Abstract
This paper explores the role of a design-led orientation strategy for automotive companies. Specifically, the study examines the industrial conversion strategies of companies that have found new markets thanks to design. Indeed, the central thesis of this paper is that design can boost entrepreneurship, managerial procedures and be a source of competitive advantage. Industrial conversion has been studied by many researchers belonging to the research area of management. However, studies on the role of industrial designers in corporate strategies represent a growing domain in design. The research is based on three case studies of Italian companies that have been produced components for the automotive sector for years and used their expertise to move into different markets. The product space is the chosen tool to display the previous product portfolio and the new opportunities. The analyzed visionary companies could break away from one production sector and venture into new ones where design was a strategic lever. As the case studies show, industrial reconversion brings companies “back to life”, makes them flexible and resilient to sudden changes, thanks changing products and markets based on existing capacities. What emerges is that industrial conversion is a winning strategy in cases of corporate crisis where sunk costs are to be exploited to explore new opportunities, making the company resilient to sudden changes. Starting from this, we can assume and replicate comparable strategies in companies currently experiencing difficulties due to the changing technological paradigms in the automotive sector.
Presenters
Eva Vanessa BrunoPhD Candidate, DAD - Department of Architecture and Design, Politecnico di Torino, Italy Beatrice Lerma
PhD, Associate Professor in Design, DAD - Department of Architecture and Design, Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Design Management and Professional Practice
KEYWORDS
Industrial Conversion, Industrial Design, Automotive Sector, Corporate Strategy, Product Portfolio
