Samenvatting

It’s clear that the e$ective management
of design is a commercial
necessity. It enables a company or organization
to innovate, to stay in line
with or ahead of the market, and to
identify and cater to consumer needs.
When design becomes an explicit
part of the management process, it
can have a greater impact on business
performance and help secure a market
position for the long term. However,
there is growing concern that most
European small and medium-size businesses (SMEs) lack su#cient
grasp of the role of design and that
their focus on its management is still
underdeveloped. With the exception
of a few small-scale case studies, there
has been no substantial research into
how European companies handle
design. To what extent do they succeed
in integrating design into their
operational management? What
design management skills do they
actually have?