further reading

T. Princen, M. Maniates, and K. Conca, Editors. Confronting Consumption, 2002, The MIT Press: Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Stairs, D., Altruism as Design Methodology. Design Issues, 2005. 21(2): p. 3-12.

references
along with note 13, supporting the notion that we are pressured to shift many of our traditionally unpaid activities to the monetized economy: Manno, J., Consumption and Environment in a Global Economy, in Confronting Consumption, T. Princen, M. Maniates, and K. Conca, Editors. 2002, The MIT Press: Cambridge, Massachusetts. p. 67-99.

web links
non profit design groups
Designers without Borders
Design for the World
Design for Social Impact
Architecture for Humanity
Architects/Designers/Planners for Social Responsibility
Society for Responsible Design (Australia)
Scottish Ecological Design Association

new thinking

Corporations: which sorts have the most power and what role does design play in them?

Ken Conca, (Confronting Consumption, T. Princen, M. Maniates, and K. Conca, Editors. 2002, The MIT Press: Cambridge, Massachusetts) notes how globalization has changed recently as power has moved from traditionally "vertical" organizations (such as Ford where manufacture, distribution, marketing and advertising were all under one roof) to distributed organizations (such as Nike, a company that owns no manufacturing facilities but concentrates on "brand"). In Conca's view as industrial organizations are changing to respond to the fast changing global economy (eg just in time delivery, niche marketing, etc.) the result is upstreaming and downstreaming of power along the supply chain to global financiers and buyers (large retailers, brand merchandisers) respectively (147-148).

This shift of power to big buyers (such as big box retailers) could suggest a shifting role for design as well, potentially further confining design (in a corporate role at least) to the role of styling-for-maximum-consumption. On the other end of the spectrum, a shift of power from manufacturers to financial services potentially suggests an overall diminishing role for design.