Exploring the Differences Between Leaders’ and Designers’ Communication Styles: Insights from Industrial Design Micro-Enterprises in Taiwan

Abstract

This study explores the differences in communication styles adopted by leaders and designers during the processes of design and development of a product in the specific organizational context of micro-enterprises operating in the design industry in Taiwan. To that end, both quantitative and qualitative studies were conducted using the Communication Styles Inventory (CSI) scale. The data were gathered from both questionnaires and crossed interviews conducted with 10 leaders and 22 designers belonging to 9 industrial design micro-enterprises. The knowledge of the differences in communication styles adopted by leaders and designers provides both theoretical and practical insights into the following question: how should a leader “fit” their communication styles with a designer communication styles to enhance communication performance during the product design and the development phase.