Keep ahead of your competitors!New Product Development will help you and your company overcome an expensive and common weakness: the lack of adequate new product development. This vital book examines the requirements of new product development in detail as well as in the context of corporate strategy. Packed with practical information that can immediately be put into effect, New Product Development can help you keep your company on the leading edge, no matter what type of industry you're in!This uniquely insightful volume will help you become a successful innovator by showing you how to plan and execute strategies for developing a continuous flow of new products and services to help you stay ahead of the competition. It demonstrates how innovation, far from being a staff function, is a dynamic line management task. It calls for the same aggressive thrust as marketing and sales, and every officer of the company, from the president on down, has a share in this responsibility.Medium size, small, and even large companies constantly face a mass of problems in achieving successful innovation. New Product Development will help you deal with issues including:
inaccurate budgeting
costs exceeding budgets
faulty market and technical research findings
flaws in design
inadequately durable materials
unforeseen consumer rejection caused by the lack of proper consumer trials
leakage of plans to competition
failure by outside suppliers
missed opportunities for cooperation with outside specialists
poorly coordinated development staff
ineffective leadership
and much more!
Beginning with an "executive summary" that will guide you quickly to the chapters most relevant to your business, this well-organized book should be on the shelf of every company officer who wants to see his firm prosper, innovate, and create new products that sell-now and for years to come!
Foreword
Preface
Using This Book
Executive Summary
Part I: Find New Products
Chapter 1. Innovation: A Relentless Thrust
Three Levels of Innovative Vision
Product and Service Superiority
The Bowers Group: A Subsidiary of Spear and Jackson Plc.
Chapter 2. Making Innovations Happen
An Example: Terrofin Inc.
Genevac Limited
Part II: Moving On-Successful Developments
Chapter 3. Success
Success Factors
British Gas Services Ltd.
Chapter 4. Hitting the Ground Running
Quick Response
Siddall and Hilton Ltd.
Communications
Chapter 5. Ideas, Ideas, Ideas
Ideas from Within the Business
Ideas from Outside the Business
Strategic Alliances
Environmentally Friendly Products
Chapter 6. Product Development: Corporate Strategy
The Corporate Strategy: Targets
International Alliances
A Pharmaceutical Company: Lifelong
Part III: Centers of Excellence
Chapter 7. Centers of Excellence
A Center of Excellence in a Service Company: Insight Monitoring
Imperial Carpets: An Example of the Organization and Management of a Small, Growing Firm
Other Examples
Issues of Excellence
Developing Tools for the Twenty-First Century
Centers of Excellence: A Checklist
Chapter 8. Staffing: The Innovative Atmosphere
Preparing the Company
Recruitment
Appointment
Training
Ideas People
Staffing
Conclusion
G. R. Wright and Sons
Chapter 9. In-House or Contracting Out?
The Company B Strategy
A Company Led by Innovation
Chapter 10. Design
New Products: Technology-Design-Led
The Design Department
Customer-Led Innovation
Almec Design Services Ltd.
Chapter 11. Technical Research
The Research and Development Department
The Product Development Committee
Stimulation and Constraint
Key Issues
GQ Parachute Limited
Chapter 12. High Tech
The High-Tech Message
Government Intervention
The St. James's Place Group
Chapter 13. New Products by Branding: Basic Industries
Trees and Forest Management
Basic Industries
Cross-Industry Associations
Codemasters
Part IV: Where Do We Go From Here?
Chapter 14. Services
Accountancy and Law
Advertising and Publicity
The Hospitality and Tourism Industries
Changing Terms of Business
Services Always Important
Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Chapter 15. Market Research
Chapter 16. Companies and Governments: The Hostility and the Emerging Consensus ("Poor Mr. Gates")
Chapter 17. Failures
Risk
Chapter 18. Investing in New Product Development
In an Age of Obsolescence
The Investment Decisions
Strategic Alliances
Chapter 19. The Product Launch: Looking Ahead, Some Ethical Issues
The Product Launch
Ethical Issues
References
Index of Names
Index of Topics
Reference Notes Included
