the National Centre for Product Design and Development Research. I am also a researcher and education liaison officer for Ecodesign Centre in Cardiff.

This blog is mostly about things related to my research, particularly ecodesign and innovation systems, but also about the challenges of writing a PhD and other design related issues that interest me. I hope the blog will help to disseminate my research in a less academic format while allowing input and comment from as many people as possible. Hopefully this will open some interesting discussions and push my thinking forward.

Study outline

Title: An implementation framework for enabling ecodesign and life-cycle thinking in SMEs through national and regional innovation systems

Aim: The aim of this study is to understand how National Innovation Systems (NIS) and subsequent policy mechanisms can increase the implementation of ecodesign and life-cycle thinking in SMEs.

Some of the key questions will include:

• How can improved understanding of the links between NIS and eco-innovation in SMEs be applied to policy-making and delivery?
• What is the evidence for how policy mechanisms have interacted to create drivers or barriers for the implementation of ecodesign and life-cycle thinking in SMEs?
• How can better policy mechanisms be developed?
• How would a more integrated policy mix (innovation, economic development, environmental etc.) promote eco-innovation and enable ecodesign and life-cycle thinking in SMEs?
• What can be learned from/shared with other regions?