Are efficiency improvements in the use of natural resources the key for sustainable development, are they the solution to environmental problems, or will second round effects - so-called rebound effects - compensate or even overcompensate potential savings, will they fire back? The answer to...

Are efficiency improvements in the use of natural resources the key for sustainable development, are they the solution to environmental problems, or will second round effects –so-called rebound effects- compensate or even overcompensate potential savings, will they fire back? The answer to...

We analyze firms' investment in product innovation when there are heterogeneous consumer switching costs in markets with an industry leader. We show that higher switching costs require a successful entrant to charge a higher price and increase investment in product innovation to remain...

This paper summarises some of the content and conclusions of a new book which discusses the innovation, design and evolution of six consumer products – bicycles, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, electric lamps, television and mobile (cell) phones – from their original inventions to the...

Product innovation, a decisive factor in modern economies, is usually analyzed from one point of view - that of the producers. A more realistic approach to the subject would add at least four dimensions to a consideration of the topic: the perspective of consumers and the cultural context within...

Netnography i.e. the systematic observation and analysis of online communities to generate insights for an innovation process, has been established as a method of user innovation in consumer goods industries. In this study we apply this technique for the first time in the context of a complex,...