ABSTRACT

This chapter argues that the relatively high costs of production in developed countries imposes pressure on many firms’ management to maximise the use of non-price competitive factors. Design among technological and organisational innovations is one such element. The chapter shows that the popularity of using design as a factor of firms’ competitiveness during times of financial crisis is growing, while other, more expensive actions are limited. The international research done in ten countries also confirmed that consumers are ready to pay for good-quality design. The average amount of money said to be paid for a product characterised by a higher quality of design was about 27 per cent of its price.