The Context of Early Supplier Involvement

Francis Bidault (), Charles Despres () and Christina Butler ()
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Francis Bidault: Theseus Institute
Charles Despres: Theseus Institute
Christina Butler: London Business School

Chapter 1 in Leveraged Innovation, 1998, pp 1-25 from Palgrave Macmillan

Abstract: Abstract ‘A car for two people and a pack of beer.’ This is how critics describe ‘Smart’, the micro-car due to be launched in the very near future and expected to sell at a rate of 200 000 by the year 2000. The Smart car departs from conventional automotive design logic - it is nothing, in fact, if not innovative. This new product, aimed at frayed nerves and urban congestion, is 40 per cent shorter than most European sub-compacts and capable of being parked perpendicular to sidewalks. A top-of-the-line ‘hybrid’ model is equipped with both a gas engine and an electric motor. The body of the car is fitted with plastic panels that can be changed in a short time to give the car a new look in a flash. Smart’s marketing is also expected to break new ground with a novel approach to leasing: consumers will have the option of leasing a ‘transportation solution’ where, for a monthly fee, they buy not only the Smart car but also the right to use a large sedan for a period of time each year.

Keywords: Product Development; Product Innovation; Vacuum Cleaner; Supply Chain Integration; Product Proliferation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 1998
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DOI: 10.1057/9780230377820_1

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