Adding Value of Agricultural Products through Packaging Design

Abstract

Packaging design for the current competitive market must consider packaging’s 5 functions: containment, convenience, protection, promotion, and communication. Packaging not only is used as marketing strategy for enhancing trademark and product identity but also can be used as 3D trademark to protect product from being copied locally and internationally

Prior to packaging design to increase values of agricultural products, three strategies, including design, technology, and marketing, must be identified.  Packaging must be designed according to these strategies to compete in local and international markets.  In addition o the good design, application of intellectual properties right can help in dealing with unfair competition of Thai agricultural products in world market.

Packaging design is divided into 2 components: structural and graphical design.  Structural design deals with material, production, packaging operation, closure, and cost.  Graphic design must consider marketing channel as well as regulation of the country of origin and those of destination market.  These are parts of the process for packaging research and development that includes both science and art to have commercial benefits.

Source: NPHT conference, Bangkok 2007 by Keynote speaker: Siriporn Peters

Research Collaboration with King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok, Thailand

Siriporn is working as a research collaborator with  researchers of Faculty of Industrial Education and Faculty of Architecture of King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok, Thailand from 2008-2009.

This project aims to develop sustainable product design, branding, and sustainable packahing design with people with physical disabilities in different communities in the central region of Thailand. It is in the progress right now.

Mr. Sophon ThinJinda is one of the partcipants who works as a multi-media producer in this team. He became a co-researcher in this research this year and help the researcher team to creat powerful message to communicate insights activities in disabled communities.

This website will be created and displayed soon.

Graduate Research Conference (GRC) at RMIT University

This is my 4th GRC. The main goal of this conference was to present the progress from the research field and my finding. I will monitor and evaluate the participants’ activities in the disabled community for 6 months. While I am monitoring their activities, the panel suggested that I should start writing my thesis for the 5th GRC in October 2009.

A case study in this research will demonstrate how communication design enable the participants create their own solutions based on their capabilities. In the 5th GRC, I plan to answer my research questions and explain the role and contribution of communication design in enabling sustainability.

Graduate Research Conference(GRC) is comming up.

I will present the progress of my research at RMIT University, City Campus, Building 8 Level 11  on May 30th, 2009 at 1:30-2:30pm.

For information: 2009 GRC booklet Com Des

Communication Design can make a different!

Communication Design can help the disabled who are illiterate understand complex situation and problems easily. Moreover, Communiction Design can enable the disabled to share their ideas and  develop their skills through practice.

A seed project

Developng Eco-products with people with physical disabilities in the Samutprakran community in Thailand is my seed project. This project is part of my Ph.D. research in School of Applied Communication at RMIT University, which is part of the creation of a sustainable livelihood for the disabled in Samutprakra community, Thailand as a case study.

 

 

 

Designed and produced by Mr. Boonyarat Konthong on December 25th, 2008. Photographed by Mrs. Siriporn Peters.

We need helps in natural dyed textile for this community if you would like to contribute please contact Mrs. Siriporn Peters. E-mail: siriporn.peters@student.rmit.edu.au

Find out more information about a seed project on March 31st, 2009 at 3:00-5:00 pm at the research lounge at RMIT University, City Campus or visit RMIT website: http://www.rmit.edu.au/seeds

Changing ways of thinking and behaving: Using participatory communication design for sustainable livelihood development

Abstract

Developing the necessary capabilities that enable people with physical disabilities to establish sustainable livelihoods is a long-term project which requires the participation and collaboration of local government organizations, non-government organizations, and the private sector. This paper discusses research that is currently being undertaken with the Samutprakan community. The disabled members of this community have various skills that can allow them to make a living. However, despite this many of the community members choose to sell lottery tickets in their community as there is a lot of demand in the market and it requires little skill to do so. Recently, the Government Lottery Office of Thailand introduced electronic tickets across Thai society thereby ceasing the need for the traditional methods of sale Consequently the livelihoods of disabled people in Thailand were threatened by the introduction of this new technology. The objective of this research was to investigate how participatory communication design enhances the capabilities of disabled people to achieve sustainable livelihoods and not be bound to external forces such as changes in government support. The methodology of this research was Participatory Action Research using Sustainable Livelihoods Framework. The participants had active roles and full participation in developing their own capabilities. This research was undertaken through design intervention in a particular community in Thailand. As a result, participatory communication design made ideas visible, and complex situations easier to understand. Moreover, it enabled the participants to analyze their own situations, make their own decisions, set their own goals, and take their own actions based on their capabilities. Developing capabilities requires full participation of the people whose livelihoods are affected by this process.

Keywords: participatory communication design, people with physical disabilities, capability development, sustainable livelihoods, Participatory Action Research.

This is the abstract for the Subjectivity, Creativity and the Institution conference. The conference was held at the John Curtin Gallery in Perth on the 9th and 10th of February 2009.

Communication Design for Sustainable Livelihoods in the Disabled Community in Thailand

Abstract: Livelihoods of people with disabilities in Thailand are invisible to Thai society. People who have had disabilities since birth or early childhood are often denied formal education and live in isolated environments. As a result, they have little formal education and difficulties with literacy, social and communication skills. Therefore, the objective of this research was to investigation the potential role and contribution of communication and communication design for developing sustainable livelihoods in disabled communities in Thailand. The methodology of this research was Participatory Action Research (PAR) using a Sustainable Livelihoods Framework. The participants of this research were physically disabled people in the Phrapradaeng community in Samutprakran. They had active roles in the research. Conclusion, communication and communication design have essential roles throughout the research process. The verbal and visual communication enabled the disabled people to share their view, understand complex problems, and develop their capabilities to reach full potential in achieving sustainable livelihoods.

This is the abstract for the Sustainable Development to Save the Earth conference. It was  held on April 7-9th, 2009 at Millennium Hilton Bangkok Hotel, Thailand.

Participatory Communication Design for Sustainable Livelihoods for the Communities of People with Physical Disabilities in Thailand

Abstract: The communities of people with physical disabilities in Thailand that I worked with are the communities of interests. They live in different area in the central region of Thailand. Most of them who have similar skills and live in proximity area tend to set up a group to produce and sell handicraft products in their community. Unfortunately their products are threatened by cheaper and imported products in the markets. Considering the cheaper and imported competition in the markets, the disabled people found that it was very difficult for them to make a living. Most of them had to give up their only chance to make a living. Therefore, the objective of this research aimed to investigate the potential role and contribution of participatory communication and participatory communication design to develop capabilities of people with physical disabilities to sustain their livelihoods and way of life. This research was done through a design intervention and a case study analysis. The methodology was Participatory Action Research using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework. The research procedures consisted of consultation, collecting data, taking actions and reflection, and monitoring and evaluation. The conclusion, participatory communication and participatory communication design plays the crucial part through out the research process to enable the disable community to reach their full potential to have sustainable livelihoods in the long-term.

This is the abstract for The 1st Thai and Japan International Academic Conference on November 21th, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan.

Research experience from field work

I just came back from Thailand. It was really productive trip. I was there from November 24th, 2008 to January 14th, 2009.

The experience from field work  is really rich of data that I need to  write it down as soon as I can before those memory and essence  go away.

At this stage, I try to capture all the details that I had experienced in the field as well as find the answer my research questions.

There were connections of  things that happened. It should reveal through my reflection.