Design thinking in entrepreneurship education : understanding framing and placements of problems

Abstract: Orientation: Design thinking presented an alternative lens for entrepreneurship education. Research purpose: The purpose of this article was to illustrate (with a framework) the benefits of encouraging a design-based mindset when exploring problem placement and framing to create new opportunities for entrepreneurship students. Motivation for the study: The role of placement and framing of open-complex problems has not been fully embraced in the literature on design thinking for entrepreneurship education. The seminal work of Richard Buchannan (a great influencer in the realm of design thinking) offered a deeper insight into the placement and framing of problems that could assist educators to facilitate thinking skills relevant to deal with the unpredictable contexts that future entrepreneurs have to be prepared for..

Designing success : describing a collaborative clothing design Process between apprentice designers and expert design entrepreneurs

Abstract: This paper describes a collaborative clothing design process applied at an incubation hub that supports and develops apprentice clothing designers who aspire to launch their own entrepreneurial ventures. A specific range, which was designed during a design process, had to be showcased at an international fashion week and then sold to consumers in a local specialty store. A case study research design was implemented to describe the collaborative design process between apprentice and expert designers. Qualitative research methods were used in this study, namely observation and semi-structured interviews. Findings suggest that collective creativity resulted from the collaboration between the designers and apprentice designers who worked in teams. Collective creativity proved to be beneficial to the apprentice designers as well as the expert designers. The particular benefits of collaboration and collective creativity for apprentice designers during the specific clothing design process pertain to fluency and flexibility, whereas the benefits for expert designers were in the novelty of ideas presented by apprentice designers. Other benefits from a business perspective relate to the expectations of apprentice designers about the design process for a specific target market and the stimulation of creativity during problem-solving, which are important in a business or entrepreneurial context. Recommendations regarding the application of the design process at a creative incubation hub are provided

The female innovation-generation consumer’s evaluation of traditional and virtual displays in South African clothing retail environments

Abstract: Using virtual displays in South African clothing retail outlets could be a marketing communication strategy that attracted consumers to products or the actual stores. This marketing communication influences consumers’ purchase decisions and consequently enhances the competitiveness of the clothing retailer in a dynamic fashion industry. Thus the use of virtual displays is increasing. Implementing digital and virtual display screens in the visual displays of South African physical retail outlets could appeal to particular consumer segments. The innovation-generation consumer segment is the largest and foremost global consumer segment to date, with massive buying power, and this group’s affiliation for the virtual world should not be ignored, as it may prove to be useful when applying omni-channel retailing that stimulates a certain consumer experience. The aim of this paper is, therefore, to report on the evaluation of the female innovation-generation consumer with regard to a static traditional visual display or a virtual representation of the display. Two stimuli (displays) were presented to 653 female respondents from the innovation-generation consumer in Johannesburg (Gauteng). One stimulus was a static traditional visual display and the other a virtual representation thereof which included movement and music. The findings in this paper indicate that although the respondents understood the message of the virtual display and could identify with the symbolic meaning thereof, there is also evidence that the respondents’ emotions were evoked by both the stimuli. Nevertheless, it seems that the traditional visual display still seemed to be preferred with regard to the emotions that it evoked, especially regarding pleasure. The paper concludes with recommendations on the use of virtual displays to support South African clothing retailers

Applying the design process to apparel prototype development : students' experiences of a community service-learning project

Studente se ervaring van „n diensleer projek word in hierdie artikel beskryf. Die vennootskap tussen „n akademiese department en „n sosiale entrepreneur het geleentheid gebied om fina-lejaar-studente aan die realiteit van kleding-produkontwikkeling bloot te stel. Amajobjob is „n sosiale entrepreneur wat basiese lewensvaar-dighede ontwikkel deur „n reeks opleidingspro-gramme, waaronder basiese klerekonstruksie, aan te bied. Deelnemers aan die program kan na voltooiing „n langbroek, of te wel African Happy Pants™, vervaardig. Dit is „n trots Suid-Afrikaanse langbroek, gemaak van „n unieke, kleurvolle materiaal wat die ritme van Afrika we-erspieël. Amajobjob verskaf uitgeknipte pa-troondele en ander rou material aan opgeleide deelnemers. Die individue maak dan die langbroeke en word vir hul arbeid betaal, terwyl Amajobjob die verkope behartig. Op hierdie ma-nier kan die individue hul eie inkomste bepaal. Amajobjob beskik egter nie oor die nodige vaar-dighede om nuwe produkte te ontwerp en on-twikkel nie. Verbruikerswetenskap-studente wat speisaliseer in die Kledingbestuurprogram, kon egter die gaping in die vaardighede aanvul. Finalejaarstudente wat ingeskryf was vir die produkontwikkeling-vak het die uitdaging om die produkreeks te verbeter en uit te brei, aanvaar. Studente ontwikkel hoër kognitiewe vaar-dighede gedurende die produkontwikkelingvak. Kritiese denke wat vaardighede soos ontwerp, analise, sintese en evaluering insluit, word verder ontwikkel. Die voordeel van projekte wat op werklike probleme gebasseer is, is dat dit aan die student die geleentheid bied om prak-tiese ondervinding op te doen, en werkverwante vaardighede toe te pas. Die doel van die projek was om die bestaande klere-produkreeks van „n sosiale entrepreneur uit te brei en/of te verbeter, en om die studente se ervaring van die realiteit van produkontwik-keling te beskryf. Die projek het studente in staat gestel om teoretiese en praktiese kennis wat in die Verbruikerswetenskap Kledingpro-gram bekom is, in die produkontwikkeling-vak toe te pas. Die navorsingsontwerp was deelnemende-aksie navorsing en aktiwiteite is gestruktureer volgens „n ontwerpproses wat op kledingprodukontwik-keling van toepassing is. Sewe-en-twintig stu-dente wat vir die vak ingeskryf was, het aan die projek deelgeneem. Om te bepaal hoe doel-treffend die produkte ontwikkel is, is die stu-dente se eweknie-evaluering (“peer evaluation”) van die finale produkte met Amajobjob se keuse van produkte vergelyk. Na voltooiing van die vak moes die studente „n geskrewe refleksie oor hul ervaring inhandig, en dit is deur middel van inhoud-analise (“content analysis”) ontleed. Die positiewe impak van diensleer is in studente se geskrewe refleksies bevestig. Die inhoud van die refleksies het „n positiewe ervaring ten op-sigte van ontwerp, produksie, toepassing van kennis, groepwerk en sosiale verant-woordelikheid uitgelig. Teoretiese en praktiese uitkomste is bereik, wat terselfdertyd „n posi-tiewe leerervaring en bydrae tot die gemeen-skap gemaak het. Twee-en-twintig van die 67 produk-idees is deur die sosiale entrepreneur gekies om die bestaande produkreeks uit te brei en dui daarop dat die studente die behoeftes van die sosiale entrepreneur, asook die han-delsmerkbeeld op „n doeltreffende manier geïn-terpreteer en in die eindproduk toegepas het. Die uitbreiding van die produkreeks fasiliteer werkskepping, wat tot voordeel van die ge-meenskap sal wees. Die studente is bevoordeel deur die kombinasie van diensleer-aktiwiteite met die akademiese kurrikulum, en die gemeen-skap is bevoordeel deur die uitbreiding van die produkreeks en moontlike werksgeleenthede. In „n multidissiplinêre vakgebied soos produ-kontwikkeling waar teoretiese en tegniese vaar-dighede toegepas word, kan gemeenskap-gebaseerde diensleer „n nuwe dimensie aan die opleiding van Verbruikerswetenskaplikes bied.We would like to acknowledge the University of Pretoria, Department of Consumer Science (where both authors were employed during the project) and the 2011 Clothing Management final year stu-dents.http://www.up.ac.za/saafecs/am201

Designing organisational effectiveness in social entrepreneurial enterprises

Background: Fundamental principles that encourage problem solving are included in the intersection between design thinking and systems thinking. In this study, we examined if these principles contribute to the nature of organisational effectiveness (OE) in the context of a social enterprise. Aim: The objective of the study was to explore the nature of OE in social enterprises. Setting: This exploratory qualitative study investigated the OE of social enterprises in South Africa. Methods: A three-phased Delphi method was conducted by a panel of experts. Results: Our findings indicate that the principles for the OE of social enterprises include, in particular, good, just, and useful services and/or products, as well as a satisfying human experience. In the context of a social enterprise, OE is therefore about the mission and resources of the enterprise. The enterprise can be viewed as making an impact when satisfying human (community and/or beneficiary) needs through useful products or services designed for good, and when promoting just relationships among and ethical conduct by all stakeholders. Conclusion: The framework or principles for social enterprises’ OE may be used to guide leadership, governance of resources (such as finances), and training in solving ‘wicked problems’ in such ecosystems. It is recommended that social entrepreneurs also apply the framework. Contribution: This paper offers four principles that are applicable when systems thinking overlaps with design thinking to guide the OE of social enterprises

Collaborating to compete : the role of collective creativity in a South African clothing design small business

BACKGROUND : The number of apparel manufacturers in the South African clothing and textile industry is diminishing due to competition with importing apparel manufacturers. Nevertheless, South African small and micro-businesses still manufacture clothing products to meet the needs of the local markets. AIM : This study set out to explore and describe the role of collective creativity in the design process of a South African clothing small business that provides innovative clothing to local niche markets. SETTING : The small and micro-businesses are typically owned by designers who can be viewed as artisan entrepreneurs. However, the competition for the local market is very competitive, and innovative designs and design processes can promote the competitiveness of the clothing small and micro-businesses. METHOD : A case study research design was implemented in the study, which included qualitative research methods. Semi-structured interviews, participant observation and analysis of the products against an innovation design framework were done. RESULTS : The findings suggest that a collaborative design process supports the collective creativity of the particular owner-designers. Collective creativity enables innovative clothing products that result from the design process and it also reduced the perceived risk that the owner-designers experienced with regard to launching a ready-to-wear range. CONCLUSION : It is argued that collective creativity contributes to sustaining innovative design and enhances abductive reasoning for problem solving. Abductive reasoning, which is typically associated with design thinking, could be important for entrepreneurial thinking and recommendations in this regard are made.http://www.sajesbm.co.zaam2016Business Managemen

Collaborating to compete: The role of collective creativity in a South African clothing design small business

Background: The number of apparel manufacturers in the South African clothing and textile industry is diminishing due to competition with importing apparel manufacturers. Nevertheless, South African small and micro-businesses still manufacture clothing products to meet the needs of the local markets. Aim: This study set out to explore and describe the role of collective creativity in the design process of a South African clothing small business that provides innovative clothing to local niche markets. Setting: The small and micro-businesses are typically owned by designers who can be viewed as artisan entrepreneurs. However, the competition for the local market is very competitive, and innovative designs and design processes can promote the competitiveness of the clothing small and micro-businesses. Method: A case study research design was implemented in the study, which included qualitative research methods. Semi-structured interviews, participant observation and analysis of the products against an innovation design framework were done. Results: The findings suggest that a collaborative design process supports the collective creativity of the particular owner-designers. Collective creativity enables innovative clothing products that result from the design process and it also reduced the perceived risk that the owner-designers experienced with regard to launching a ready-to-wear range. Conclusion: It is argued that collective creativity contributes to sustaining innovative design and enhances abductive reasoning for problem solving. Abductive reasoning, which is typically associated with design thinking, could be important for entrepreneurial thinking and recommendations in this regard are made