engleski

Creative Design Thinking as a Managerial Approach

The paper deals with design thinking concept in education. Design orientation has been identified as a factor integrating decisions at different levels of an organization, involving customers (Bloch et al., 2003 ; Moll et al., 2007). It represents an organizational vision and includes the set of conscious, reflective and creative ways of conceiving, planning and artful making of products and services that generate value for the customers and enable them to engage in their individual or social endeavors, whether these be utilitarian, functional, material, communicative, symbolic, or experiential (Venkatesh et al., 2012). It can also be described as a managerial strategic approach based on choosing design as a source of competitive advantage (Borja de Mozota, 2003). Previous researches also point out that design oriented companies are more open to creative managerial design thinking. The methodology of solving problems through design thinking methods has been accepted from business, where numerous organizations used it to increase their innovativeness and business success, to educational system when some of the leading design, as well as business schools adopted it as a teaching method. Design thinking methodology is human-centered, open-minded and integrative. The benefits of a multi-disciplinary approach and design thinking in business have been specially recognized among influential educational institutions in the world (USA, Europe, South Korea, China). However, the design thinking as a new managerial approach is still not enough implemented as a course in educational programs of Croatian schools and universities.

design orientation; design thinking; education; managerial approach; Croatia

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