A Model of Implementing Design Strategies in SMEs

The purpose of this article is to propose a model for implementing design strategies in enterprises in the SME sector. The developed model is the result of observation, experience and research of nearly 80 Polish enterprises in the SME sector. Design strategy in such enterprises is one of the key tools of innovation and product development. Thanks to dedicated subsidies e.g. from national agencies, Polish SME enterprises are increasingly trying to improve their maturity in the field of design by implementing design strategies. Due to the fact that knowledge of strategic management principles in SME companies is often moderate and often there is a lack of competence in formalizing development goals, the use of models for building and implementing strategies seems reasonable. Therefore, the developed model is an attempt to standardize activities related to building and implementing a specific type of functional strategies, which are design strategies. For the purposes of presenting the model and the legitimacy of its use, the article is divided into four main parts. The first one discusses the specifics of design strategies as a form of strategic management in SME enterprises, then the specifics of these enterprises are discussed, indicating problems and competence gaps hindering the implementation of design strategies. The next part presents the strategy implementation model that responds to the identified problems of enterprises in the SME sector and then discusses the example of strategic changes resulting from the application of the model.