Syfte: Syftet med studien var att undersöka investeringsbeslut inom designbranschen och skapa en större förståelse kring investeringsbesluten i designbyråer samt uppmärksamma designbyråer att investeringar kunde vara en konkurrenskraft. Teoretisk referensram: Studien behandlade olika investeringstyper, Porters fem konkurrenskrafter, risk, osäkerhet och lönsamhet. I uppsatsen användes också sju tidigare forskningar kring dessa områden samt forskning inom SME-företag, investeringsbeslut samt hur känslor påverkade vid beslutsfattande av investeringar. Metod: I uppsatsen har en deduktiv forskningsansats brukats. Studien genomfördes med en kvalitativ forskningsmetod i form av intervjuer med tio designbyråer. Kraven för designbyråerna var att de skulle ha olika arbetsområden i Stockholms innerstad samt att de skulle innefatta minst fyra anställda. Ytterligare ett krav var att de skulle ha välkända kunder. Intervjuerna genomfördes personligen, per telefon samt via mail. I studien tillämpades en komparativ metod för att kunna jämföra likheter och skillnader mellan designbyråerna samt finna kopplingar mellan designbyråers investeringar och beslutsfattandet kring dem. Resultat: Studien resulterade i att investeringar i personal samt kompetens var den största samt viktigaste investeringen då åtta av tio designbyråer nämnde det. Sex designbyråer gjorde investeringar i lokal och kontor och fyra designbyråer utförde expansionsinvesteringar. Tre av tio designbyråer använde sig av exempelvis kalkyler eller return on investment vid investeringsbeslut. För sex av designbyråerna spelade känslor in vid beslut av en investering. Åtta av dem ansåg att en investering var lönsam när intäkten översteg kostnaden för investeringen. Sju av designbyråerna såg investeringar som en risk men främst som en möjlighet. Slutsats: Designbyråer i Stockholm gjorde investeringar i främst personal, lokal, resor, expansion och datorer för att generera värde vilket också gjorde investeringen lyckad. Strategiska planeringen bestod främst av budgetering samt ett fåtal designbyråer utförde kalkyler. Det som var avgörande vid beslutsfattande var ekonomiska och emotionella värden. En investering sågs som lönsam när intäkten översteg kostnaden. Designbyråer såg investeringar främst som möjligheter men som behövde vägas gentemot risken. Jämfört med den finansiella teorin och designbyråers syn på investeringar skiljde sig inte speciellt mycket men hur besluten fattades skiljde sig markant. / Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to examine investment decisions in the design industry to provide greater comprehension on investment decisions in the design agencies and to notice design agencies that investments were a competititiveness.   Theoretical framework:The paper examined different types of investments, Porter’s five forces, risk, uncertainty and profitability. The paper also applied seven previous researches on these areas and also researches in SME, investment decisions and how feelings affected investment decisions. Methodology: A deductive research approach has been used in this paper. The study was conducted by a qualitative research method which included interviews with ten design agencies. The requirements for the design agencies included different work areas in Stockholm inner city and the design agency had to have at least four employees. Another requirement was that they had to have wellknown customers. There were face-to-face interviews, interviews by e-mail and telephone. The study was made by a comparative method to make comparisions between design agencies to find similarities, differences and connections between investments which design agencies made and eventually the decision making. Results: The results of the study demonstrated that investment in employees and competence was the greatest investment according to eight of ten design agencies. Six of the design agencies invested in premises and offices and four of ten made investments in expansion. Three of ten design agencies used calculations or return on investment while making investment decisions. It was found that six of ten design agencies included feelings in making investment decisions. Eight of ten considered that an investment was profitable when revenue exceeded the cost of the investment. Seven of the design agencies considered investments as a risk but mainly as an opportunity.   Conclusion: Design agencies in Stockholm invested mainly in employees and even in offices, business trips, expansion and computers to generate value which also lead to a successful investment. Strategic planning mainly consisted of budgeting as well as a few design agencies performed calculus. Economic and emotional values were a decisive factor in investment decisions. An investment was considered as profitable when revenue exceeded the cost. Design agencies primarly considered investments as opportunities but they needed to be in balance with the risks. The design agencies’ view of investments compared to the financial theory did not differ very much but how the decisions were made differed significantly.