When design and entrepreneurship meet: A qualitative study of design entrepreneurs’ challenges in running a business
Loading...
URL
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
School of Arts, Design and Architecture |
Master's thesis
Location:
Unless otherwise stated, all rights belong to the author. You may download, display and print this publication for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.
Authors
Date
2020
Department
Major/Subject
Mcode
Degree programme
Master's Programme in Collaborative and Industrial Design
Language
en
Pages
56
Series
Abstract
Designers can be considered natural entrepreneurs because of their mindset, aptitudes and reasoning processes. However, it has been pointed out that design entrepreneurs lack business skills and competences, and that extant studies leave a sketchy picture of design entrepreneurs. The research objective of this thesis is to empirically determine the challenges designers face in running their business to confirm the extant literature as well as to provide practical insights to designers and design students who want to successfully operate a business. Data for this study was gathered from semi-structured interviews with 12 design entrepreneurs. Interview questions were focused on challenges they faced during their entrepreneurial journeys. Thematic analysis was used. Results show that design entrepreneurs lack business knowledge and skills, especially in marketing and sales, managing finances and building profitable business models. Moreover, they were self-aware of their tendency to focus on product development, and that they were not fully aware of other entrepreneurial stages especially when they started a business. Lastly, a scarcity of financial, human and social resources makes their entrepreneurial journey challenging. The study empirically supports previous literature in regards to design entrepreneurs’ lack of business knowledge and skills. Additionally, the study suggests that the design entrepreneur’s tendency to focus on developing products might be related to his/her professional identity as a crafter. This study argues that understanding entrepreneurial processes from a holistic view is important for design entrepreneurs, as well as adapting a growth-oriented mindset for survival and success of their business.Description
Supervisor
Björklund, TuaThesis advisor
Björklund, TuaKeywords
design entrepreneur, entrepreneurial process, entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial skill, design entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial designer