PRODUCT PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

What is a Product
BENEFIT: How the Product or Service Satisfies A Need

PRODUCT:

A Bundle of Benefits and a Collection of Solutions to Needs and Wants

A Benefit That Satisfies a Customer COMPETITIVE Better than A Competitors Product ADVANTAGE: Benefits

Core Product & Augmented Product

Product A collection of features; A collection of advantages; A collection of buyer benefits including services.

Core Product the tangible item plus customary services

Augmented Product the tangible product plus customary and unique/customized services comprises the augmented product.
A means of exceeding customer expectations Should be done on a customer-by-customer basis Is accomplished by adding unique/customized services to the core

product Aiding in building strong customer partnerships

E.g., computers + 2 hr free training is a core product or an augmented product?

Managing Products

Key product management decisions Product management levels Management tools

1. 2.

Product Portfolio BCG and GE matrix Product Life Cycle

Key Product Management Decisions

Which product to introduce 2. Which products to keep 3. Which product to promote 4. What level of promotion to provide (low to high?) 5. What products to continue or delete
1.

Product Management Levels

category

The product The product line The technology platform The product itself

Product Management Tools

1.

Product Portfolio Management Tools

BCG Matrix GE Matrix

2.

Product Life Cycle

The BCG Matrix

Growth share matrix is a portfolio planning method

that evaluates a companys products in terms of their market growth rate and relative share. Products are classified as: Stars, Cash Cows,

Question marks and Dogs

Marketing efforts, or investments, will change, depending on the products classification

The BCG Matrix

The BCG Matrix

Stars are high-growth, high-share businesses or products requiring heavy investment to finance rapid growth. They will eventually turn into cash cows. Cash cows are low-growth, high-share businesses or products that are established; require less investment to maintain market share in a stable market. Question marks are low-share business units in highgrowth markets requiring a lot of cash to hold their share.

Dogs are low-growth, low-share businesses and products that may generate enough cash to maintain themselves but do not promise to be large sources of cash. Not worth much investment.

The BCG Matrix

Problems with Matrix Approaches

Difficulty in defining SBUs and measuring market share and growth Time consuming Expensive Focus on current businesses, not future planning

GE Matrix
A more advanced model developed by General

Electric: measuring market attractiveness and business strength

Market attractiveness is a composite measure of the potential for sales and profits in a particular market segment

Business strength is the strength of our offering relative to other companies products
GE Matrix is an expansion of the BCG matrix. The dimensions are more comprehensive and detailed.

GE Matrix
Market Attractiveness Growth Diversity Competitive Structure Change Technology Change Social Environment

GE Matrix

Business Strength Size of Market & Share Company Growth Rate Profit Margins Technology Platform Image People

Product Life Cycle

Product Life Cycle (PLC) The cycle of product

development, introduction, growth, maturity, and decline in sales PLC describes the sales history of a successful product The cycle can be applied to individual products or to product platforms or categories As products go through the life cycle, marketing emphases will change.

PLC Decision Points

Rapid expansion of distributors Product line expansion Niche marketing Continued heavy promotion Sales force incentives and management Search for new sources for supply Need to balance supply and demand Stock-out and back-order damage control Strongly defend home-market niches Prune product lines Emphasize gross contribution rather than market share and sales volume Review logistics: prune costs Reduce pioneering sale force effort, more telemarketing More trade than consumer promotion Introduce flankers, private labels, generics Reinvest in market research & R&D Use promotions to increase heavy-user loyalty Freeze investment in plant Productivity review Special trade promotions to keep channels happy Focused attacks on vulnerable competitors Long-term price reduction or at least a short-term price promotion Keep plant at maximum capacity and subcontract excess Cut low-gross-margin products from the line Withdraw from channels in order of their unprofitability Freeze R& D and product modifications Freeze advertising and promotions Attempt to maintain price to the end Buy back remaining stock and redistribute Maintain spare parts and service Consider divesting while it is a going concern

Sales

Redirect focus & promotion Invest in expanding production Build inventory Expand distributor network Train expanded sales force Institute marketing controls Invest heavily in advertising Target on best prospects: innovators and enthusiasts Use most loyal distributors Use free samples Use public demonstrations and trade shows Use publicity and endorsements Use specialist media & catalogs

Development

Introduction

Growth

Maturity

Decline

Time

PLC A new look

Product Development
R&D Test Marketing Introduction Growth Maturity Decline

Kill the product

Find New Repeat Life Uses Cycle Find New Markets

PLC Recommendations for each stage

Introduction Profits are not expected; the focus is on building distribution channels; a truly innovative product must focus on stimulating primary demand Growth Sales and profits increase at their fastest rate; product differentiation may be employed in an attempt to stimulate secondary demand Maturity Sales level off; maintain/improve its profit position through product differentiation

Decline seek markets/applications for the product

New Product Development

The most basic decision: go no go decision Risks involved in developing new products:
Investment risk we decide to go ahead with the

product, it fails, and we lose some or all of our investment Opportunity risk we decide to kill a product and thereby lose all of the revenue we would have gained if it had been a success

Product Development Process

EVALUATION
LAUNCH BETA TESTING

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
SPECIFYING FEATURES SCREENING AND PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION IDEA GENERATION

New Product Development Process

Internally developed products:
1.

Begin as an idea that must be screened to determine if it is worth further development (concept test) Features are specified and then a prototype is created A small run of the product is manufactured and beta, or field, tested letting customers use in real-world conditions

2. 3.

4.

The product is launched and evaluated

Making a product successful

Five factors are key to success: Companys ability to identify needs and satisfy them
1.
2. 3.

Have close ties with a well defined market to anticipate customer needs.
Company is highly integrated and market-oriented Company has a competitive advantage in technology and production capability Company has a strong marketing proficiency New product launch adequately financed

Companys ability to market products

4. 5.

Winning the new product contest

FOCUS ON CORE COMPETENCY(WHAT YOU DO BEST
FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE)

PLUS PROVIDE GREATEST VALUE TO CUSTOMER

EQUALS
SUCCESSFUL PRODUCT