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This does not only apply to stakeholders as such, but also and importantly to conferences. Over the past years, a number of conference series have been organized in
addition to the LCM conferences in Europe and those in key emerging economies as
mentioned before ranging from EcoBalance in Japan, the Australian LCA Conference
to CILCA in Latin America, InLCA in the USA and [avnir] in France. Coordination
among those conferences would help not only with regards to dates, but also on content focus and international visibility, for instance by ensuring that key messages and
white paper with topics relevant for LCM are spread quickly around the world.
4.2 Space to Identify New Contacts, Apart from Conferences
While conferences are a great place to learn about new projects, latest research and
to network, they do not facilitate regular exchange. In addition, while conferences
technically offer a great way to get to know new people and identify possible
collaboration opportunities, the reality is different. Most participants have a pretty
full schedule and have little to no time to identify and meet potentially interesting
colleagues and stakeholders, outside of their already existing networks and small
circles. As a consequence, a life cycle community organization would need to
establish a mechanism that facilitates the process of fi nding interesting connections
outside of conferences.
4.3 Space to Collaborate with Colleagues
Another important element to foster the identifi cation of stakeholders with the
community would be to establish a way that fosters and enhances collaboration. To
this end a platform where new ideas could be pitched to the community or research
shared would need to be put in place. Enabling interaction among community
members needs to be a crucial element, as it has been established before that better
ways to collaborate and co-create are needed.
4.4 Space to Develop a Coherent Messaging
Finally, the platform identifi ed before should also be used to work jointly on a clear
and coherent messaging, for instance on recommendations on how to put life cycle
management in business practice. In this context, in order to establish a shared sense
of community and belonging, a specifi c set of principles should be established that
community members cannot only subscribe to, but have co-developed.
Above all, the community organization should seek to be as inclusive as possible
to provide members with a sense of empowerment. The idea should be to enable
members to speak for and on behalf of the community and thus instead of being
represented, represent themselves.
20 Communication and Collaboration as Essential Elements…
This does not only apply to stakeholders as such, but also and importantly to conferences. Over the past years, a number of conference series have been organized in
addition to the LCM conferences in Europe and those in key emerging economies as
mentioned before ranging from EcoBalance in Japan, the Australian LCA Conference
to CILCA in Latin America, InLCA in the USA and [avnir] in France. Coordination
among those conferences would help not only with regards to dates, but also on content focus and international visibility, for instance by ensuring that key messages and
white paper with topics relevant for LCM are spread quickly around the world.
4.2 Space to Identify New Contacts, Apart from Conferences
While conferences are a great place to learn about new projects, latest research and
to network, they do not facilitate regular exchange. In addition, while conferences
technically offer a great way to get to know new people and identify possible
collaboration opportunities, the reality is different. Most participants have a pretty
full schedule and have little to no time to identify and meet potentially interesting
colleagues and stakeholders, outside of their already existing networks and small
circles. As a consequence, a life cycle community organization would need to
establish a mechanism that facilitates the process of fi nding interesting connections
outside of conferences.
4.3 Space to Collaborate with Colleagues
Another important element to foster the identifi cation of stakeholders with the
community would be to establish a way that fosters and enhances collaboration. To
this end a platform where new ideas could be pitched to the community or research
shared would need to be put in place. Enabling interaction among community
members needs to be a crucial element, as it has been established before that better
ways to collaborate and co-create are needed.
4.4 Space to Develop a Coherent Messaging
Finally, the platform identifi ed before should also be used to work jointly on a clear
and coherent messaging, for instance on recommendations on how to put life cycle
management in business practice. In this context, in order to establish a shared sense
of community and belonging, a specifi c set of principles should be established that
community members cannot only subscribe to, but have co-developed.
Above all, the community organization should seek to be as inclusive as possible
to provide members with a sense of empowerment. The idea should be to enable
members to speak for and on behalf of the community and thus instead of being
represented, represent themselves.
20 Communication and Collaboration as Essential Elements…