About the book

From new product development to product elimination, this book holistically covers the entire product life cycle, including analysis of new product innovation strategy, new product ideas screening, product testing, managing growing and mature products, and product deletion. The nature and practice of these processes are central to the firm's overall strategy for competitiveness, and this book repeatedly emphasises the fundamental relationship between the success of a product and the survival of the firm. Whether they are studying at undergraduate, postgraduate or MBA levels, students will find this book essential to their understanding of this important subject area.

Contents:

Part I: The theoretical foundations

Competition and product strategy

The product in theory and practice

Buyer behaviour

The product life cycle in theory and practice

Product portfolios

Part II: New product development

The importance, nature and management of the new product development process

New product strategy

Idea management for new product development

Screening new product ideas

Concept development and testing

Business analysis

Product testing

Part III: Product management

Commercialization: test marketing and launching the new product

Managing growth

Managing the mature product

Part IV: Product elimination

Controlling the product line: an overview of the deletion decision

Reaching the decision to delete a product

Implementing the deletio