臺灣真正有計畫推動設計發展，是從1950 年代末期開始，當時所成立的設計專責機構-中國生產力及貿易中心，聘請美、日、德各國設計專家來臺進行長期或短期的講學。而這些國外的設計專家也引起當時在臺灣的企業家王永慶、林挺生等人對工業設計工作的重視。因日本專家小池新二及吉岡道隆建議，明志工專於1964 年成立第一所工業設計科，並廣招海外設計留學生，或者派遣短期留學生，後續又創辦了長庚大學工業設計系，訓練了不少設計人才，例如：當今設計教育界的游萬來、莊明振、秦自強、林榮泰、黃啟梧都是明志工專工設科的畢業生。王永慶除了推行設計教育與設立南亞新東廠之外，後續也成立南亞工設處，設計人員早期有詹益秀、蔡謀樑、林顯模，及後期的林景政、高耀通、簡二朗、施景煌等人推動台塑的設計工作。又為了使實務與理論並行發展，由台塑公司補助的第一本華文設計雜誌「工業設計」季刊，從創刊號迄今已有124 期，現在仍為臺灣設計發展的推手。亦在企業體制外成立「明志設計中心」與「首席設計公司」來輔助台塑企業的設計工作。綜上而述，台塑企業創辦人王永慶對臺灣設計工作的投入，無論是在設計教育界培養下一代也好，在企業體制中推動設計也好，對臺灣工業設計的後續發展，堪稱具有莫大的影響。本研究係針對台塑企業創辦人王永慶為對象，探討他在1950-1970 年代時期，對臺灣工業設計的投入與影響，是臺灣設計發展的重要史實探討。

The origin of Taiwanese design industry started from the end of 1950 and the beginning of 1960.In 1960 the Taiwanese government established designing trade institute, China Productivity and Trade Center. In order to take this into progress, the government invited professional designers form America,Japan, and Germany to give a short term lecture. These professionals brought up the attraction of the Taiwan enterprise, for example, Yon-Chin Wang and Ting-Shen Lin’s designing team. The founder of Formosa Plastic enterprise started designing printed pattern plastic sheet, and with the advice of the Japanese professional designer Shinji Koike and Michitaka Yoshioka, 1964 established the first industrial design department in Ming Chi Institute of Technology, searching for abroad students including Jian-Hong Li, Lian-Dan Wang, Ming-Shian Wang, Shu-Shuan Guo, Kuo-Chong Chao, Fa-Pin Fang, Yu-Chan Liao, and Chung-Chi Lai. All of them were the best choice at that time.In order to carry out the development of theory and ractice, the “Quarterly of Industrial Design”was published under the support of Formosa Plastics. This was the first Chinese design magazine,starting from 1968 till now in a total of 30 years of history. This magazine is still one of the most important magazines in the designing aspect. In addition to Ming Chi Institute of Technology, Yonchin Wang established another industrial design department in Chang Gung University. He also set up design division In the Nan Ya Plastic Corporation. Many outstanding designers were recruited,such as Yi-Shiu Chan, Mo-Lian Chai, Shian-Mo Lin, Yiao-Tong Gao, Jin-Hung Shi. Moreover, The Shou Si Design Company was established to help with the design projects of Formosa Plastics. In short, the effort that Yon-Chin Wang put into the Taiwan designing environment is fundamental and a contribution to the Taiwan history as well.