Understanding the production and consumption of design expertise by small medium-sized firms : some evidence from Norway

Abstract

This paper explores the ways in which industrial design services are organised, produced, and consumed by Norwegian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This includes exploring the geographies of this performance in terms of how consumers and producers of design expertise organize their activities. The paper also identifies different ways in which client firms utilize industrial design to develop or retain competitive advantage. The paper combines empirical data with the development of a theoretical contribution to the fields of product creation, enterprise competitiveness and the globalisation of production. The paper draws upon case studies of Norwegian firms of designers as well as client firms.