Sustainable Design in the Developing World California Institute of Technology ME/E105 Product Design 9 November,‘04

Sustainable Design in Sustainable Design in the Developing Worldthe Developing World

California Institute California Institute

of Technologyof Technology

ME/E105 ME/E105

Product DesignProduct Design

9 November,‘049 November,‘04

SEC Ltd--M.Rosberg [email protected]

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Purpose of this Purpose of this LectureLecture

To consider impact of socio-economic factors upon sustainable design in the developing world


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What’s the INTENT What’s the INTENT (ie expected impact)(ie expected impact)

of Sustainable Design of Sustainable Design in Developing Worldin Developing World??????

Participants: please supply answer


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Scope of Presentation Scope of Presentation

To determine: – What constitutes SUSTAINABILITY

in the Developing World (as it relates to design)

– How to achieve sustainable designs in the developing world

(Design, per se, will not be discussed)


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Sustainable Design Sustainable Design ProcessProcess

For example:– Find a third world colleague with a

good idea (needed, profitable)

– Jointly develop the concept– Become joint owners (ie profit from it)

– Find financing

– Market it profitably

– Laugh all the way to the bank


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Overview of Overview of PresentationPresentation Metaphors & development

– Assumptions shape design strategies– Eg. People are right-handed –-scissors

Design strategies delimit success– Realistic designs for real-world interactions– Includes cultural factors (e.g. Lorena Stove)

A design project will be presented which requires a strategy– An effective procedure for achieving sustainable

design in the developing world Conclusion to be drawn:

– Sustainable design is development


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Metaphors and Metaphors and DevelopmentDevelopment Similes are

– Comparisons used to comprehend reality: e.g. “Oh my love is like a red, red rose.”

DANGER!! (for design product developers): a) Similes may become METAPHORS :

e.g. “Oh my love IS a red, red rose.”a) We may act on our (mis-)understandings:

e.g. “Lemme smell yer petals, Baby…”

(…and get pricked by the thorns… ) based on: Greenfield, Sidney M. Introduction to M.Rosberg. November

2004. The Power of Greed: Collective Action in International Development.

Edmonton: University of Alberta Press.


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A. Current Operating A. Current Operating MetaphorMetaphor

(Society is corn)Social Change is Organic growth* Immanent(seed) * Unilinear (1 rte)

* Unidirectional(1-way)* Cumulative(Σ of events)

Nisbet, Robert A. Social Change and History:Aspects of the Western Theory of Development (Oxford University Press, 1969)

UndevelopedDevelopingModern (WW Rostow)

– Establishment Strategy: Fix things up – Antiestablishment Strat: Revolt/Re-buildHence, DEVELOPMENT = perfecting the imperfect (ie a MORAL model)


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Problem with Problem with Organic Growth MetaphorOrganic Growth Metaphor

ie. Striving for the idea of modernity (ie. mine)

Ignores Realities of Third World– Patronage (ie Supplying assistance downwards-

ENSURES ALLEGIANCE)– Clientelism (ie Pleading upwards for assistance

& being grateful- ENSURES SECURITY) HENCE, real-world Patron/Client

systems differ from the organic growth metaphor

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Sustainable PovertySustainable Poverty© Michael Rosberg, 2004

Human Development Model (I ) How Poverty is Perpetuated

1. Scarcities

- f ood

- wat er & sanit at ion

- shelt er - income-gener at ion oppor t unit ies

- inf or mat ion

2. C lients ’ Behaviours -suppor t super ior s f or f avour s -compet e wit h peer s -punish inf er ior s t o exact obedience

3. Dependence & Scarcity A re Perpetuated Peer d isunity thwarts revolution C lient loyalty sustains patrons Patrons devour m ost resources Scarcity forces poor into arm s of patrons


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Two-way MinimaxingTwo-way Minimaxing(i.e. ‘Dynamic Stasis’)

NB: This is ‘mean’ behaviour – there’s a distribution out there…


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Survival strategies Survival strategies produced by patron/client produced by patron/client

relationsrelations (Examples from Belize)

Bad Mouthing– Spoil reputation

Blue Crab– Retard success

End Run– Ally w/ superior

In Your Face– Expose opponent’s flaws

Uncle Tom– Betray allies

Clearly such behaviours affect your sustainable design plans


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The Role of Politicians The Role of Politicians inin

Clientelist EconomiesClientelist Economies Niches

Investment

Import/Export

Local Markets

Transport

Roles

Screen loans

Supported by existing

companies

Supported by larger

vendors

Supported by larger

transporters


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What to expect What to expect ‘out there’‘out there’

Effects of Patronage Low trust and

solitary action Low self-esteem

Idealization of outsiders

Manifestation Fragile, shifting

alliances Reticence,

‘laziness’ Dependency,

canonization of foreign engineer


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Survival strategy Survival strategy operationalized operationalized

(e.g. Caltech grad works w/ Belizean (e.g. Caltech grad works w/ Belizean colleague)colleague)

‘Mean’ Belizean colleague

will be engaged in bilateral,

opportunistic relationships

within a clientelist context– ie Belizean colleague will be ‘minimaxing’ for survival with

local peers– To be successful: Caltech engineer will have to define a

effective strategy for him-/herself


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B. Darwinian Metaphor of B. Darwinian Metaphor of Populational Decision-Populational Decision-

MakingMaking (Society as a herd of buffalo)1.Individuals form populations (herd,Americans)

2.Means and variations can be abstracted statistically—we call these ‘institutions’—eg.marriage

3.But only individuals have reality (herd preferences & “’normal” Christian marriages between a man and a woman’ are both statistical abstractions)

4.‘Best’ strategy ‘wins’; followers adapt (natural selection, decision-making)

5.Change results (Disease resistance, social change)SOURCE: Greenfield, Sidney M. and Arnold Strickon, eds. 1985

Entrepreneurship and Social Change. Washington, D.C.: University Press of America


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Example of Social Example of Social ChangeChange(Darwinian)


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Advantages of Darwinian Advantages of Darwinian Metaphor of Social Metaphor of Social

ChangeChange1. Doesn’t impose irrelevant models

upon local reality (undevdev’ingmodern)

2. An ECONOMIC model (costs & benefits)3. Focuses on initiatives of individuals4. Examines distributions as well as

mean behaviours5. Considers strategies to be function of

conditions (memories+natural environment+ other actors)


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Circumventing 2-way Circumventing 2-way MinimaxingMinimaxing

(By Using the Darwinian Metaphor)(By Using the Darwinian Metaphor)

1. Problem:A must exploit B to survive2. Result: ‘dynamic stasis’ - A & B punish one another3. Problem: Foreign engineer enters a

battlefield: alliance with A alienates B4. Result: appropriate design lost to B in

ensuing warfare-innovations don’t impact broadly

5. NEEDED: way to engage develop appropriate design within context of clientelism


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Design DevelopmentDesign Development(Clash or Collaboration??)

A. Clash Organic Growth Metaphor-

Confrontation:

US (developed) vs. THEM (developing)

B. Collaboration Decision-Making Metaphor-

Economic Engagement:

Mutual advantage-taking(for mutual benefit)


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3-way Minimaxing3-way Minimaxing(Creative environment w/in clientelism)


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3-way 3-way MinimaxingMinimaxing

EnablesEnables

‘‘Sustainable Sustainable Design’Design’

• Design engineers can work profitably with local counterparts to:•Develop and market innovative designs (ie. Products in demand)


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Characteristics of Characteristics of ‘Sustainable Design’ ‘Sustainable Design’ (1/2)(1/2)

Helps break bonds of dependency (i.e. security substitution)

Responds creatively to greed

Pre-costed entrepreneurial strategy

Maximizes effective collectives

(e.g. Caltech engineer, him/her, others?)


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Characteristics of Characteristics of ‘Sustainable Design’ ‘Sustainable Design’ (2/2)(2/2)

Converts private greed into collective benefits (3-way mechanism)

Straddles multiple strategies (iterative liberation)

Evolves relationships from benign dictatorship to democracy (balance of power: you and him/her), and

Elicits cross-class business alliances (local investors)


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Applying the Model to a Applying the Model to a Design ChallengeDesign Challenge

Design Example:Small Farm Solar Powered Food Dryer

Design concept: Lloyd Pandy-Pueblo Escondido Organic Farm [email protected]


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Applying the Model to a Applying the Model to a Design ChallengeDesign Challenge

Design concept: Lloyd Pandy-Pueblo Escondido Organic Farm [email protected]


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Why not just come up Why not just come up with a good design??with a good design??

Objective: Increase small farmer income1.One farmer has submitted the

request2.S/he competes with neighbouring

farmers (2-way minimaxing)

3.Assisting him/her exacerbates tensions4.This farmer lacks skills as industrial

entrepreneur (produce/market device) 5.The innovation will be ‘horded’ and won’t bring

economic benefits to small farmers


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Specific ObstaclesSpecific Obstacles

Bad Mouthing

Blue Crab

End Run

In Your Face

Uncle Tom

Neighbours will denigrate solar dryer farmer (sdf)

Actions taken to frustrate sdf

Farmer’s employees may ally with hostile neighbours

Direct confrontation with sdf

Neighbours get authorities to bring charges against sdf


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What to do insteadWhat to do instead(3-way Minimaxing)

1. Pull together a ‘business team’ of small farmer-investors (joint owners of concept)

2. Develop the concept together3. Involve local financiers (bank/credit

union/capitalists)4. Leave door open for additional

investor members 5. Lock everybody into an iron-clad, legal body6. Include issues of production, packaging and

marketing in the design(the patrons are ‘circling’)

7. Arrange nationally for appropriate skills training (Directors/Management, etc.)


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A Couple of Final PointsA Couple of Final PointsRelevant design:

– Uses affordable, local materials– Easily operated; locally repaired– Builds on known mechanisms

Effective relationships:– The Great, White, American

paternalist is not welcome– Determine others’ strengths;

maximize them; relate to peers w/ differing skills


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SummarySummary‘Sustainable Design’: more than an

engineering challenge– Affected by: learned behaviours + environment +

social interactions‘Clientelism’:

– Often evokes: 2-way minimaxing (‘dynamic stasis’)

3-Way Minimaxing: trumps dynamic stasis– Facilitates: Liberation from patrons (ie development)

‘Sustainable Design’=‘socio-engineering’


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The EndSustainable Design in Sustainable Design in the Developing Worldthe Developing World

Thanks !!

Documents

Sustainable Design in the Developing World California Institute of Technology ME/E105 Product Design 9 November,‘04