Marcel Crul | NHL Stenden University (original) (raw)

Papers by Marcel Crul

British Food Journal, 2016

Purpose – Vietnamese agro-food firms are often small and have short value chains. They are facing... more Purpose – Vietnamese agro-food firms are often small and have short value chains. They are facing increasing competition from multinationals to serve the consumers of the rising middle class. It is assumed that co-creation or open-innovation can be a competitive innovation strategy for the Vietnamese firms. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to understand whether the agro-food firms have the “mental space” or an according mindset to innovate with their customers. Design/methodology/approach – A three dimensional model of “mental innovation space” (MIS) was developed, comprising of the: focus of innovation, level of innovation and degree of collaboration. A total of 14 Vietnamese agro-food companies agreed to embark on a process of problem definition for innovation according to these three dimensions. This process creates a deeper understanding of the firms’ fuzzy front end of innovation and results in less hypothetical findings, compared with traditional interviews. Findings – The results show that the Vietnamese agro-food firms have a rather small MIS. They are inexperienced with innovation in new product development and are even more unfamiliar with co-creation. However, the firms recognise the need for innovation and are enthusiastic about the use of co-creation. The applications of co-creation firms foresee are close to the market, motivated by meeting customer demand and keeping up with competitors. Originality/value – The characteristics and willingness of the Vietnamese agro-food firms make that it is believed an open atmosphere can be created. Then, co-creation can foster innovation in order to strengthen their competitive position.

Journal of Cleaner Production, 2016

In Vietnam, the middle class is expected to grow from 12 million to 33 million people between 201... more In Vietnam, the middle class is expected to grow from 12 million to 33 million people between 2012 and 2020. The growth causes an increase as well as a shift in consumption. Products that were not accessible or affordable before will become increasingly so, such as cars, dishwashers, meat products and air-conditioning. In urban areas the changes are most prominent and so are the side effects: increased amounts of waste, smog, pollution and use of fossil energy or pesticides. The main objective of this study was to identify sustainable behaviour that followed or did not follow from the intervention project GetGreen Vietnam. 604 urban middle class consumers participated in a series of sustainable consumption trainings. Before, during and after the trainings, quantitative and qualitative data was collected on 90 sustainable actions. 64% of the participants self-reported to be engaged in a sustainable action before the intervention and this percentage increased to 80% after. The group environment and activity-based meetings of GetGreen Vietnam project (GGVN) were critical for the success of the intervention. Participants reported that before GGVN certain actions were already habitual as a money saving strategy (e.g. sparse electricity use or food leftovers re-use) or due to past scarcity (e.g. sparse water use). Many participants reported the intention to buy sustainable products but fewer participants took action to do so. A powerful strategy toward more sustainable consumption in Vietnam can be to create more group-based activities around the themes of energy and shopping for food. A twofold approach is needed that both installs new sustainable consumption patterns and keeps old habits rooted in daily rituals. Role models should set an example for the young population and consumers and (Vietnamese) producers should be better connected to increase mutual trust and transparency.

Industrial designers are used to applying their skills to modify or change user’s behaviour, indu... more Industrial designers are used to applying their skills to modify or change user’s behaviour, inducing attributes to the product to empower/inhibit the use into a certain direction (e.g. scripts). These approaches might bring the desired results, and modify behaviour to one that favors sustainability. Such approaches, however, have a major defect, because they diminish the agency of the user. As a result they cannot help the user to shift to a discursive level and actively start thinking about energy. This paper presents a qualitative study of 8 Dutch households, whose occupants used a clipon energy-meter for a month and made significant changes to their practices in order to be more environmentally responsible. The primary aim of the study was to explore how energy feedback and social learning affect people’s understanding, attitudes and behaviour. A participatory approach followed applying conventional ethnographic methods in order to gain insights on what people “say, think, do an...

International Journal of Consumer Studies, 2015

ABSTRACT Sustainability, emerging economies, sustainable lifestyles, Asia, Behaviour change, Food

Note for interested readers: If you are interested in this paper, please download the new version... more Note for interested readers: If you are interested in this paper, please download the new version with THE UPDATED NAME: Context Variation by Design It supersedes all versions of this document.

ABSTRACT A major challenge for sustainable resource use lies in the renovation of existing buildi... more ABSTRACT A major challenge for sustainable resource use lies in the renovation of existing buildings. Different methods are used to engage residents to increase their knowledge, affirm their intent to act, and eventually to make modifications to their homes. In an exploratory research project, design-led participatory approaches were used to gain insights into how these might help to engage the beneficiaries of sustainable renovation. The research project was undertaken by means of six “Labs”. These Labs were workshops with topics drawn from the general area of sustainable renovation and involved direct beneficiaries as participants. To assess the results, organising partners were interviewed and participants were asked to evaluate the activities in a short interview or with a questionnaire. The main conclusion of the research was that design-led, participatory approaches were seen to add value when they result in “emerging knowledge transfer”, i.e., knowledge that is created in the process through interactions between peers and experts. This research has therefore contributed insights into how such approaches can complement the transfer of known knowledge. An important point emerging from the discussion is that organisers need to consider whether the value of this type of knowledge transfer outweighs the extra effort that is required to undertake it. In follow-up research the effects of specific techniques on the intended, and actual, behaviour change and implementation phases might be assessed.

Product Innovation in Sustainable Energy Technologies, 2012

The Journal of Sustainable Product Design, 2001

During the last decade eco-design has been tested and im-plemented successfully in Eu-rope, USA, ... more During the last decade eco-design has been tested and im-plemented successfully in Eu-rope, USA, Australia and Japan. However, in many parts of the world, particularly in newly indus-trialising countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa, the experi-ences with eco-...

In this book, the authors answer the questions: What is sustainable product development and why i... more In this book, the authors answer the questions: What is sustainable product development and why is it important? What are the main drivers of sustainable product development? They explain how design can help to control human impact on the environment by not only minimising pollution, waste, energy use and use of scarce resources, but also by thinking outside the box to create systems and services that can reduce the number of products manufactured. The aim is to put sustainable development within a commercial context and ...