Design. Profit.
Strategic "success can only be achieved in collaborations where all partners understand the fundamental role of creativity in the strategic plan. Business leaders who view design as little more that an aesthetic "fix" for dull and naive business models might temporarily look good in the media, but their moments in the spotlight are brief. It takes a day to create a fascinating "study," but years to create a new strategic business (Esslinger, 33)."
Esslinger's been involved in design at Apple (he owns frog design who advised on the Macintosh), designed the logo for Microsoft's Windows, made ship designs for Disney, and on and on.
He talks about the strategy of design. It's not just making things look good. It's about the whole company. Want a new airplane seat to save space and weight? Might want to look at the whole design of the interior of the airplane, and, while you're at it, the waiting area, the ticket taking area, and, oh yeah, the website. It's not a little thing. It's a big thing that effects the bottom line, big time.
Esslinger, Hartmut. A Fine Line. How design strategies are shaping the future of business. Jossey-Bass. 2009.