Company Spending On Design is the most comprehensive attempt yet to understand how - and how much - UK companies spend on design.
The exploratory survey, conducted by the University of Cambridge and supported by the Design Council, uses an inclusive model of design that categorises spending by purpose rather than by a strict definition of design. This original study demonstrates that design spending can be captured in the creation of products and services; the promotion or communication of offerings, and the development of corporate identity.
The report estimates that UK firms spend around £50bn on design annually. Around £40bn is spent on technical design, which compares with private sector R&D spend at around £21bn. These early results are based on a small sample of 358 companies that are representative of UK firms. Further work is now being planned in the UK and other countries to develop an international scoreboard of national design capabilities.
Professor Philip Esler, chief executive of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) said: ‘In the 19th century, a deliberate and far-sighted investment in design made a major contribution to Britain’s leading role in the Industrial Revolution. In this era of the Digital Revolution, design will be just as, if not more important. For Britain to rise to this challenge, it needs accurate measures of its performance relevant to competitor nations. This project represents an important means to this end.’