Diversification, Design, Strategic Planning and New Product Development: A Jewellery Industry Knowledge Transfer Partnership

Abstract

The UK jewellery industry is predominantly made up of small businesses that have traditionally sub-contracted production and design processes. Very few companies have the capacity, or staff, to devise and implement effective design strategies and new product development. Many of them are increasingly under threat from global competition, and survival will depend on the introduction of new product development strategies.This paper reports on a case study of a completed knowledge transfer project. This design intervention resulted in the company introducing new design and production strategies, which led to a total revision of its product range.The programme resulted in radical changes within the business including product diversification and the recognition of the value of design to overall commercial success. The programme also led the company to completely revise their product range and move into a new high value added niche market through a design strategy and reappraised operations, management, production, products and marketing.