NEW PRODUCTS MANAGEMENT    MKTG 461 Fall 2009

Instructor: Dr. Babu John Mariadoss  Todd 388                                                                                                  Classes: Mondays & Wednesdays       TA:             Gracie Doran                        Todd 201                                                                                                  1.25 pm to 2.40 pm      Todd 303

IMPORTANT

NEW SUBMISSION DATE FOR MINI-PROJECT 1 IS OCTOBER 21, 2009

Forgot your team members L  Click here.

 "The Birth of Vertical"

 

       

LEAD USER RESEARCH

Innovative potential is concentrated among lead users. How can they be identified?

What is a lead user?

Prof. Eric von Hippel coined the term "lead user" in 1986 for a specific type of user of a product or service having two characteristics: (1) They are at the leading edge of important market trends and; (2) they have a strong incentive to find solutions for the novel needs they encounter at the leading edge.

Due to these characteristics, research from numerous scholars has repeatedly shown that:

Lead users often have to develop the new products and services they need for themselves - they become user innovators;  Products that lead users develop often become the basis for important commercial products when lead user needs become mainstream.

Our New Product Teams*

*might not depict all members of the team

Assignment 2 posted on  elearning.wsu.edu as well as the "Assignments" page (click tab on the left).

--------------------------------

Lead User Examples

------------------------------------

TOOLKITS

Companies can equip their customers with virtual tools which allow them to design their own product. How does this work? Click on the picture to know more.

--------------------------------