Outsourced design management implementations : a stıudy conducted with firms and design consultancies in Turkey


Thesis Type: Postgraduate

Institution Of The Thesis: Middle East Technical University, Faculty of Architecture, Department of Industrial Design, Turkey

Approval Date: 2012

Thesis Language: English

Student: Hakan Boğazpınar

Supervisor: HAKAN GÜRSU

Abstract:

This study aims to investigate the outsourced design management implementations along the alliances that are established between firms and design consultancies in Turkey, which have been analysed in a limited sense in the past. Within this context; information on, ‘why and how design is outsourced’ and ‘how the design process is managed’ are derived through semi-structured interviews in conjunction with structured questionnaire conducted with managers from a sample selection of design and manufacturing firms with the aim of comparing the expectations and offerings of the parties that engaged the alliances in Turkey. The findings of the field study indicate that design management implementations in their current form of application exhibit several issues to discuss. Context of outsourced design service, corporate level strategic utilization of the design expertise, evaluation of final outputs, business initiation practices and design process management practices are important factors to consider in management of design alliances.