The book provides a snapshot of a hot topic - the systemic nature of
innovation and its relevance to design - with a trifold perspective: the
academic level - the literature on innovation studies and design is
often neglected and a clear connection between the two topics taken for
granted; the research level - collaborative models are currently
considered great opportunities for transforming consumption, production
and distribution of goods, but a clear scholarly discourse is still
forming; the political level - the European Commission and the OECD are
devoting much effort to understanding and measuring the impact of design
in innovation processes and firms and a clear contribution would greatly
support this path. Thus the book provides an informed, historical and
nuanced perspective to the relationship between design and innovation to
contribute to all three levels and to propose a point of view that goes
beyond aesthetics and meanings.