Integration of an Eco-ethical strategy into product life cycle in Nairobi

Abstract

The thesis advanced in this study is the current local and global environmental ethics issue in product development policies within the framework of the ever growing customer demands. The study explores the current urgent need for appropriate product design structures: practical tools and eco-awareness among stakeholders in the product design process and throughout the entire product life cycle. Existing literature decries the current deplorable state of global environment and its myriad effects on health, habitat and future generations. It also points to the great global concern for the environment and efforts by lndlvlduals, government and international agencies to mitigate these adverse effects.

The literature further apportions currently available methods of assimilating environmental aspects into product design and the product life cycle. On the Kenyan situation, available literature decries the incapacity and apathy in dealing with environmental issues and documents the growing crisis of haphazard heaps of solid waste. The study highlights these growing haphazard heaps of illegally dumped waste and its ecological effects on the living environment in Nairobi city. It hypothesised that incorporating eco-aspects in the product design and product life cycle would mitigate this problem.

The objective was to evaluate the design process with the aim of investigating the level of incorporation of eco-ethical consideration in design. The study further sought to determine the effects of an eco-ethical consideration in the product design process so as to come up with other design models that could mitigate adverse effects on the environment. Using a.multiple case study approach. the study collected and analysed quantitative development. (The product design process). where the designer actually integrates and qualitative data from' primary and secondary sources. While quantitative data was collected using questionnaires. ·qualitative inquiry was through observation and focus group discussions. Analysis was done through varied method including statistical paekagefor social sciences for windows while qualitative data was analysed through thematic analysis methods.

Data obtained through observation was recorded in photographic format and analysed through classification method. The classifier algorithm took a set of parameters (or feature) that characterised the objects of study (or instance) and-used them to determine the type (or class).