A Business Model for Communication Design Enterprises

• Published in: Design Management Journal Vol. 19; no. 1; pp. 46 - 65
• Main Author: Kennedy, Con
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.10.2024
• Subjects: Business model; Creative Entrepreneurship; Entrepreneurship; entrepreneurship process
• ISSN: 1942-5074; 1948-7177
• DOI: 10.1111/dmj.12096

Several international reports and studies indicate that the Communication Design sector has a skill deficit in entrepreneurship and business management, and a greater understanding of these topics is needed. Some authors advocate applying existing business models for design enterprises. However, the skill deficit prevails. It is worth noting that these reports discuss the entrepreneurship deficit in general terms without an explanation of the causes of this deficit or how to remedy the issue. Therefore, this paper explores the development of a Business Model specific for Design Entrepreneurs for deployment in Communication Design enterprises. A theoretical framework for a specific business model for design entrepreneurs for application in their enterprises was developed by assessing the literature in the field, in which a previously unidentified connection between the themes of design and the entrepreneurship process was identified. This review evaluated themes for their applicability in a business model for design enterprises. This hypothesis was tested and evaluated through this study's primary phenomenological research, conducted through semi‐structured interviews with prominent and successful design entrepreneurs. Thematic analysis methods guided the research findings. The data analysis identified various themes that emerged from interviews. These themes helped further develop the theoretical framework and iterate a proposed entrepreneurship model applicable to design entrepreneurs. This proposed entrepreneurship model better explains the entrepreneurship process from the point of view of designers, meaning that the model is relevant and valuable to the sector. This paper contributes to the academic knowledge of entrepreneurship by developing a framework for a business model, specifically for design entrepreneurs in the Communication Design sector. In addition, it proposes a thematic relationship between entrepreneurship and design processes, a connection that has not been explored in the literature before. This novel perspective enriches the academic discourse on entrepreneurship and design, offering new avenues for research and understanding.