Tutorial 3

PRODUCT PLANNING AND CONTROL

QUESTION 1
a) Graphically illustrate the relationship between profits and sales in the life cycle of a
product from the Product Development stage to its last cycle stage. [12]
b) Explain the graph in a). [13]

QUESTION 2
Porter’s Model helps with the structural analysis of the environment. How does this
model work?

QUESTION 3
a) Design of a product should be robust. Discuss this statement. [15]
b) What are the goals of product portfolio management? [10]

QUESTION 4
a) What decisions are made at the product development strategy stage and who
is responsible for those decisions. [5]
b) Enumerate the goals of product portfolio management? [5]
c) Why is Product Planning difficult? [5]
d) Explain the strategy that can be used for product in each of the categories in
the Boston Matrix. [10]