Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization

DESIGN NEWS 232

Not Hi-Tech but Hi-Think!

The Problems Presented to Designers by Deflation

Beyond the Dogma of Globalization

Dialogue on Design:From "In-House" to "In-Corporate"

There are in Sweden two major organizations involved in the promotion of design. These are the Society of Swedish Industrial Designers (SID) , a professional body of industrial designers, and the Swedish Industrial Design Foundation (SVID) , whose work is essentially promotional in nature.
Jan Hampf and Torsten Dahlin, respective leaders of the two organizations, visited Japan in October this year. Design News interviewed the two gentlemen in the course of their visit. The focus of the discussion was upon new developments in Swedish design in its pursuit of the "human dimension". We also report on two ways of design promotion called 'Support industries' and 'Knowledge and Competence Program' targeted small and medium-scale enterprises.

In the view of the Japanese government, the economic recession in Japan which began in the spring of 1991 has supposedly been advancing slowly on the path towards recovery after the through of October 1993. But the reality is that this 'Heisei' recession seems to be with us a little longer, holding problems as low production levels, falling commodity prices, and unease over employment prospects.
The noteworthy feature of the current recession is that it accompanies the phenomenon of deflation, as we see in "the price destruction" and "the price revolution". In this report we take a look at the main factors underlying the current recession referred as "compound recession" ; the ultra-appreciation of the yen, mega-competition, the after effects of the economic "bubble", and institutional fatigue, and think about the directions of Japanese companies and the manufacturing industry in the future. Questions concerning the nature of design organizations in businesses and of design development are raised.

Makoto Ezaki, Freelance Planner. and Design News

"In 1995, Ford decided to make a real 'world car', Sony stopped making televisions in Japan, and Nokia and Ericsson began to slug it out with Motorola and NTT over the Chinese mobile phone market. Something has happened. We need to recognize what has changed empirically."
The fourth topic of the series 'Enlightenment in Design', by James Woudhuysen is 'globalization'. Woudhuysen analyses the development and the factors, which spurred the development, of globalization and world products in companies in many different countries since the concept of "Think global, act local", in other words Percy Barnevik's sound bite become a mantra among designers. The author describes that intensive and worldwide IT (Information Technology) networks, exports and foreign investment, and cross-border tie-ups play roles as the main driving force of globalization.
Consideration is given to the effects of globalization, such as the growth of financial and stock markets and overseas expansion by companies including RD & D divisions. Proposals are then offered for the globalization of design in the true sense beyond the dogma.

James Woudhuysen, Associate Director, The Henley Centre for Forecasting, Professor of Design Management, De Montfart University, United Kingdom

Two top managers representing the design world, Dieter Rams of the German company Braun and Kiyoshi Sakashita of Sharp Corporation held a dialogue on "the future of industries and design" in which they exchanged opinions on relationship between companies and designers today and roles of designers in the light of ongoing changes in this relationship.
The report presents excerpts from their discussion. Mr. Rams proposes the concept of "less but better' in the future, direction in which he hopes design will go. Mr. Sakashita proposes a designer image as "incorporate" individuals who are able to integrate and exemplify in accordance with the various activities and conditions of companies, not as "in-house" designers belonging solely to a company.