Glenn Johnson asks about the relationships between design, theory,
marketing and environment. The post was so rich with interlayered -- and
ambiguous -- possibilities that it is difficult to answer properly.

Several short answers stand out,

1) In the knowledge economy, anyone who intends to do anything well will
generally have a relationship to theory.

2) Design is not only "a profession aimed directly towards sales." Design
involves a rich complex of activities and outputs. Many aspects of design
are aimed at the non-profit sector and the service sector. Many aspects of
the design professional that work with the profit-making sector are, in
fact, involved in quality improvements, cost reduction, sustainable
manufacturing, reducing raw inputs and much more. To label design as "a
profession aimed directly towards sales" without recognizing these other
issues suggest a view that is not informed by contemporary design practice.
It certainly is not informed by the many concerns that are central to
business and industry.

3) Loewy (and Gropius) are important historical figures. Loewy is long
obsolete, and many industrial executives today would simply reject his
views and practices.

4) Waste continues. That's a fact. To suggest, however, that "wind-up
radios, green design theories, etc. ... (are) ... not what is really
happening" demonstrates a lack of knowledge about what is happening. Waste
thrives, and so do all these other issues and practices. It's a big world.
Hundreds of governments and jurisdictions, thousands of sets of laws,
markets and regulations overlap. The practices that seemed productive and
innocent a century or two back are known to be problems today, but turning
industry toward a different path takes time. We might not survive lon
enough to make the transition, but people are concerned -- and some of
those concerned people run major industrial corporations, and they do,
indeed, demonstrate concern for green design.

5) Glenn Johnson asks, "What was the last 'green' injection molding anyone,
anywhere purchased?"

I don't have the answer to this question. The answer will take research.
Before I invest more time in that kind of research, I'd like a series of
questions framed to demonstrate knowledge of contemporary industrial
practice rather than cynical resignation.

My experience is that a bit of serious research will, indeed, turn up
examples of ecologically responsible injection molding, and examples of
environmentally sustainable practices in every corner of industry. There
will also be counter-examples of pollution, damaging and irresponsible
practices. The point is that Mr. Johnson asks for one example only,
suggesting that it can't be found and that this rhetorical probe
demonstrates the situation. I suggest that an example exists and that this
sort of rhetoric calls for research rather than simple declamation.

6) Summary ...

Contemporary markets -- industrial and retail -- and contemporary marketing
practice do reflect these concerns. Current marketing thought increasingly
embraces the responsibility of marketing to long-term sustainable growth,
genuine responsibility to the customer and long-range social responsibility
to the extended constituency implicit in any market.

This may not be the majority perspective, but it is a serious perspective
supported by theory, by research and by the profitability of those
companies that embrace these kinds of concerns.


Ken Friedman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Leadership and Strategic Design
Department of Knowledge Management
Norwegian School of Management

+47 22.98.51.07 Direct line
+47 22.98.51.11 Telefax

Home office:

+46 (46) 53.245 Telephone
+46 (46) 53.345 Telefax

email: [log in to unmask]




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