Monday, 7 January 2008 | Levent OZLER
Profit From Design
A new Victorian government initiative is helping small to medium enterprises improve competitiveness and boost profits through the use of design as a business tool.
Launching Design Victoria in late 2007, Minister for Innovation, Gavin Jennings said: "This strategy - the first of its kind in Australia - aims to encourage the design-lead growth of Victorian industries, particularly small and medium enterprises.
"Design is a fundamental building block of innovation, critical to building competitive industries. "
Mr Jennings said there was significant scope to boost the number of Victorian enterprises benefiting from design to increase competitiveness, innovation and export performance.
"I encourage all eligible Victorian businesses and design professionals to take part in Design Victoria programs to embed design more firmly into business processes."
Design Victoria General Manager, Ms Michele Azzopardi said SMEs can reap the same benefits from Victoria's excellent design skills as major corporates.
"There is very good evidence showing SMEs that know how to capitalise on design as a business tool are more competitive and out perform companies that do not use design," Ms Azzopardi said.
"These Design Ready firms are using design to:
- build a company identity
- increase product customer appeal
- create new, innovative, profitable products & services
- reduce production costs
- improve sustainability performance
- improve their business performance and generate investment and/or new markets."
Design Victoria's Business Immersions program provides capable Victorian small to medium businesses with funding support to engage a designer on a project aimed at improving their competitiveness and increasing their exports.
A series of seminars and workshops to be held for SMEs in metropolitan and regional Victoria in 2008 aim to help owners and managers identify the opportunities for design to add value to their business and how to use design to their commercial advantage.
For further information visit http://www.designvic.com
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