Personal politics aside, does anyone have predictions or thoughts as to how the results of today’s election will directly effect the design community?
-JK
Other then Obama’s team of crack graphics people needing to find new jobs, I don’t think anything.
I’ll be making a batch of killer chocolate chip cookies for the winner (McCain or Obama) in hopes of getting a cabinet position. If I get the job, there will be a position open at my company. I believe that qualifies as a direct effect of the design community.
I’m out of the Industrial Design loop so-to-speak…
Anyone see any potential changes in overseas manufacturing and design jobs that are currently moving overseas?
-JK
I think things are in the invisible hands of the economy more than any policy decisions. Having said that, the Dems seem intent on revisiting NAFTA at the very least.
Big challenges for manufacturing:
-fluctuating commodity prices
-dollar exchange rate
-public’s environmental consciousness
-political instability brought on by the above challenges
I think a lot of the uncertainty in the economy is attributable to the election. Once it’s clear Obama isn’t going to collectivize the farms, reeducate the bourgeoisie, and ban ownership of private property, things will settle down.
There is nothing they can realistically do about outsourcing- that’s just standard campaign talk. They won’t touch NAFTA either, that was just primary campaign talk.
Obama is likely to create a cabinet level position for science and technology–Google’s CEO wants the job! This could be really good for Industrial Designers.
Also, I sense a great deal of optimism about the election, and optimism means increased willingness to take risks on New Product Development initiatives. …The Asian markets are already trading up on the news of Baracks win.
The type of work will be affected of course. Under the dems, expect less military and more healthcare, civil and alt-energy projects.
So when the auto industry goes down the pan, it will remind us that no matter how many bail-outs and restructuring they do, it’ll be the crappy design that put the nail in the coffin.
Can you imagine- we’ve got an ex Home Depot guy running Chrysler??!! Imagine if you will, an ex Home Depot CEO coming in to take over Apple from Steve Jobs- Imagine the endless Powerpoint, the endless stream of focus-grouped consensus mediocrity that would abound.
Imagine a design motivated CEO like Steve Jobs taking over Chrysler, creating the Apple of the auto biz, creating a seamless brand that makes the heart beat faster.
If design emerges as a force under the Obama administration, it’ll be over the grave of GM Chrysler and Ford.
So when the auto industry goes down the pan, it will remind us that no matter how many bail-outs and restructuring they do, it’ll be the crappy design that put the nail in the coffin.
Can you imagine- we’ve got an ex Home Depot guy running Chrysler??!! Imagine if you will, an ex Home Depot CEO coming in to take over Apple from Steve Jobs- Imagine the endless Powerpoint, the endless stream of focus-grouped consensus mediocrity that would abound.
Imagine a design motivated CEO like Steve Jobs taking over Chrysler, creating the Apple of the auto biz, creating a seamless brand that makes the heart beat faster.
If design emerges as a force under the Obama administration, it’ll be over the grave of GM Chrysler and Ford.
Bobcat: I would consider VW the Apple of car makers, and they aren’t terribly profitable. With a product so complicated, it doesn’t boil down to one problem, but systemic problems. Chrysler is the worst off because they are owned by investors, not product-people. That’s why they chose the President they did. “Serenity now…serenity now”
Really? I don’t think I would. Maybe BMW. But I agree with you, GM/Ford/Chrysler’s problems are much more than design at this point. Although design is certainly a big part of what got them here.
I was thinking of BMW or VW. I picked VW for two reasons:
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It fit my reasoning
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I knew someone would post how Bangle has created the ugliest car line in existence and we would fly even further off topic:)
Mr-914:
There was a time when I would have agreed with about VW. Over the late '90s, early '00 models had great confident yet understated design, but now they seem to have become paranoid, paying far too much lip service to over-stated Asian competition. It’s tempting to link their fall in profitability with their ‘losing the plot’. Eg: The sneering over styled Passatt, and what the hell is a Tiguan? An angry looking but toothless Honda CRV?
Going back to the original point- The US auto industry is in exactly the same boat as the UK’s in the mid '70s. deeply unprofitable with deep systemic problems and an un-manageable, inviable workforce. British cars (like the Austin Princess, Rover SD1 etc) were badly designed unreliable rust buckets, and became victims of far superior products from Japan.
The US may have invented the SUV ( “hey, let’ take this truck, put a roof on add a few seats and we have a winner”…) but it took no time at all for Lexus Mercedes, et al to introduce design innovation- like decent vehicle dynamics and styling that lifted product perception out of middle American complacency, to something aspirational that sells globally.
Obama has to encourage CEOs that will steer the Auto Biz with passion for the product and brand as well as have global business savvy.
The US auto industry is in exactly the same boat as the UK’s in the mid '70s. deeply unprofitable with deep systemic problems and an un-manageable, inviable workforce. [/quote]
Yep. And there’s a better than even chance it’s going to end up in the same place. A couple of moribund brands owned by the Chinese, and some foreign owned assembly plants for Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, BMW, and Mercedes. If it follows the exact same path, someone like BMW will buy our handful of untarnished brands (e.g., Corvette), and spin them off, just like they did with the Mini.
The proposed bailout is just giving the keys to a Smirnoff truck to a lifetime alcoholic. They are going to get loaded and crash the truck. What they need is an intervention.