From Goods to Service Logic: Service Business Model Requirements in Industrial Design Firms

The design thinking concept emphasizes the actual activity of solving problems with a design approach, associating it to the designer's knowledge and competence instead of the intimate link between design and the physical object. Yet design consultancies still have problems charging for intangible components in their offerings and for the role of strategic consultants. We argue that the design thinking concept is in line with a service-dominant logic rather than a goods-dominant logic, and that this approach can be the basis for communicating the value of design to clients. The problem faced by industrial design consultancies is not unique and hence the findings can contribute to other industries undergoing a shift from a focus on products towards enabling service.