@article{(Open Science Index):https://publications.waset.org/pdf/10003263,
	  title     = {Customer Involvement in the Development of New Sustainable Products: A Review of the Literature},
	  author    = {Natalia Moreira and  Trevor Wood-Harper},
	  country	= {},
	  institution	= {},
	  abstract     = {The acceptance of sustainable products by the final
consumer is still one of the challenges of the industry, which
constantly seeks alternative approaches to successfully be accepted in
the global market. A large set of methods and approaches have been
discussed and analysed throughout the literature.  Considering the current need for sustainable development and the
current pace of consumption, the need for a combined solution
towards the development of new products became clear, forcing
researchers in product development to propose alternatives to the
previous standard product development models. This paper presents, through a systemic analysis of the literature
on product development, eco-design and consumer involvement, a set
of alternatives regarding consumer involvement towards the
development of sustainable products and how these approaches could
help improve the sustainable industry’s establishment in the general
market. Still being developed in the course of the author’s PhD, the initial
findings of the research show that the understanding of the benefits of
sustainable behaviour lead to a more conscious acquisition and
eventually to the implementation of sustainable change in the
consumer. Thus this paper is the initial approach towards the
development of new sustainable products using the fashion industry
as an example of practical implementation and acceptance by the
consumers. By comparing the existing literature and critically analysing it, this
paper concluded that the consumer involvement is strategic to
improve the general understanding of sustainability and its features.
The use of consumers and communities has been studied since the
early 90s in order to exemplify uses and to guarantee a fast
comprehension. The analysis done also includes the importance of
this approach for the increase of innovation and ground breaking
developments, thus requiring further research and practical
implementation in order to better understand the implications and
limitations of this methodology.},
	    journal   = {International Journal of Economics and Management Engineering},
	  volume    = {9},
	  number    = {8},
	  year      = {2015},
	  pages     = {2967 - 2973},
	  ee        = {https://publications.waset.org/pdf/10003263},
	  url   	= {https://publications.waset.org/vol/104},
	  bibsource = {https://publications.waset.org/},
	  issn  	= {eISSN: 1307-6892},
	  publisher = {World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology},
	  index 	= {Open Science Index 104, 2015},
	}