We started out this lecture by looking at a picture of the earth from the moon, and look at the earth in a different perspective. This looks very different, within this year we have talked about China, India, USA, Russia and Europe, where we have looked at the different internal structures.
Interconnections between regions and countries, trade and its importance. Not all is well within each country and the the normality. Internal stresses ned to be monitored, by lots of different groups, areas and companies. Something that we don’t need to consider but keep in mind and know about.
Consequence: Global economic structures are in a state of flux.
This due to many issues that are Political, Cultural, Social and Technological.
It is adapting your designer ability to work with the company. What is it the client is trying to do.
As such things change and alter, new opportunities arise - as indeed do new threats, this provides moral and ethical issues for each one of gusto grapple with. Your views need to be justified to yourself, in context with the situation…. This is difficult!
So: We now have an understanding of global issues, and how they interplay and the key elements
This global situation is the back drop which you will be involved with when your in a business and whatever the business is.
We then looked at the National Economy
The National economy is affected by the global Economy. This results in the changes with the national economy to be Induced and Directed.
Induced Effects
Here, external changes to the UK cause Internal changes. Such as GM sells the company Vauxhall to PSA (Peugeot). Peugeot closes some UK Vauxhall plants Unemployment in these areas rise. These are often called “externalities” You should keep an awareness of what happens because they’re important and might effect you. An example of this is - One of your main clients faces difficult business conditions, you business with them may be reduced. On a more daily basis, changes in Exchange Rates can effect trading ability. The movement could cause a few problems if it affects you firm, as the cost could up or it could go down.
Directed effects - These effects are related to internal changes that have a knock effect to the national economy, which means that they are directed to occur.
So-
Taxation changes
Legal changes - including standards
Financial assistance changes, etc.
Some of these changes may be as a result of external forces. Reaction to external changes - tariffs, quotas, etc.
We need to justify ourselves as we need to be more than just designers, we need to make sure that we have knowledge of everything else.
Directed issues can be local and national;
think business rates / council taxes.
To you (as designers) this is probably more important. Such directed changes will affect you. They will also affect your clients.
We found that changes happen all the time.
As designers, you need to recognise that these changes and we have to consider how they impact on us AND on the clients that we work with. This means that this will us to be more understanding of your clients situation. An example of this is payment issues and nothing else.
Market Issues
You and your work in terms of the market you are going to be in, you need to think border.
Competitors are those who do similar work, those who may attract clients money, but are not directly competitors.
They attract money from you.
Markets
Geographical / Location
Market Segment
Customer Type
Design need
Your Business
What you do and end up with, do you have / are developing a specialism in one or more of those areas?
If yes, you MUST keep an eye on the sector performance. We have to be prepared to diversity if need be.
If no, you are a generalist, fine, but ensure you are very good and business like.
Continually assess your market(s)
Just as you review your state (PDP) You also need to review the state of your clients
At the very least we should review with them, with your firm at least once a year. But we also have to consider whether the business activity of the clients has impacted you, for example the market and finances.
Consider membership of relevant trade organisations, there are thousands of them which could help you.
We were told that we should attend trade exhibitions, to look at and see what the market you serve is doing. A few examples of trade shows that we could attend were:
IPEX
Adtech
TfM
Future of Branding
Print and Promotion Live
Sufex
We then looked at the diagram that we were shown in the very first week of the second year at University. We were told that we all need to consider this advice with WHATEVER business we work with.
