Abstract: Design orientation has emerged as a critical strategic factor for companies seeking to achieve a competitive advantage and plays a pivotal role in the process of new product development (NPD). However, the understanding of the interaction between product design and other strategic capabilities and how design orientation strategically affects new product development is still limited, and the existing literature and empirical results are fragmented and controversial. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the strategic factors affecting new product development and the contribution of design to strategy, this study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the existing literature. The study extracted effect values from 15 international journals for analysis and found that strategy factors significantly influence NPD success. Moreover, in the exploration of moderating variables, it was found that firm size, firm type, innovation type, and design orientation play a significant moderating role in new product development, and design-oriented involvement provides a significant competitive advantage for firms in NPD. The findings provide new theories on NPD decision-making and design orientation, as well as practical references for managers.

Abstract: In recent years, the development model that integrates intangible cultural heritage with tourism has been strongly emphasized in national cultural policy, especially in villages and towns with intangible cultural heritage. These areas have enhanced their market attractiveness and competitiveness by developing tourism branding. However, tourism branding projects in China often face issues such as fragmented brand images and inadequate exploration of local culture. The study addresses the brand image of intangible heritage tourism from the perspective of narrative design. Focusing on Lianzhou Township in Guangdong Province, China, it explores the composition and design application strategies of tourism brand imagery by examining a narrative design framework that includes the narrative theme, structure, channels and visual expression of cultural and tourism brands. Through literature and field investigation, the study found that boat-dwelling culture -rooted in historical changes, traditional skills and local customs-serves as an important narrative element in shaping the cultural tourism brand of the town. Based on this finding, the study validates a narrative design strategy for brand development. Unlike conventional branding approaches that focus on visual image, this study aims to propose a new narrative design approach to tourism brand construction in intangible cultural heritage villages, offering meaningful insights for advancing rural revitalization.

Abstract: Success in the 20th century was measured through the prism of unceasing progress. Such dynamics shaped a specific type of population: a hyper-society, which is the result of “multiplying innovation by increased activity, speed of communication, and social interpellations.” Unfortunately, innovation, which defines the hyper-human, seen from the perspective of ecological economics, blindly echoes the idea of economic growth, which leads us to so-called creative destruction. It is a negative force that has separated us from nature, making us fatter, sadder, and more tired. Therefore, there is an urgent need to redefine the concept of successful innovation—a need to revise innovation as a paradigm based on the idea of productivity and profit.

The tool to fulfil this mission can be design, which is today considered the most important factor of economic and cultural exchange. Hacking the growth-oriented image of design, the author associates it with post-growth innovation, strongly related to ethics, the environment, and society. She presents the activities of the Mindful Design Studio (MDS) of the Wroclaw Design Academy, an interdisciplinary platform with an experimental approach that combines design, simple interactive technologies, and socio-ecological awareness. The main catalyst here is techno-empathy, as well as design as a kind of speculative fiction, expressing disapproval of consumer reality, referring to mindfulness, critique, fiction, and prototyping of the future.

The studio believes in the potential of unconventional imaginaries for technological innovation. Rather than reinforcing the traditional nodes between progress and economic growth, prototypes from MDS demonstrate how innovation can be oriented toward supporting collective well-being, environmental responsibility, and more inclusive forms of techno-engagement. Such an approach not only critiques conventional growth-oriented innovation but also envisions creative constructions of integrating technology into society that prioritize care, reflection, and sustainability.

Abstract: The delivery of social healthcare services is transitioning from a focus on curative measures to a more proactive approach prioritizing social health promotion. A Health Promoting Hospital (HPH) would ideally evolve beyond the conventional hospital roles of treating illness and managing chronic conditions, encompassing prevention strategies and actively fostering the overall health and wellbeing of patients and community members both within and outside the hospital setting.

In terms of design application within Chinese Health Promoting Hospitals (HPHs), existing studies indicate that hospital management often regards design as a final stage solution rather than embracing a design research perspective that comprehensively and holistically influences the entire process. One approach for all-mass media and graphic design are primary communication approaches for health promotion: marginalized and vulnerable groups are, however, excluded in this approach.

This research proposes three all-encompassing design-thinking frameworks—designerly ways of knowing, thinking, and doing HPH—which serve to enhance the accessibility and inclusivity of design ontology, epistemology, and methodology within the context of Chinese HPH. These design frameworks aid Chinese HPH practitioners in understanding and applying a systematic and holistic view of design thinking for HPH implementation. The ultimate objective is to transform Chinese HPH stakeholders’ understanding of design from a focus on the concrete to the abstract, and from a partial to a more comprehensive perspective within the health promotion context.

This paper provides a showcase on how a comprehensive framework can be constructed through thorough exploration and integration of theoretical and practical aspects across design and non-design domains. It also identifies the three types of design frameworks, offering researchers a valuable resource for understanding the typology of design framework, guiding the development methods of effective design frameworks tailored to research objectives.

Abstract: This paper provides a comprehensive examination of a design philosophy pioneered and institutionalized by the National Institute of Design (NID) in India. It is argued that for a nation as complex and multifaceted as India, a successful design methodology must be inherently linked to its distinct cultural heritage, economic realities, and foundational ethical principles. The analysis begins by exploring the profound influence of Gandhian philosophy—particularly its tenets of simplicity, self-reliance (swadeshi), and decentralized “production by the masses”—on this design framework. The paper then systematically delineates the core pillars of Societal Design: the promotion of indigenous innovation, the application of frugal engineering principles, and the strategic empowerment of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and the traditional crafts sector. By analysing NID’s role as a trans-disciplinary Centre of Excellence, this research demonstrates how Societal Design transcends conventional commercial objectives, positioning itself as a potent and people-centric catalyst for inclusive growth and sustainable national development.