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This is a preliminary research proposal to study the economic and environmental burden generated by the overproduction and distribution of printed marketing documents from the perspective of recipients. The study includes recipient use and ultimate disposition of the documents.
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Copyright © Nick D. Barzelay, 2009. All rights reserved.
A Study in Concept
Sustainability and the Economic Impact of Excess Printed Documents Disposal
Copyright © Nick D. Barzelay, 2009. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Nick D. Barzelay, 2009. All rights reserved.
IntroductionA majority of industry studies and surveys are based on print producers or print customersThis constrains data to time, cost, materials, energy consumed to produce printMeasures of effectiveness are constrained to marketing response tracking (if evaluated)
What recipients do with delivered print, and any follow-on costs related to selected disposition alternatives, remains either unevaluated or under evaluated
Copyright © Nick D. Barzelay, 2009. All rights reserved.
Study Background
Initial questions came from an ongoing study of VDP technology and an analysis of VDP document types
Research for 2 books and an informal year-long study of mail content delivered to the researcher piqued further interest
This research topic remains in a conceptual state until sponsorship and funding can be identified
Copyright © Nick D. Barzelay, 2009. All rights reserved.
Hypothesis
Some document production is excessive
Excessive production wastes scarce resources
Excessive production creates unnecessary environmental burdens
Excessive production deflates any economic benefits or advantages that may be realized from the documents produced
Copyright © Nick D. Barzelay, 2009. All rights reserved.
SignificanceEnergy production and consumption is a critical issue in sustainability and economic termsCarbon-based resources are increasingly scarceResidual affects from carbon-based consumption appear demonstrable:
Climate change and weatherPolar ice melt and ocean levelsPotential extinction of some plant and animal speciesPotential changes in population distributions and economic activity
Copyright © Nick D. Barzelay, 2009. All rights reserved.
Delimitations
No problem solution or policy recommendations
Not an engineering efficiency or process study
Not a cost/benefit or cost/effectiveness study
Not a “document retention” study
Not a study of a single document type
Not a study of “digital vs. offset”
Not a study of “Web or email vs. print”
Copyright © Nick D. Barzelay, 2009. All rights reserved.
Document ClassificationBy Disposition:
Use and retainUse and disposeRetain onlyDispose unused
By Type:Static - addressed (specific or general)Variable - personalized beyond addressing
By PurposeAdvertisementBusiness TransactionInformative (newspaper, magazine, newsletter)
By MediaMultipage (multi-page, catalog, journal, bound material)EnvelopedMailer or Postcard
Copyright © Nick D. Barzelay, 2009. All rights reserved.
Study ElementsProduction
MaterialsProcessingLabor
DistributionWarehousingTransportationLabor
Disposition (at destination) - refer to prior slideDisposal
TransportationProcessingLabor
Copyright © Nick D. Barzelay, 2009. All rights reserved.
Research Questions What is the average percentage of disposed documents in the destination sample?
What is the average production cost of a single document page?
What is the average weight of a single document page?
What is the average disposal cost per pound of document pages?
Copyright © Nick D. Barzelay, 2009. All rights reserved.
Questions (continued)What is the estimated delivery cost for the average destination sample?
What is the derived delivery cost for that percentage disposed at destination?
What is calculated weight for that percentage disposed at destination?
What is the calculated collection and processing costs for that percentage disposed at destination?
Copyright © Nick D. Barzelay, 2009. All rights reserved.
Methodology
1. Destination sampling
2. Production cost analysis
3. Distribution cost analysis
4. Disposal cost analysis
5. Cost modeling
Copyright © Nick D. Barzelay, 2009. All rights reserved.
Expected Results
1. The relative significance or insignificance of excess document production
2.An analytical model and methodology for any warranted follow-on study
3.A baseline for any additional study or further measurement - especially if any mitigation activity is implemented
Copyright © Nick D. Barzelay, 2009. All rights reserved.
Potential Follow-onIdentification of potential alternatives to excessive print production Comparative economic analysis to evaluate alternativesComparative policy analysis to evaluate alternativesComparative labor analysis to evaluate alternativesOngoing measurement and tracking if any mitigation activities are implemented
Copyright © Nick D. Barzelay, 2009. All rights reserved.
Challenges
Scope of the study
Training for survey participants
Survey design and sampling size determination
Survey execution
Availability of cost data for some study elements
Copyright © Nick D. Barzelay, 2009. All rights reserved.
Next Steps
Resolve initial sponsorship and funding
Identify preliminary study team
Identify study facilities and tools
Plan and conduct feasibility study
If feasible, define project plan