The Contribution of Design Discipline in Business Decisions through Design-Oriented Production Diversification: A Case Study in Italian Furniture Sector

DS 116: Proceedings of the DESIGN2022 17th International Design Conference

Year: 2022
Editor: Mario Štorga, Stanko Škec, Tomislav Martinec, Dorian Marjanović
Author: Eva Vanessa Bruno, Beatrice Lerma
Series: DESIGN
Institution: Politecnico di Torino, Italy
Section: Industrial Design
Page(s): 2055-2066
DOI number: https://doi.org/10.1017/pds.2022.208
ISSN: 2732-527X (Online)

Abstract

Firm diversification is a growth strategy that allows firms to launch new products in untapped markets to increase revenue. It is the identified approach where industrial designers can contribute to exploring new tactical assets. The paper analyses the design-oriented diversification of a furniture company in Italy, where Design played a crucial role in positioning new demands. The tool applied to display the current and the feasible product portfolio is the Product Space. The company has leveraged its know-how on bent glass to produce iconic objects, winning prestigious design awards.

Keywords: industrial design, product design, product diversification, business models, ambidexterity