Dear Colleagues,

Last August, I posted a query to this list on national design
policies (Friedman 2002a). Shortly after the query, I posted
summaries of the responses (Friedman 2002b, 2002c, 2002d).

This query was part of a research project undertaken to explore
national design policies in a project for the Estonian Ministry of
Economic Affairs and Communication funded with support from the
Danish Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs.

The project group finished its work this month. Many of you know the
project director Per Mollerup, and most subscribers to this list also
know our co-author Pekka Korvenmaa of the University of Art and
Design Helsinki UIAH. I am pleased to be able to share the final
report (Mollerup, Friedman, Korvenmaa, and Landerholm 2003) with
anyone on the list who is interested.

The project group considered the large issue of the design process as
an agency of economic change. We specifically studied the design
professional in Estonia, as well as design education, comparing key
issues with the situation elsewhere. We then studied the demand for
design services in business and industry, once again, addressing the
use of design services around the world in different kinds of
economies. Finally, we examine the policies of six nations with
functioning or recent design policy programs, Denmark, Finland,
Norway, Sweden, Ireland, Korea.

The report concludes with design policy proposals for Estonia in
seven key areas: design information, business and industry, the
public sector, the design community, education and research, the
general public, and tourism and public transportation.

As I mentioned in a recent thread, many of us on this list work in
design practice as well as working with design research. This may not
always be apparent. In many cases, our applied and clinical research
results do not belong to us. Those who do some kinds of clinical and
applied work are not at liberty to discuss the research, and some are
legally required NOT to do so.

Because it is inappropriate to make claims based on secret or
restricted knowledge, I generally refrain from such statements as "my
research shows" when I am unable to show my research. In contrast, I
am always free to discuss theory and methods because my theory
development belongs to me.

Because the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications
has released this report for public reading, I am pleased to be able
to share it with anyone who wishes a copy. I am sending a copy to
everyone who responded to the research query. If anyone else wishes a
copy, please send an email to me at

[log in to unmask]

With the word

Estonia

In the Subject header.

Best regards,

Ken Friedman




References

Friedman, Ken. 2002a. "Research Request ----> Studies in National
Design Policy." Date: Thu, 8 Aug 2002 13:12:19 +0200.

Friedman, Ken. 2002b. "Subject: National Design Policies." PhD-Design
Discussion List. Date: Sun, 11 Aug 2002 13:17:44 +0200.

Friedman, Ken. 2002c. PhD-Design Discussion List. "Subject: More on
national design policies." Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2002 14:08:23 +0200.

Friedman, Ken. 2002d. "Subject: More good links on national design
policies." Date: Fri, 16 Aug 2002 18:48:31 +0200.

Mollerup, Per, Ken Friedman, Pekka Korvenmaa, and John Landerholm.
2003. Establishing the basis for the elaboration of the Estonian
design policy measures. Final Report. Tallinn: Ministry of Economic
Affairs and Communications.


--

Ken Friedman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Leadership and Strategic Design
Department of Leadership and Organization
Norwegian School of Management

Visiting Professor
Advanced Research Institute
School of Art and Design
Staffordshire University