The use of environmentally responsible design in the strategic visioning of new product development.

Exploratory qualitative research of an individual from each of seven firms was used to assess the application of environmentally responsible design (ERD) in each firm's new product development (NPD) strategic visioning process.

The research examined five literature derived hypotheses and a set of natural environment based questions using an open format interview protocol.

Both personal- and firm-level perspectives on how environmental considerations applied to NPD in their firms were assessed.

The data collected included the managerial, technological and marketing views as well as the interactions between these views.

The results demonstrated that there are eight interconnected factors that influence the degree to which a firm can utilize ERD to create a long-term strategic vision for their NPD process that does not degrade natural systems.

The factors include: (1) Value Alignment and the Long-term Perspective; (2) Alignment of Personal and Firm Values; (3) Environmental Values Ascending Toward Natural Systems; (4) Innovation Fulcrum Model; (5) Synergistic Thinking; (6) Bellwether Visionaries; (7) Bellwether Visionaries and the Innovation Fulcrum Model; (8) Environmental Design Road Map.