BOOKS AND SUBLXCATX©N$

Barriers to innovation in the EEC Piatier, A, 'Barriers to innovation' Frances Pinter, London (1984) 260pp, £16.50

This book is an English translation of a report, originally written in French, summarizing the results of a study undertaken by a working group drawn from various depart- ments of the Commission of the European Communities. The work- ing group, which was set up by the Directorate-General for Information Market and Innovation (DG XIII in European Commission jargon) to in- vestigate barriers to innovation caused by government action, con- ducted a survey of the literature and commissioned national studies by consultants from eight EEC coun- tries, including the UK.

With such a pedigree, it is perhaps hardly surprising that the structure and language of this book is at times impenetrable and that bureaucratic jargon abounds. However, there are some very useful nuggets of informa- tion, and some new insights, buried in this mass of matieral. For exam- ple, in Part 1 of the book; there is a valuable classification of levels of innovation by degree of novelty. This includes a category for, and discussion of the place of, design in innovation.

Part 2 of the book, which is based on the eight national reports (pub- fished separately), really gets down to the question of barriers to innova- tion. The focus is on the effects of government action (e.g. regulations, patent law, antimonopoly measures) on the innovative activities of small and medium-sized enterprises. Here the most useful section is Chapter 5, which provides a highly comprehen- sive matrix showing the impacts of different government actions and policies on various stages of the innovation process.

The book ends with some interest- ing conclusions and recommenda- tions aimed at EEC governments.

One of the recommendations is the radical idea of a Common Market of Innovation. The aim of this would be to encourage the enterprises of the EEC to collaborate in innovation in order to help accelerate Europe into a world-leading position in the in- dustries of the Third Industrial Revolution--the familiar 'sunrise' industries: electronics, telecom- munications, biotechnology, new energy technology, etc.

The book has an extensive refer- ence list, that includes many French publications in the field that may not be familiar to English readers. In summary a book to be dipped into rather than read through in detail.

Robin Roy

Standards

"Standards, regulations, certification and approvals" ACARD, HMSO, London, UK (1980) 108pp

Standards should embody good and sound industrial practice for the manufacture of well designed pro- ducts. Standards are expected to arise from industry and professional bodies and to have the support of government in administration and U s e .

This booklet rehearses UK prac- tices and shows how few of the published standards become the sub- ject of legal requirements. This posi- tion may change with the coming of product liability legislation and the possible exploitation of defensive arguments regarding design accord- hag to standards, etc. The situation in other industrial countries is re- viewed: France, Germany, Japan, the USA. Although international col- laboration is high for standards it is low for certification and regulatory processes. This leads to problems for exporters and designers, particularly at the level of small companies.

Special information is provided about product sectors: electronic components, videotex systems, in-

dustrial fasteners, and metal- and plastic-framed windows. The details are reported in an appendix. There is a difference between mature products and new products.

Space is devoted to comment on costs and benefits of standards.

Sydney Gregory

First state the problem, say the Danes Bernsen, ] 'Design: the problem comes first" Danish Design Council, Copenhagen, De- nmark (1983) 120pp Dkr 150

This is an attractive picturebook published by the Danish Design Council to accompany the exhibition of Danish product design held at the Boilerhouse, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK in 1983.

The book shows 26 designs. Each is presented in a format of one page for stating the problem and one for the solution, plus two pages of photographs or illustrations. It is all very neat and sensible and Danish design-like. The binding is a bit weak though, and if you casually flick through the book you will find it perpetually falls open at double- page photographic spreads, thus giv- ing the impression of not having much content. This annoying habit is caused by the interleaving of tracing paper pages: an unnecessary bit of design. The impression is better if you methodically work through the book.

Danish design ranges from Lego blocks to Velux rooflights. These are included here, plus 'a pump which is a diagram of its problem statement', 'a mixing bowl which is what a mixing bowl wants to be', 'a vacuum jug with a lid that opens by itself' and many other rather quaint state- ments of the problem.

The designs are all very nice, but does the problem really come first?

Nigel Cross

Vol 6 No 2 April 1985 115