How can design thinking inform startups to define and devise solutions to challenges they encounter in the process of innovation?
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- Title
- How can design thinking inform startups to define and devise solutions to challenges they encounter in the process of innovation?
- Creator
- Pouya Jalali
- Supervisor
- Aylas Latif
- Date
- 2016
- Abstract
- Background. During recent years, startups have been subjected to never seen before pressures, due to increased market competitiveness partially caused by globalization, internationalization, and a financially unstable background. Possible solutions for their challenges come from the theory of Design Thinking (DT). DT originates from the 1970s, when it was applied to architecture and urban planning. However, the literature review evidenced a gap in the direction of understanding whether DT is effectively applied by business founders during the launch of new business enterprises. Aim. This paper is structured as a qualitative research piece centered on the problem of application of DT in startups and the integration of DT principles by startup founders into their practice. The question addressed here was whether DT can inform startups to define and devise solutions to challenges they encounter in the process of innovation, and how this symbiosis is possible. Method. Startup founders have answered mixed questions about their knowledge and application of DT principles in their companies, and about their leadership styles. The mixed questions were used to address potential relations between leader qualities and DT as applied to a startups survival. Results. The results showed that many business founders are aware of DT principles and apply them in their activity. However, this is not always the case. Moreover, it was shown that leadership style varies across the cases and reflects the founders personally rather than professionally. Conclusions. The findings showed that some business leaders are early adopters of new technologies on the Diffusion of Innovation scale, which can be seen as a measure of their entrepreneurial qualities and adaptability in the business world. However, some founders were a late majority, which suggests that being a visionary is not a prerequisite for successful implementation of DT.
- Subject
- Design and Marketing
- Extent
- 66 pages : illustrations
- Format
- Publisher
- Regent's University London
- degree
- BAGM Design
- Language
- English
- Date Issued
- 2016
- Type
- Report
- Rights Holder
- Regent's University London & Pouya Jalali
- Item sets
- Theses or Dissertation