Article Abstract:
Habitat, the furniture store acquired by Ikea in November 1992, has made changes to improve the image of its products and has severed its design contract with Conran Design Group. Vittorio Radice, the managing director since 1990, changed its purchasing policy, making seven international in-house purchasers responsible rather than middlemen who also bought for other chains. Costs were reduced as a result and this could be passed onto the customer. The instore layout has also been changed so that it is warmer and less formal. The emphasis is now on products which are traditional, craft based and of natural materials.
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Article Abstract:
High Definition Television (HDTV) is now on the horizon, but there are many problems to be resolved before it is in widespread. The US' Federal Communications Commission is seeking an early move to a completely-digital system, but some estimates do not expect a real working HDTV system to be around before the end of the century. In Europe the outlook is even less optimistic. There are varying views on the significance of HDTV, with some believing that it will be merely a niche service, and others predicting a great impact both in the workplace and in the home.
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Article Abstract:
Finnish design used to have a great influence in the rest of Europe, but now there is an oversupply of designers and 40% of architects are unemployed. The average unemployment rate in Finland is 16% and social problems such as drugs and crime have escalated. The collapse of the Soviet Union, which accounted for 25% of Finland's export market is one reason for the decline, combined with the recession in Europe. Finnish designers must change their attitudes and aim to produce lasting product designs rather than one-offs.
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