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Improving competitiveness in businesses through the application of product design as a knowledge creation management tool
Author(s)
Groenewald, Jurie
Date Issued
2009
Type
Thesis
Publisher
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Abstract
Many South African businesses experience a lack of competitiveness against a background of
increasing globalised competition. One of the reasons for the lack of competitiveness in South African
businesses is as a result of a lack of innovation. In response, many scholars have concluded that
design can contribute to the competitiveness of a company. Distinguished and refereed business
journals have published articles that claim design can have value.
One of the causes of the lack of innovation could be that managers do not use design as widely as it
might be. Some say that it is mainly as a result of a poor understanding of the benefits of design. This
prompted the research question: How can the competitiveness of businesses be improved through the
application of product design as a knowledge creation management tool? This question was
investigated by a combination of a literature survey, construction of a conceptual model, a
questionnaire survey, a focus group discussion and a curriculum content analysis. Through a literature study evidence was presented that design could contribute to innovation, which
could add a competitive edge and could lead to commercial success, provided it is managed properly.
Unfortunately, managers do not use design as widely as it might be as a result of a poor
understanding of the contribution of design. This raises the question, how can the understanding of
design be improved? An alternative to the traditional views was presented whereby product design
can be used as a knowledge creation management tool. In this regard, a framework was proposed,
which indicated product design as both a user and a producer of knowledge. This framework could
assist managers to acquire a sufficient understanding of design. The next step is to ask what
managers should understand about design in order to use it as a knowledge creation management
tool. A questionnaire survey managed to distinguish, in a statistically significant manner, between certain
items that were indicated by the respondents as important for managers to understand and other
items that the respondents felt were unimportant. In general, the items that were design specific, such
as conceptualisation and the psychology of creativity, were indicated as unimportant and the items
close to managing a business, such as the writing of a creative brief and the risk factors, were
indicated as important for managers to know. Two focus group discussions agreed in the main with
the results of the questionnaire survey, but with one exception. One group felt that managers should
have a basic understanding of the whole design process. Another aspect of importance was that the
manager should trust the designer. The groups also suggested a number of topics that should be
included in a curriculum on a basic understanding of product design for management students.
increasing globalised competition. One of the reasons for the lack of competitiveness in South African
businesses is as a result of a lack of innovation. In response, many scholars have concluded that
design can contribute to the competitiveness of a company. Distinguished and refereed business
journals have published articles that claim design can have value.
One of the causes of the lack of innovation could be that managers do not use design as widely as it
might be. Some say that it is mainly as a result of a poor understanding of the benefits of design. This
prompted the research question: How can the competitiveness of businesses be improved through the
application of product design as a knowledge creation management tool? This question was
investigated by a combination of a literature survey, construction of a conceptual model, a
questionnaire survey, a focus group discussion and a curriculum content analysis. Through a literature study evidence was presented that design could contribute to innovation, which
could add a competitive edge and could lead to commercial success, provided it is managed properly.
Unfortunately, managers do not use design as widely as it might be as a result of a poor
understanding of the contribution of design. This raises the question, how can the understanding of
design be improved? An alternative to the traditional views was presented whereby product design
can be used as a knowledge creation management tool. In this regard, a framework was proposed,
which indicated product design as both a user and a producer of knowledge. This framework could
assist managers to acquire a sufficient understanding of design. The next step is to ask what
managers should understand about design in order to use it as a knowledge creation management
tool. A questionnaire survey managed to distinguish, in a statistically significant manner, between certain
items that were indicated by the respondents as important for managers to understand and other
items that the respondents felt were unimportant. In general, the items that were design specific, such
as conceptualisation and the psychology of creativity, were indicated as unimportant and the items
close to managing a business, such as the writing of a creative brief and the risk factors, were
indicated as important for managers to know. Two focus group discussions agreed in the main with
the results of the questionnaire survey, but with one exception. One group felt that managers should
have a basic understanding of the whole design process. Another aspect of importance was that the
manager should trust the designer. The groups also suggested a number of topics that should be
included in a curriculum on a basic understanding of product design for management students.
Additional information
Thesis (DTech (Marketing))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2009.
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