Section: Fundamentals of Supply Chain Management

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a methodology used to assess the environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a product's life, from raw material extraction through to processing, manufacturing, distribution, use, and disposal or recycling. When a manufacturing process replaces a raw material with an alternative that reduces emissions, it is applying principles of LCA. This approach helps in understanding the overall environmental footprint of a product and finding opportunities to reduce negative impacts, such as emissions, by evaluating alternative materials and processes.
:
Baumann, H., & Tillman, A.M. (2004). The Hitch Hiker's Guide to LCA. An orientation in life cycle assessment methodology and application. Studentlitteratur AB.
ISO 14040:2006 Environmental management - Life cycle assessment - Principles and framework.

Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is a systematic process for gathering customer requirements and ensuring they are incorporated into the design and planning of a new product or service. Here's how it works:
* Customer Voice: QFD begins with collecting and understanding customer needs and expectations, often referred to as the "voice of the customer."
* House of Quality: These needs are translated into design requirements through a tool called the House of Quality, which helps prioritize features based on customer importance.
* Cross-Functional Teams: QFD involves cross-functional teams to ensure that all relevant perspectives (e.g., marketing, engineering, manufacturing) are considered in the design process.
* Integration: The process ensures that customer needs are systematically integrated into product design, reducing the risk of missing key features or quality attributes.
QFD is thus a comprehensive approach to ensuring that customer needs are central to product development from the outset.
References:
* Akao, Y. (1990). Quality Function Deployment: Integrating Customer Requirements into Product Design. Productivity Press.
* Cohen, L. (1995). Quality Function Deployment: How to Make QFD Work for You. Addison-Wesley.