Responses to international competition

The information in this section comes from our 2007 survey of designers who are facing competition from overseas. 

 

How are UK design businesses responding to overseas competition?

The mindset of the design businesses facing international competition is proactive and positive: 70% believe it has positive aspects, most commonly that it counters complacency (29%).

Key figures from the design industry discuss whether or not UK designers should be competing internationally, highlighting the unique advantages and threats facing the industry.
Read the video transcript

Some businesses are changing their offer to compete against overseas designers for work in UK markets, with 29% broadening the disciplines they offer and 10% specialising more narrowly.

They are also altering type of design service they offer. That might mean the difference between offering basic design production or implementation services and offering more strategic and conceptual services, or choosing to concentrate on specific areas of the design process. More than a quarter (27%) of businesses have moved to a more conceptual and strategic level of service to help them compete more effectively.

Overall, 62% of design businesses have made some changes to either the disciplines, level or parts of the design process that they offer, in response to overseas competition – 22% changed one of these, 26% changed two and 14% changed all three. And those businesses that have experienced an increase in overseas competition for UK work over the last three years are more likely to have made at least one of these changes (69%).

Of those businesses that have made such changes, 79% consider that they have become more competitive in UK markets, but despite this over half of design businesses (57%) have still not made any changes to the disciplines they offer. The same number have not made changes to the level of the design services offered.

Do design businesses feel they need better design and business skills?

Two-fifths of design businesses facing international competition for UK work have found the need enhanced their designers’ creative and design skills, while 44% have enhanced their business skills.

Those groups that have made changes to their service offer were even more likely to have enhanced their staff’s business skills (59%) than those that have made no changes (19%). Interestingly, those who think that international competition will have a positive effect on their businesses are more likely have enhanced designers’ skills: 45% as opposed to 27%.

Do designers collaborate to compete more effectively?

More than half of respondents (54%) already collaborate with external designers to win or complete work.

This approach is especially prevalent in the digital sector, where 76% of designers have collaborated, and amongst smaller consultancies - 73% of those with a fee income below £250 000 have set up collaborations. Overall 15% have collaborated as a direct response to competition from overseas designers for UK work and 35% in order to win work for overseas markets. Such collaborations are typically ad hoc and focused on specific projects (76%), but also include long term working relationships (24%).

How do designers feel international competition affects the UK design industry?

Around one in three designers (29%) believes that international competition for work in UK markets is positive, guarding against complacency in the industry, and 17% think that it encourages UK designers to be more competitive. However, 30% believe there are no positive aspects to this competition.

What do designers think will promote international success?

We asked designers how the international reputation of the UK could be enhanced and the majority (90%) said that the value of design must be convincingly communicated to clients.

Our previous research also found that this was a big issue.  According to the Design Council’s last Business of Design survey, 38% of UK designers thought the UK design industry did not communicate the value of design effectively.

Almost three-quarters (72%) think international success will be enhanced by recruiting the best talent from around the world, and 71% think that offering specialist, expert services rather than every design discipline would provide a competitive edge. Two thirds of respondents (65%) think that there should be fewer, but better trained, designers in the UK.

What do UK buyers of design think design businesses should do to respond to overseas competition?

We asked UK-based buyers of design services what they think will improve the UK design industry’s competitiveness. Eighty two per cent think that effectively communicating the value of design to clients will help, concurring with the views of the majority (90%) of design businesses.

Over two-thirds (68%) think that recruiting top talent from around the globe will help, while 65% think that consultancies should offer specialist, expert services rather than every design discipline.