The integration of design-oriented approach into corporate management processes
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14267/VEZTUD.2026.07-08.01Keywords:
design management, design capacity, user-centred design, innovationAbstract
The study aims to explore the potential of the design approach in corporate management processes, its domestic application characteristics, and its added value to company competitiveness. The theoretical framework draws on the evolution of design management, the Design Management Staircase model, and the design capacity framework, highlighting the strategic, tactical, and operational roles of design within organizational processes. Empirically, it is based on case studies of 68 Hungarian organizations that received the Design Management Award between 2009 and 2023, supplemented by semi-structured interviews with leaders of eight award-winning companies. The findings show that most organizations operate on the upper levels of the Design Management Staircase, where design thinking is embedded in corporate culture; although strategic planning supported by formal performance indicators remains limited. The study concludes that highlevel design management creates added value by enhancing customer experience, strengthening brand differentiation, fostering innovation, and supporting long-term sustainable corporate practices.
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