Chapter 15 - The influence of trends in society on design and production

textbook theory notes

Trends are generally shaped by:

Social, historical, cultural, global, political, economic and environmental influences, directly and indirectly, affect trends.

Social Influences:

Encompasses subtopics such as multiculturalism, social class, egalitarianism and social conscience.

Multiculturalism:

The trend to cater for our multicultural society.

examples of multiculturalism

* adapting school uniforms for different faiths
* Signages are graphical so workers of different nationalities can understand them.
* Indigenous Australians in multimedia products usually have a warning to acknowledge that deceased people may be present, in respect of their beliefs.

Socio-economic status:

The amount of disposable income an individual has.

(determined by the interaction of their social and economic situations.)

What does different amounts of disposable income incline?

People in higher socioeconomic groups have more funds to allocate to non-essential and luxury items. Whereas people in lower socio-economic groups have to allocate most of their funds to basic needs.

What effect does social class have on a person’s ability to purchase things?

Difficulties arise when there is social pressure to purchase products beyond a person’s means.

Egalitarianism:

Equal rights and opportunities for all.

* remembering to cater for minority groups such as people with liabilities,

non-English speakers and underprivileged people

social conscience:

values; to an individual’s and society’s sense of right and wrong in reference to the well-being of the society and community.

what can social conscience be impacted by?

* by social, environmental and political persuasion.

(Sometimes groups in society have moral or ethical opposition to some innovations (such as cloning).

Globalisation:

making products and services globally accessible.

* “the ongoing process of integrating economies, societies and cultures through global networks”

What are the impacts of globalisation?

* Technological advancements have created easier, quicker access to distant or remote places, facilitating trade, communication and travel.
* Satellite communications via phone, fax, email and online conferences are faster and simpler means of communication between nations
* increased economic development in many countries

political influences:

Politicians must ensure through consultation with appropriate community groups that the laws that are enacted meet community needs as well as foster the nation’s economic development.

* depending on the issue, the government can provide financial support to designers.

Commonwealth Trade Practices Act 1974

protects Australian consumers in a range of areas, particularly pricing and product safety. Prohibits commercial behaviour or conduct that is unfair, misleading or deceptive.

Free Trade Agreements:

allow goods produced overseas to be sold in other countries, sometimes with lower or no tariffs.

Taxes, tariffs and quotas:

* They are in place to protect local industries and to conserve foreign exchange.

Tariffs

fixed taxes on goods that are imported.

Why is the state of the economy very important to designers?

Be it in surplus or in recession, will impact on sales and (most particularly) on design and production.

economy in surplus:

people tend to be more than willing to spend money on non-essential items

economy in recession:

people will be reluctant to buy non-essential luxury goods.

How does economics impact manufacturing?

Overseas production generally involves lower costs, such as cheaper labour, thus providing companies with higher profit margins. (it also provides the consumer with a more financially attractive product,)

* there can be ethical concerns regarding this like sweatshops

environmental footprint:

the lifecycle of a PSE

what is a sustainable lifecycle?

cradle-to-cradle

what is an unsustainable lifecycle:

cradle-to-grave

What are major environmental concerns for companies?

pollution and the use of materials

environmental issues to consider:

plastic, and the depletion of natural resources

impact of modern immigration:

introduced many different cultures, foods and customs creating new diversity and variety in our designs to suitor for everyone.

NATIONAL ABORIGINAL DESIGN AGENCY:

established in 2012, designed to protect and advocate for Aboriginal design.

What are the main social shifts we have experiences?

* change in women’s rights
* the cost of living rising
* change in family structures
* Mental health issues
* Advancements in communication technologies (telecommuting)
* recognised domestic or family violence
* increased work hours

Culture:

a set of spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of a social group or society and encompasses the arts, literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs of these peoples.

what has culture influenced?

influenced fashion and food, bringing with them their tools, techniques and experiences.

* education
* agriculture

impact of computerisation:

* the use of computers has meant the loss of jobs, such as robots replacing humans on the assembly line.
* there has been an increase in employment in the information and communications technology industries.

How have technological changes impacted the nature of our work?

* has increased that output and reduced the costs and time in which production is completed.
* able to communicate with other people around the world more effectively and collaborate together with specialists that may not be close to them.