Innovation, creativity needed to sustain growth
(Alexander Wan and Selina Lo)

Are local Chinese industries ready to design and innovate, or is it easier and more cost effective just to copy others like other Asian economies are doing? Those were the questions raised by delegates at the 20th China Daily CEO Roundtable meeting held on November 30, 2005.

The questions provoked ardent discussion at the "Next Generation Design, Innovation and Creativity for China" meeting, co-hosted by China Daily and the Illinois Institute of Technology. More than 30 CEOs and senior executives from prestigious companies in the design, media, lifestyle, technology, communications, education and legal sectors sat down at the Peninsula Palace Beijing with one objective: to exchange views on China's capacity and challenges in rising to the global stage of design and innovation. Mary Ma, a former national model and now president of her own fashion design company, was among the distinguished delegates that attended the prestigious event.

Assuming a more active role

In their opening speeches, both honorary chairmen at the 20th roundtable were optimistic when discussing the future of design in China and its implications for the country.

"China is progressing in its revolution from the old, stifled economy into a robust and global economy," began Victor Chu, chairman of the First Eastern Investment Group."As China is still in transition, I think it will make a difference whether it can be at the cutting edge of innovation - not just on the industry side, but on the financial and social side as well."

"The centre of gravity, energy and growth of the design market is shifting from North America to Asia," said Professor Patrick Whitney, principal of the IIT Institute of Design. He was equally excited about China's creative prospects. "When things are designed by Chinese factories they are exported back to the West.But I think that model will change and we'll be designing things in China for China."

Christian Boustany, chairman and managing director of Boustany Projects Development, welcomed Chinese influence in the global design market.

"China was completely absent from everything that had to do with creativity and innovation just a few years ago," he said. "The countries that are currently on the world scene have reached a level where there's nothing new, so it's very healthy for everybody to have China come into the picture now. It will introduce and impose its tastes, styles and specifications onto others."

Bruce Nussbaum, assistant managing editor of Business Week, claimed it was only in the past year or two that he has been able to see "that there is a great deal of value to design thinking, design strategy and innovation."Which means China is not so far behind.

"It's only been recently that large corporations such as Apple, Starbucks and General Electric have led to a tipping point in the US economy for going very deeply into design and innovation," Nussbaum remarked. "It would be wonderful to see how China adapts and evolves in terms of innovation and design because the US is just about to begin as well."