Guidelines and Propensities Concerning Entrepreneurship For Emerging Industrial Design Professionals

Abstract

As cited by Hofer (2011), “There is little doubt that the economy has played a role in the downturn of available positions [for young professionals], but the way in which today’s graduates approach that problem suggests that this is a different era.” During the course of one academic year, a study is performed that will develop and establish an approach for a recent graduate or entry-level industrial design professional to understand how to use entrepreneurial values to develop a cohesive identity, and seek to promote that identity using social media for either self gain or aiding in the search for employment. The study comes at a time when economic certainty is no longer promised to industrial design professionals who wish to hold a position within a full time profession. For these individuals it is important that they understand how, under an entrepreneurial mindset, to provide themselves with extra provisions against this described global uncertainty. This study proposes and explores methodologies for achieving efficacy within three critical components of an entrepreneurial venture: Identity creation, branded marketing, and social networking.