Craft and industry : Investigating the nature and value of collaboration between crafts practitioners and manufacturers within the new product develpment process.

The thesis investigates the nature and value of crafts knowledges in the context of the new product development (NPD) process. Its aim is to develop an empirically-derived understanding of the potential benefits for both crafts practitioners and manufacturers of collaborative NPD, and of the factors influencing its outcome.The study adopted a grounded theory methodology, deriving theory from the lived experiences of participants in collaborative projects. Crafts practitioners, crafts-based manufacturers and designers with differing backgrounds and motivations were interviewed in relation to their own perceptions and experiences of the NPD process and its management. From this study, a network of inter-related case studies was developed, enabling comparative evaluation to be undertaken. Data analysis was conducted in relation to an emerging theoretical framework which drew upon an ongoing, critical review of literature relating to theories of design management, cognitive psychology, communication in design, and craft and design epistemologies. The thesis finds that the manufacturers' NPD activities were facilitated by the involvement of crafts practitioners, which resulted in significant intangible gains in addition to successful product outcomes. Collaboration was discovered in exemplary cases to enhance competitiveness, mobilising latent knowledge-based resources and learning capabilities, whilst initiating developments in organisational culture. For the crafts practitioners interviewed, the industrial environment was discovered to offer new affordances and constraints, which could then become a catalyst to creativity.In summary, the research: identifies the impact of crafts knowledges on the NPD process and its intangible outcomes. proposes strategies for the rejuvenation of the crafts-based industries. identifies problems inherent in collaboration and factors influencing project outcome. proposes implications for practitioners, manufacturers, educators and training providers. critiques theoretical advocacy for crafts-industry collaboration.